Thread: When will the stags harden up?

How can you tell "on the hoof" when a stags antlers have hardened under his velvet? Whilst I know he won't be hard yet I got another look at a group of stags and spikers I have been keeping my eye on yesterday, didn't have binos with me but they were standing in full view at about 40m away (they didn't see me) and one in particular is a bloody dinosaur with a real nice rack on him that looks fully formed (if that makes sense?) the tips are pointed now compared to when I first saw them a few weeks back they were stubby looking. I'm really hoping these fellas hang around long enough to harden up.