What’s Wrong With this Buck?

[DC219]

My son killed this nice 8 pointer over the weekend. The hair on both sides of the deer, from the shoulders to the top of the neck looked like it had crossed paths with the worst barber on earth. It was very patchy, but didn't look like sickness. As ridiculous as it sounds, it kind of looked cut with something like a clipper. Some spots nearly to the skin and some not so much. The buck looked perfectly healthy otherwise. Any ideas?

 

[cbhunter]

Could be from fighting. Not sure if the pics just don't show it very well but doesn't look abnormal to me. Great buck and congrats!

 

[DC219]

Thanks. He was pumped about it. That was our first guess, but I've seen a lot that we're beat up from fighting and this looked different. The cape was bad enough that he didn't want to have it mounted. It looks sort of like a cape that went bad and the hair is slipping; except that's impossible.

 

[PossumSlayer]

Congratulations!

 

[RUGER]

Congratulations!!

 

[rem270]

I'd say from fighting and sex and fighting to have sex.

 

[ImThere]

Looks like all his winter hair isn't in yet

 

[Wrangler95]

Congrats!!

 

[Stalkhunter]

Looks bristled up and layer down from fighting, seen one like this during rut. Had the meanest look as his face because he got his ass kicked.

 

[UCStandSitter]

I'd say from fighting and sex and fighting to have sex.

Know that game…

 

[BSK]

Another possibility is scarring from ticks. My daughter killed a buck two season ago that spent most of his life working powerline right-of-ways. His chest and neck were solid fat ticks. Once they freeze back, I bet they would leave a lot of scars.

 

[Ski]

Plucking ticks is my guess.

 

[Spurhunter]

Just reading the title of the thread and looking at the pics, I'd say lead poisoning is what's wrong with him.

I don't know about the hair issue, but congratulations to your son on a great buck!

 

[Gravey]

Looks good to me. Congrats to your son!

 

[BigBuckBeas]

My son killed this nice 8 pointer over the weekend. The hair on both sides of the deer, from the shoulders to the top of the neck looked like it had crossed paths with the worst barber on earth. It was very patchy, but didn't look like sickness. As ridiculous as it sounds, it kind of looked cut with something like a clipper. Some spots nearly to the skin and some not so much. The buck looked perfectly healthy otherwise. Any ideas?

Nice buck ole son

 

[Specializedjon]

I'd say from fighting and sex and fighting to have sex.

^^That science rite-chair^^

I second that scientific analysis.

 

[Specializedjon]

Great buck and congrats to both of you.

 

[JeepKuntry]

My first wife got a hold of him. She butchered a few haircuts of mine lol. Seriously though I wouldn't worry about it. Enjoy the food. Do a shoulder mount. It makes that deer unique.

 

[DC219]

The tick theory makes a lot of sense. It just doesn't look like the battered, rut beat bucks I've seen before. The lead poisoning theory is a pretty good one too, except he took on a does of copper rather than lead.

 

[BSK]

The tick theory makes a lot of sense. It just doesn't look like the battered, rut beat bucks I've seen before. The lead poisoning theory is a pretty good one too, except he took on a does of copper rather than lead.

I find that fighting scars are more concentrated on the face, around the ears, and down the back of the neck.