Greetings, photography enthusiasts,
Today, I would like to present to you some photos from a walk in the forest during the last weekend, revealing a most charming discovery. This is a deer antler recently lost by the wild animal. Unfortunately, I was unable to discern the second wood during this excursion. Considering going back to scan the surroundings to locate the second piece, in case no one else had found it. to provide context, I would like to point out that these photographs were captured using my smartphone. I ask for your indulgence regarding the moderate quality of these images. I must admit my fault, having undertaken this forest walk without my camera, a negligence that is difficult to justify. Initially hesitant due to the rising wind, I finally decided, captivated by a ray of sunshine, to venture out despite this.
This is the first time I have discovered a deer antler. What makes you smile is that I have already found myself, in the past, almost face to face with this animal while I was picking mushrooms. Ten meters apart, we simultaneously raised our heads. Our eyes met for a few seconds, then he disappeared like an arrow, carrying his two antlers on his head. I confess to feeling, at that moment, a slight apprehension, given the imposing size of the creature. I had never had such an encounter before. Now, I can say that this experience is now on my list, with the added bonus of owning its wood, gathered in the woods (a play on words in French, where the two terms are written and pronounced in a similar way) .
It was in this position, planted between the old brambles, that I discovered the deer antler. At that moment, a loud “whaaaaa” spontaneously escaped from me. In the region where I live, the deer have disappeared, leaving only roe deer. Recently, the hunting of the latter was banned, thus opening the possibility of their return to our regions. The deer represents the largest wild deer in our country. No other wild creature in France can compete in terms of size. Deer reach their adult size between 7 and 8 years for males and 4 to 5 years for females. For the latter, the dimensions are generally between 175 and 240 cm for the head and body, while for females, they vary between 165 and 215 cm. This possible return of deer to our region would be a remarkable prospect for local biodiversity.
This wood has a measurement of 90 cm at both ends, for a weight of 3 kg, exclusively for a single wood. This therefore results in a mass of 6 kg of wood in total on the head. Antlers usually shed during the period from February to March and regenerate each year at an almost daily rate of almost 1 cm per day.
A primrose officinale. This plant has a candy smell and can treat small migraines drunk as an infusion. She was not far from the deer antlers
Cyboule