What makes whitetail have antlers like this? Will they grow out of it?

I wouldn't think so. Genetics over one generation don't work that way.
Ive seen plenty of anecdotal evidence that shows bucks suddenly showing a trait for a few generations after a buck shows up with an injury related antler deformity . Im not so sure it doesn't show up similarly in humans too.
My father was badly injured in WWII and almost lost his right leg . He had hip and.lower back issues for the rest of his life. I now have serious issues with my right leg and.lower back. Both of my kids are already complaining about problems with their right legs at 22 and 14 years old. I think its more than a coincidence that the same issue keeps cropping up from generation to generation without a medical explanation . I could be wrong , but no Dr has been able to give me another explanation as to why this is .
 
I've read in Dr Kroll's book that deer will copy an injury in his next set of antlers and that it will continue thru his life.

No mention of it being hereditary, not saying it definitely is not.

The deer in this photo has just shown up this year, I believe he is 3.5yo. We had one very similar last year that also looked to be 3.5yo
Screenshot_20201122-123646_Gallery.jpg

The above picture is from this year.
Screenshot_2019-12-15-20-57-01.png

This is a buck from last year, he disappeared mid December so I fear he is not longer with us.

Then the year before my wife shot a buck that was a 1x5...
20181119_072706.jpg

As you can see it is on the opposite side...I'm certainly not saying it genetic, but who knows it could be?!?
 
Cull Criteria Check List is a annual discussion throughout region, Pro managed, semi, DiY'er, MS State involved, MS Delta South District.
A rule of thumb for a quick judgement call, the juncture of Antler and skull, the Button let's say. Closer the deformation to button higher the cull factor. CaptnC's center pic buck DRT, bad root bad for life. Then pic 1, then 3, OP's pics seems a genectic issue cull half. Bent tine buck post #31 DRT cause someone else will, hope he passed genes along beautifull non-typical.
 
I believe the issue is genetics for which there is no short term fix. On my place in the Catskills, we've got poor to OK genetics. On the poor side, I've killed 61/2 year old bucks that won't score 115 because of short tines. They will go 275lbs. On the other hand, I've got a few bucks that will go in the 130s at that age. The quality of our soils is such we'll never naturally grow bigger deer. My hope is with diverse food plots, over a generation or two, we might bump that number a bit as Mississippi State testing suggests is possible. My problem is I'm surrounded by neighbors/trespassers with a "if it's brown it's down" mentality.

On blacktails and mulies I have seen massive antler growth and "equalization " by adding a couple mineral blocks locally over a 5 to 10 year period....
 
Figured I'd throw this FREAK SHOW in here for you guys' amusement. Killed him back in 1990 thinking it was a HUGE doe. One of those 'last light' shots. He field dressed at 196lbs and his jaw-bone was sent in to Fish & Wildlife and he was aged at 4.5 years old. The guy who leased the farm said that he had seen this buck the previous year with an antler growing around in front of his face like a football helmet. Check out his left-side where the antler (or whatever you'd call that mass of junk) had actually depressed into his skull and deformed it. Pardon the empty milk jugs....they're for the Spring Shooting season. 😁
3EF9F888-F2EF-4BEA-B49A-E87AA945A335.jpeg70C1DBB5-EE4A-44B3-890D-E546F0F451F1.jpeg037D92A4-419D-44CF-A983-D09955F07B6E.jpeg1CF2FA90-658B-4EB5-AD97-7F970D865CF2.jpeg
 
My wife has two different size boobs. One is bigger than the other, and a little bit rounder. Been that way since I first saw em when she was 20. I don't know why. But I will give it a few more years to see if they even out. Nature does weird stuff.
My wife won 1st and 3rd in a wet T shirt contest a while ago 👍🤠👍
 
Ive seen plenty of anecdotal evidence that shows bucks suddenly showing a trait for a few generations after a buck shows up with an injury related antler deformity . Im not so sure it doesn't show up similarly in humans too.
My father was badly injured in WWII and almost lost his right leg . He had hip and.lower back issues for the rest of his life. I now have serious issues with my right leg and.lower back. Both of my kids are already complaining about problems with their right legs at 22 and 14 years old. I think its more than a coincidence that the same issue keeps cropping up from generation to generation without a medical explanation . I could be wrong , but no Dr has been able to give me another explanation as to why this is .
People in areas without magnesium all suffer from the same deficiency and it's not a genetic thing at all
 
Warning! This thread is more than 4 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Recent Posts

Top