Antlers are made to shed. Most often, the bone near the base of each antler is destroyed by "osteoclasts" and the antlers fall off or sheds at some point^. Because of their fast rate of growth, antlers are considered a "liability" since there is a very large nutritional requirement on animals to re-grow their antlers annually, and as a consequence can be a telling sign of metabolic efficiency and food gathering capability.

In most arctic and temperate-zone species, antler growth and antler shedding is considered seasonal and controlled by the amount of daylight. However, In tropical species, antlers can be shed at nearly any time of year