The most prominent difference between antelopes and deer is that male deer have antlers which they shed and grow every year while antelopes have horns that are permanent. Another difference is that deer antlers are branched and antelope horns are not. Antelopes belong to family Bovidae (as do sheep, goat and cattle), while deer belong to family Cervidae. Both are even-toed ungulates (hoofed animals) and ruminant mammals. Comparison chart Differences — Similarities — Antelope versus Deer comparison chart AntelopeDeerIntroduction (from Wikipedia) Antelopes are several even-toed ungulate species in Africa and Eurasia, comprising a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those Old World species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats.