Non-Typical Antler Growth in Deer

[Walksalot]

Huntwriter a skull injury as the cause of a reoccuring nontypical antler makes sense.

[Iron-Head]

I heard that injury to the testicles can cause strange antler growth?
Symon

[tmarschall]

Articles arent always 100% correct . A lot of the guys down in the states have seen a lot of changes in horn growth during dry years as compared to wetter years. The wetter the year the better the nutrition i guess?. But yes, there are a lot of other factors and a lot of good ones mentioned in the article.

MatB..... The influence of available moisture on forage does not seem to be a direct correlation. No scientific studies that I know on this subject, but an interesting phenomena has occurred here in "drier" years. Antler development seems to be helped in these years. The theory is that the plants will grow, just not as much, so all the nutrients are concentrated in smaller packages. Deer have high protien requirements, and if the nutrients are concentrated in smaller packages, the deer will intake more protien... assuming he can find enough new growth to fill his belly. Like I said, it is just an observation with a theory as to cause... something to think about.

I think wetter years have their benefit when the moisture comes in the later months, so the deer come out of the winter months in better physical condition. Then the spring forage is not used to recouperate from the winter starvation and they can concentrate on growing new antlers. Here locally we had a very dry winter, the drought started back last June. We got 2 inches of rain finally yesterday.... more than I think we have had since June 05. It will be interesting to see what the antlers look like this year... things look bleak for sure. If there are big antlers... then more evidence for the "concentrated protein" theory for sure.

[thetroutkiller]

Was out the other day and saw a non-typical,the one antler was in front of it's eye. when the animal noticed us and started running the antler flopped up and down. Is this normal for the antler to be soft or was it broken?

[tmarschall]

More than likely broken

[endtimerwithabow]

anyone have any pics of non-typical mounts that they can post just to compare them to see the actual antler growth? and have you tagged a non-typical? what about moose and elk non-typical does the artical includ all ungulates or does it only apply to deer? just wondering!

[one-shot-wonder]

I know of one case, where my friend shot a moose because it was a 5 or 6 point palm on one side and a large spike on the other, there fore a legal bull. Upon skinning the animal he notice a small caliber bullet dislodged in the oposite shoulder of the spike horn, healed over.

This example seems to fit the situation where before being shot this bull was most likely symmetrical and once wounded developed a non typical antler formation.

I once shot a 2 point whitetail and found a 22 calibre bullet about a half inch inside its hide mushroomed up. However in this young 2 point's case his antlers were not affected. Most likely this buck was wounded that year and perhaps the following year the non typical formation would possibly follow..

Anybody else come across any similar situations?

[dana]

Genetics IMHO is the number one reason for Nontypical Versus Typical Growth. Injuries do cause some, but when you look at buck after buck after buck year after year after year, you get to see the genetics coming through. Compare shed antlers from sheds found over many years in the same area and you can see the genetic characteristics for that area. I've watched individual bucks for mulitple years and have seen the differences from one year to the next. Moisture, health, minerals all play a part in overall antler growth, both for typicals and nontypicals, but what makes a buck a NT versus a Typical is pretty much determined at conception.

Here's some pics of one buck I've watched for 4 out of 5 years.

Summer 2000


Summer 2002

Summer 2003



Summer 2004

[Darren]

Dana, Did you see Widebugger last summer, or this summer??

[dana]

Haven't seen him since 2004. Probably is cat scat now.