Based on the morphophysiological antler growth and development features, the red deer is classified in zoological systematics as true deer (the family Cervidae), with the antlers representing a secondary sexual characteristic since they can be found only on male animals. In terms of hunting, the red deer is classified as big game, and the antlers of the red deer are deemed as a trophy which determines its value on the market. Deer farmers and breeders pay particular attention to their quality and subsequently higher financial value and market competitiveness. The red deer is most often bred in the open, but breeding in fenced controlled conditions is becoming more popular. In the latter case, the deer live in relatively ideal feeding conditions with s reduced natural mortality rate. The research was conducted in the “Šeprešhat” research centre managed by the company “Hrvatske šume d.o.o.” and the “Podunavlje-Podravlje” hunting grounds in Baranja, and was based on biometric data from 167 pairs of shed antlers from ten feedlot cervids and four wild cervids, which makes a total of 4016 parameters. The shed antlers were collected from 2004 to 2017 and measured according to 11 standard parameters prescribed by the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC), and additionally according to 11 new parameters that more precisely determine the value and potential of the red deer (antler volume, brow tine deflection angle, brow tine length, brow tine height, bay tine deflection angle (degrees), bay tine length, bay tine height, tray tine deflection angle, tray tine length, tray tine height, crown height). The results show that stags from controlled breeding have significantly (P<0,005) longer tines than their wild counterparts. When breeding in controlled conditions, the number of tines, crown tines and crown tine lengths culminate after 8 years of age (in the 9th year); the highest lengths of beams, brow tines, and bay tines are reached after 9 years of age (in the 10th year), whereas the economic life in the open is estimated at 12 years of age. The bay tine is always shorter (P<0,00001) than the brow tine and the tray tine; there are no length differences between the brow tine and the tray tine (P=0,772). Among the indicators of “largeness” of antlers, the density of antlers does not correlate with deer age. No differences were observed in the density of stags bred in the open and those bred in controlled conditions. The average density is 1.25 kg/dm3 (from 0.76 to 2.47 kg/dm3). The deflection angles of brow, bay and tray tines do not depend on deer age nor the open or controlled breeding conditions; however, the relationship between lengths and relative heights of tines is rather variable, regardless of the breeding environment. Stags bred in controlled breeding conditions do not show a correlation between the lengths of all three tines covered in this research. The difference between the deflection angles of brow and bay tines can serve as a decision point for shooting the deer. The difference between deflection angles of brow and bay tines of at least 70° is an indicator of passed asymptotical senescence. From the three tested functions describing antler development, the Weibull function performed the best, followed by the quadratic function. The Gompertz function, in almost all cases, explains very little variability across all parameters covered in the research. To conclude, the majority of parameters had higher values in stags bred in fenced controlled conditions than in stags bred in the open, and the time required to reach the asymptotic values in controlled breeding conditions is significantly shortened.