Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting splain this deer.

Here are 3 pictures of a deer on my game camera. It looks like his lower jaw is short, to me. I have another picture from a while back and noticed it, but never got a good angle. I do have several pictures of him (I think) with his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth. There is another deer that looks like him as I have a picture of them both at the same time, but the other ones jaw seem normal. Birth defect or injury? Or my imagination? miles

Its a dork deer!

Miles I Have seen deer that have broken their lower jaw, look a lot like your deer, usually they are in really poor shape,also have seen deer with a paralyzed tongue, that can't control their tongue, or he may have been born with a parrot mouth, he don't look in really poor shape. Hell I am just guessing. Rio7

About 10 years back, I saw a deer running around with half his lower jaw shot off. I guess one of my idiot neighbors tried to make a head shot.
I felt sorry for him and put him out of his misery.

Happy Bday miles.

The last pic sure looks like the lower jaw is outta whack.

It's hard to tell but his body doesn't look like he's malnourished, what's he look like in real life?

If the date on your cam is accurate, his testosterone seems normal based on antler growth. OTOH for March 29, that looks early to me for that much antler development.

IF his lower jaw is deformed, it doesn't seem to affect him terribly.

If I thot it was a genetic trait, "I'd" shoot him.
YMMV


Jerry

That was my first thought. This guy looks way too healthy to have had any real serious injury.

Time and date is wrong. These pictures were from yesterday.

Looks like he has buck teeth...

Your buck looks like he has a short mandible. But apparently it is not so short that he can't clip vegetation against the back of his hard palate. Because there are no upper teeth to mesh with when clipping vegetation he may not be at any great disadvantage when feeding. Especially if there is plenty of soft vegetation (forbs) around, versus brush, which might be more difficult to browse off. A bit odd, maybe, but apparently not disabled.

Interesting photo set.

Any chance he's from Appalachia? Shallow gene pool and all...

Possible, about 3 weeks ago was the first that I ever saw of him. Be quite the journey. miles

Buck tooth deer so he can eat your corn through the woven wire fence

if its from arkansas, he's prolly inbred. Does he have a banjo?

I did not see one, but He did have a horn. miles

Another possibility is that he had an impaction that caused his lower jaw to grow abnormally. These form when coarse vegetation gets caught between a couple of molars or premolars, creating a pocket of infection that can cause the jaw on one side to deform. I have never seen it on both sides, but it is certainly possible. Only way to know for sure is to "collect" him and take a look...

This made me laugh as it reminded me of a buddy's buck from many years ago. It was a very nice and healthy 11 pt that he was super proud of, that was until someone noticed it's lower jaw. A good two inches short. We made fun of him unmercifully for the remainder of the season. He had the taxidermist fix it when he had it mounted. Only saw one other deer like it and it too was a very nice buck that came from close to 20 miles away so could still be genetic? But doubt it.

Not just Arkansas...

DF

I will be watching for Him, but there are a couple of others that need taken out of the gene pool before that one. I am allowed 2 bucks and I think 2 does, but have not checked this years zone limits. If I see those others first, they will probably go. One might be from an injury instead of screwed up genetics, but the other for sure needs to be removed. miles

Miles,

I see that you had a birthday a few weeks back.

I'm so sorry that I missed it. A happy belated birthday to you.

I'e been a little lackadaisical in my duties.

Take care. If you get to harvest this guy, let us know what you find.


Jeff

easy way to tell.
shoot him.