Do Female Moose Have Antlers? [Secret Info Revealed]

What a giant, dignified, and respectful animal is this! Yes, it is moose.

Hunters are right to name it as Antelope of the forest.

Have you ever heard anything about moose antlers? If not, this article will cover everything about this strange rack like structure over the head. 

Do female moose have antlers? Typically no, cow moose never develop antlers throughout their lifespan. However, there is a possibility to grow them in rare cases. Almost all bull moose grows and sheds it every year.

One of the biggest ever existing species of deer is moose. In this species, the male is called bull, female cow and young one’s calves. Only males grow heavy-looking branched antlers. 

Let’s see why females don’t have it:

Is There any Possibility of Female Moose Antlers?

Females of some species do have antlers like reindeer.

Facts about antlers’ growth in moose

Moose is very popular for its dignified appearance because of antlers and massive body. Here is a fact sheet about antlers –

• Only Male moose or bull develops them in the middle of the skull. However, in rare cases bull also develop it because of hormonal dis-balance.
• Beams are cylindrical, spread right-angled on either side of the head. Let’s see an image of a skull to understand.

• The animal uses them to show dominance, to fight for territory, to attract cow mates and finally to fight rivals.
• Males shed off their antlers when mating season is over. They do this because they need the energy to survive in winter. Here is a real video of moose shedding antler.
• The diameter of the antler beam is an indicator of the age of the animal.
• Antlers of American, Siberian and Eurasian moose are different in structure.

Why does Moose lose their antlers?

Antler bones grow under the skin in April during spring. Soon they get fur like soft hairs called velvet. With a gradual increase in testosterone levels around September, the velvet will shed off. Bones of antlers will become harder and harder so it may gain weight up to 1800 pounds.

Before the rut, deer will start rubbing it against the woods. Finally, in  December before winter, it will get rid of it. They do it to store energy for cold as moose is an animal of extreme chill weather.

If you want to read more about this creature, read Giants of the Northern forest.

How to differentiate between a cow and a Bull?

Is it a cow or a Bull? How to identify in just a glance is only a trick. 

A white patch of fur under the bull is another distinction hint because it is not present in the cow.

There is a flap of skin fur dangling down in both males, females called the bell. The size of the bell is comparatively bigger in cow than in bull.

Finally, you can judge through sex organs if you are too close. Beware is not as safe as a bull may attack with no warning.

Things to know before hunting Moose

Moose hunt is not as easy as it seems to be. This is because it is huge and behaves aggressively with no warning signs. Here are a few things you should know – 

• First thing first, always check hunting rules set by your country. In most areas like Alaska, hunting cows is restricted. So. identifying cow and bull moose is an essential step.
• Select the right month and season. Usually, September is the best if you want to see more activity in moose.
• Do research and research and know your animal well before planning. 
• Cow call is a nice trick to find one near you.
• Ask local people there to help you track the animal.
• Moose are giant enough, always plan to shoot small ones because you cannot carry its meat at home. If you can’t carry it, then cut it in quarters and bring home in this way.
• Always be open-minded to learn new things from the experiences of others.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do female moose have a dewlap?

Both bull and cow moose have a dangling going down from the neck. It is a bell-shaped dewlap. A bull is bigger than a cow.

What is a female moose called?

Female moose is called a cow while the male is called a bull, and the baby is a calf.

Do females have antlers?

Typically, no. However, in rare cases because of hormonal imbalance, few females develop antlers.

How can you tell a male from a female moose?

In moose species, male forms of females don’t exist. However, it may happen in exceptional cases where you can use the term hermaphrodite.

Do female moose have beards?

No, it’s not a beard. It is actually a bell also called a dewlap. This dewlap is present in both males and females.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this does female moose have antlers article will help you to understand this species of deer better. It’s difficult to find one with an antler. However, if you are lucky enough to spot one, don’t forget to save its image in your cameras. Furthermore, research is needed to find the exact ratio of an existing case of cow moose with antlers.

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References:

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=90

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/03/160307-moose-drops-antler-video-wyoming/