https://bigdeerblog.com/2013/06/the-color-of-deer-antlers/



What do you think ?

My guess would be the white one sat out in sun longer. I have also noticed that deer that live in pine thickets seem to have darker horns than those that spend most of their time in hardwoods. Not sure if thats scientific just something I have noticed

Genetics, how soon after shedding velvet they begin rubbing and the species of trees they rub seem to be the primary culprits.

I didn’t read that article Clem, but is that what they summarized?

In a nutshell it says that it has a little to do with genetics but its mostly a matter of blood staining and tree species staining combined with sun bleaching

Years ago in a Ga Club, I had a Buck happen upon my open box blind. He was ultra alert and I couldn't even move he was so close. He was a Gnarly 8 point with a real dark color horns, and was legal in our club.
I watched him quickly slip into the pines. While I'm trying to gather myself, another Buck appears a bit farther out. He has the most beautiful cream colored antlers I have ever seen. He's a big 7 point and was untouchable.
Quite a contrast for Bucks that I assumed were buddies and traveling together.

I’ve noticed the some of the deer I’ve killed in lowndes county to have that bleached antler look. Like wise the deer we kill in Macon county seem to have more color to their racks.

I killed some so dark the look stained and others so white the look bleached

Same here and in the same location. There are factors at play beyond just habitat.

Cutover deer and deer in agriculture areas usually have the white bleached out antlers from being in the open sun a lot. Swamp bucks will have darker antlers usually in my experience.

I’ve killed dark and light colored antlered deer from one extreme to the next off the same property days apart with very similar habits and movements. There’s many factors at play. I agree. It’s not as simple as deer in open ground vs deer in thick ground. I really like em dark.

What CNC said --- mostly blood staining, the sap-tannins-bark on trees or conifers-evergreens, minimal genetic influence. Sunlight or shade doesn't make much of a difference, either.

I shot a buck in Saskatchewan that has dark brown antlers. Chocolate brown, just gorgeous. Another in Kansas that was typical - a little mottled, white-tan. Georgia, Bama, Florida - light-colored with a little tan, probably from blood staining.

clorox stumps are to blame for light colored. Cald for dark!

This is just my personal opinion but I would think that sunlight would have to play a role.......The reason I say that is because once the buck is out of velvet, that antler is the same solid bone sitting on top of his head that it is the day he drops it in the woods somewhere and we find it.....We obviously see that sheds will bleach out fairly quickly if they're left out in the sun for a while so it would seem like the same would have to be true for when its attached to his head as well.

Not too sure I'd admit to that last part...

All the ones I've killed in Alabama had light to white horns. Almost all the ones I've killed in FL had dark horns.

Its the amount of sunlight they get on them bleaching them out.