a deer question

[scottiemom]

yesterday evening while watching the rabbits eat all the clover in the front of the house, two yearling bucks sauntered by. One of them had a wonky antler-by that I mean one antler was normal size (above his ear) and the other antler was only a few inches long so he was quite lopsided.

one question is does that bother the deer or is he oblivious to the antler weirdness?

My other question is will they grow in weird again the next year or once he sheds the antlers, when they come in will they probably/possibly be the same size?

Just wondering....

[DougGuy]

That one is what we call a "non-typical" that will likely always grow that odd antler. It's 50/50 chance any fawns that he fathers may also grow non typical antlers.

[wv109323]

If he is not aware of the non typical rack he will learn this fall in the rut season. A buck with a mature rack should easily be able to "out man" him.
The size of a buck's antlers are determined by his parents. (both male and female). If the buck was this years fawn then any antlers is a positive sign that he should have a good rack by the time he is 3-4 years old. If the buck was over 1 1/2 years old (with a non typical rack) then he will probably never be a trophy deer. A 1 1/2 year old buck as you described may turn out to be a small 8 point in a year or two. These are just general statements. His antlers are all about his genes.
There is an old saying "Once a spike always a spike" which is close unless the spike is a fawn.
Professional game management even go so far as to collect sperm from the trophy bucks and inseminate known does to produce trophy deer much like cattle breeders after a prize bull.

[waksupi]

I would cull it from the herd. Could be genetic, or from an injury at the first stage of development. I've also seen old bucks that are declining have antlers like that.

[turmech]

I have read studies that show both ways:

Young deer with poor racks will be adults with poor rack. And then some studies say early racks size show no direct correlation to the adult rack.

Who knows?

I would guess they are still in velvet and could look quite unusual right now. The same deer could look quite different in a few weeks. At least there in velvet here.

[Lloyd Smale]

heres what i was told by a breader. If a deers first horns as a spike a deer can go on to be a 8 or even a 10 pointer later in life with good nutrition. What it proably wont be is a boone and crocket buck. The real exceptional bucks come from good genetics. But shooting spikes to cull the herd doesnt make sense unless you are the type that passes on a decent 8 pointer looking for a book buck. He said in the wild a buck even a trophy buck has both good and bad genes in him. the trophy bucks are just lucky in that the good genes came out. Its no guarantee though that there offspring will also be a boone and crocket buck. But he said theres more chance of it then if a scrub buck bred the doe. According to him the biggest variable in antler growth is nutrition. With 5 years of good eating about any buck will have a decent rack.

[Jim]

Janet and I were on the front porch when she spotted it and pointed it out to me. One side appeared to be a normally developing antler. The other one looked like a grossly misshapen miniature moose antler, part of the antler being wide and flat.

I feel certain this is a result of lead poisoning that comes from feeding in an area where some crazy, irresponsible hillbilly is shooting lead boolits through the woods without any thought toward how that might impact the environment. [smilie=1:

Now let's all gather in a circle, join hands and sing "If I Had A Hammer"! :roll:

[Lloyd Smale]

most likely that horn was injured

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

tasty!

[NSB]

most likely that horn was injured

Probably the correct answer. It may or may not be that way again depending on whether or not the injury was to the antler itself or the base/pedicle which may make it grow abnormally there after.

[RayinNH]

I feel certain this is a result of lead poisoning that comes from feeding in an area where some crazy, irresponsible hillbilly is shooting lead boolits through the woods without any thought toward how that might impact the environment. [smilie=1:

:

Somebody been on your property again Jim?

[Lloyd Smale]

i dont think id say that to often as the peta guys will be trying to ban lead bullets for deer in your area next.
Janet and I were on the front porch when she spotted it and pointed it out to me. One side appeared to be a normally developing antler. The other one looked like a grossly misshapen miniature moose antler, part of the antler being wide and flat.

I feel certain this is a result of lead poisoning that comes from feeding in an area where some crazy, irresponsible hillbilly is shooting lead boolits through the woods without any thought toward how that might impact the environment. [smilie=1:

Now let's all gather in a circle, join hands and sing "If I Had A Hammer"! :roll:

[JeffinNZ]

I don't think it would bother the deer providing it doesn't look in a mirror. :-)

[fouronesix]

A couple of young bucks hanging out together is normal this time of year as the moms are having fawns. Since it is likely young, probably not fouled up because of age. So IMO, most likely an injury to the meristematic tissue right when it was starting to grow. Those injuries can also be caused by insects or larvae.

[scottiemom]

thanks everyone. I just kind of feel sorry for the poor fella! hopefully next year he will be better!

[RoyEllis]

'Bout 6hrs in a crockpot will cure dang near anything!:D

[white eagle]

some say that if one side is effd up it may have been caused by an injury to the opposite side of him some where

[DougGuy]

'Bout 6hrs in a crockpot will cure dang near anything!:D

+1 :)

[TXGunNut]

Cull bucks taste better than trophy bucks.

[scottiemom]

too late - they have been named (Bob and Fred-don't ask why they just looked like a Bob and a Fred). Rule is if it has a name, we can't eat it. Meanwhile, they are fun to watch. Was a bit nervous though when the bear showed up...now we take Jim's Winchester 375 big bore when we go walking.

[firefly1957]

Last fall i talked with a neighbor with a deer farm one had a damaged rack on one side he has I.D. tags in all deer and keeps a log he said the rack will be normal next year (this year) . The rack was damaged while in velvet with to many bucks in a enclosure it is going to happen.