Non-Typical for Life?

[LanceS4803]

If a deer has non-typical antlers, will he have them in successive years?
I saw a young 8p this afternoon with lots of junk on both sides.

 

[bigtex]

Sometimes what is considered non typical antler development is caused by an injury. If that is the case I would be inclined to think that they would always be "non typical."

 

[Treestand Troubadour]

I've heard some are from injury while in velvet, so would that mean they will grow normal the next year or still have a deformity?

 

[bigtex]

I've heard some are from injury while in velvet, so would that mean they will grow normal the next year or still have a deformity?

If the pedicle is damaged it will always be "odd". If it was just the antler that was damaged in velvet it should be normal the next year. (Unless it's damaged again)

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

I have read that they will be

 

[tickweed]

I have been told that it could be an injury, as well as a virus when the deer was young. Several TWRA officers looked at my non typ from 2009, and they asked me if he was near any cotton base farming. They seemed to believe that it could be possibly from chemicals used to spray cotton. I don't believe this, because if this was the case, we would seen lots more here in west Tn. with all the cotton farming.

 

[BSK]

Without question, some non-typical racks are purely genetic. The buck grew a non-typical rack when young and always will. However, some non-typical racks are caused by injury, either to the buck's body, the growing antlers or to the pedicle on the buck's skull. Pedicle injuries seem to get worse with each year older, usually produce a big spike on that side, or a cluster of spikes. Injury to a growing antler can cause repetition of the injury malformation (trophic memory--the buck's nervous system "remembers" the injury and recreates it in future years), although sometimes that malformation fades over the years. The same is true of body injuries. They can be reproduced every year, but they can also fade with time.

 

[tickweed]

Without question, some non-typical racks are purely genetic. The buck grew a non-typical rack when young and always will. However, some non-typical racks are caused by injury, either to the buck's body, the growing antlers or to the pedicle on the buck's skull. Pedicle injuries seem to get worse with each year older, usually produce a big spike on that side, or a cluster of spikes. Injury to a growing antler can cause repetition of the injury malformation (trophic memory--the buck's nervous system "remembers" the injury and recreates it in future years), although sometimes that malformation fades over the years. The same is true of body injuries. They can be reproduced every year, but they can also fade with time.

My deer must have had trophic memory like an Elephant. LOL. The farmer did find a shed in a plot the spring before I took him, and it was a really close match on that side, just smaller than when I got him. I love the non-typs.

 

[BSK]

I love those non-typicals too tickweed. More often than not, bucks carry some "memory" of an injury-induced malformation, and recreate it for the rest of their life.

Here's an example of buck from my place. We first noticed him when he was 3 1/2, when his right antler displayed a strange shape, with his G2 having more length and size than his main beam. He again showed up at 5 1/2 and displayed the same general shape, although his rack had added considerable mass and extra kicker points.

3 1/2


5 1/2

 

[Mike Belt]

How about kickers at the base of the antler or off the brows? Does a buck just grow them or could they be a result of over zealous rubbing injuries?

 

[Shed Hunter]

How about kickers at the base of the antler or off the brows? Does a buck just grow them or could they be a result of over zealous rubbing injuries?

I would personally think any rubbing damage would not cause abnormal growth as he would already have hardened antlers (unless of course he rubbed so hard it caused complete breakage and pedicle damage).

I've read those stickers are often called calcium nodules and are essentially just big versions of the "bumps" you see on the lower portion of some antlers--can't remember where I read that so don't take my word for it. On many deer those points you describe are probable just random trash

I've always wondered what causes many clean framed young bucks (particularly ones with large antlers) to generally grow a sticker or two of some sort as they mature


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[BSK]

How about kickers at the base of the antler or off the brows? Does a buck just grow them or could they be a result of over zealous rubbing injuries?

From what I have seen, I believe most stickers/kickers near the bases are just a function of age. The older a buck gets, the more likely he is to grow them.