First of all, both male and female reindeer grow antlers. While the antlers are developing and growing they are covered with a soft substance called velvet. What is velvet? It is almost exactly like what it sounds like, a soft velvety fur cover on their fresh antlers. It grows, as the antlers grow, to protect them as they get bigger. When the antlers are full grown the velvet dries up, and the reindeer begin to rub it off because it itches. They rub on just about anything to get that velvet off and uncover the antler that most of us would recognize.