RE: OLD WIVES TALES...Let's Here 'em!
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>"And when you said that does rub their heads to relieve the itching...what itching are you referring to?"<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>
While the velvet is new and still carrying blood to the antlers, bucks are known to lightly scratch their antlers and cap on small branches. However, being a buck is highly protective of his antlers while in velvet, which is actually a layer of blood vessels that feed the antlers and enables their (antlers) size, I doubt that a buck is going to roughly rub its antlers against any hard object.
It has been said that a buck's antlers itch when the velvet is no longer needed and has died, and then a buck will scratch his head against a tree, sapling, etc. Maybe they do but, to me, it does not make sense that the antlers will itch. The blood flow to make the velvet is completely shut off and the antlers are now solid bone. Does bone itch?
As for normal rubs, I believe they are only made as the buck removes the dead velvet and shines his antlers in preparation for his display to other bucks and does, and to strengthen his neck for imminent battles. He also practices battling, on brush and small saplings