Sallee Meat Processing

Antlers... horns, to-MAY-to... To-MAW-to, right? Wrong! Even though it is common to hear them called such, antlers and horns are not the same. Of the many biolo...gical differences, the key is that antlers are cast-off (shed) each year and the animal grows an entirely new pair each year. Species with horns, like cattle and bison, are grown once and stay on the animal their entire life. Antlers are unique to ungulates, or split-hooved mammals like deer, elk, and moose. They grow from a pedicle, which is the attachment point to the animal's skull. They also naturally occur only on the males, although in rare genetic deformity instances a female may have antlers. In whitetail deer, when a buck's testosterone levels drop after the rut, or mating season, a new bone cell called an osteoclast removes the existing bone tissue between the pedicle and the antler, causing them to fall off, or shed. The process takes about two weeks. In Oklahoma, this typically happens any time from January to March, and shed hunting grows in popularity each year. For the outdoor enthusiast, it's the ultimate Easter egg hunt. Get outside, take your family, get some exercise, and keep your eyes peeled for sheds! And if you still have trouble keeping them straight, just remember Antlers are shed, horns stay on the head!

A total of 6,461 pounds of meat was donated to the food banks! God’s FB received: 2,294# Hands of Jesus: 2,348# Crescent FB: 1,819#A total of 6,461 pounds of meat was donated to the food banks! God’s FB received: 2,294# Hands of Jesus: 2,348# Crescent FB: 1,819#