wwh kindly sent me some very good links on deer and antlers.
One bit is worth posting and introduces two new words, to me at least. It's about a practice among some hunters of rattling antlers, and, if you check out wwh's link, you'll see antlers entwined, but not locked as those of the dead deer I described in the above post. Here's a bit from the link:
Horn Rattling
The correct terminology is antler rattling, but horn rattling seems to roll off the tongue easier, so we will stick with horn rattling for this article.
You will need a fairly well matched set of deer antlers. Small to medium sized antlers, with 3 or 4 points on each side (not counting the brow tines), seem to work best. (See illustration above). Remove the brow tines and smooth off any sharp points and edges. About two weeks before you plan to use your natural rattling horns, place them in a bucket of water and let them soak until you use them. This will replenish their natural moisture and they will sound more realistic. If you don't have access to natural antlers, you can purchase artificial rattling horns at most deer hunting supply outlets. To avoid self-inflicted hand damage always wear gloves while rattling horns. http://www.whitetails.com/horn.html...This link shows that deer are polemologists in their own right.
WW
