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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Antlers are bone and are usually shed and regrown each year; true horns have a bony core covered by a keratin sheath and generally remain on the animal. Deer, elk, moose, and caribou grow antlers. Cattle, sheep, goats, and bison grow horns. Two notable exceptions refine that rule: female caribou can grow antlers, and pronghorns shed their branched horn sheath while retaining its bony core.
How antlers and horns differ
| Feature | Antlers | True horns |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | A single structure made entirely of bone. | A bony core covered by an outer keratin sheath. Keratin is also found in hair and fingernails. |
| Growth and shedding | Grow seasonally and are generally shed and regrown each year. | Generally remain on the animal and continue growing rather than being shed. |
| Common examples | Deer, elk, moose, and caribou. | Cattle, sheep, goats, and bison; pronghorns have a distinctive horn. |
| Sex pattern | Usually found on males, with caribou as an exception. | Often found in both sexes; females may have smaller horns. |
This is a useful general distinction, not a label for every projection on an animal’s head. Giraffes, for example, have ossicones, a different kind of cranial appendage. The American Museum of Natural History explains the distinction among horns, antlers, and other appendages.
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What antlers are made of and how they grow
An antler is bone, not a bony core with a separate outer horn sheath. While it grows, it is covered in soft velvet, which supplies nutrients and blood. When the antler is mature, the velvet is shed to reveal the hard bone. Antlers are seasonal structures and are usually shed and regrown each year, as the National Park Service’s comparison of horns and antlers notes.
Which animals grow antlers or horns?
Antlers: members of the deer family
Deer, elk, moose, and caribou are familiar antler-growing animals. Antlers are generally found on males, but caribou are an important exception: females also grow them. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service overview of antlers discusses their growth and the sex patterns found among antlered species.
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Horns: bovids and the pronghorn
Cattle, sheep, goats, and bison are bovids with true horns. In many horned species, both males and females have horns, though females’ may be smaller. Pronghorns also have horns, but theirs have an unusual structure and growth cycle.
Why pronghorns are an exception
A pronghorn does not have antlers. Its horn has a permanent bony core and a branched keratin sheath that is shed and regrown annually. The sheath’s shedding can make the animal seem antler-like, but the retained core and keratin covering make it a horn. The National Park Service’s Yellowstone species page describes this structure.
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What horns and antlers are used for
Both structures can serve several purposes. Animals may use them to defend themselves against predators, fight rivals during mating seasons, establish dominance, attract mates, or display traits such as health and vitality. Their functions overlap; neither structure has just one purpose.
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