Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting What's the deal with this buck?

His nuts are probably hanging on a fence somewhere.

My grandpa had the knack of killing the ugliest deer. He killed one of these "Stags" a mediocre 6 point. He also killed 3 bucks over about 20 years with a nice antler on one side and a twisted and deformed one on the other side. All 3 had old injuries to the hind leg on the opposite side from the deformed antler.

Found it in some old files. As Cookie has thousands across two computers, it took a bit. One of her shots from Nov 2018. For several days we relocated the left example thinking it was just one of the funky bucks. About day 5 through 7, we found the right most in hot pursuit and making several mounting attempts. Gay bucks, antlered doe, or both raised by liberal parents with no gender guidance?



I suspect an antlered doe, but we never saw any accompanying fawns. Given its chubby stature, could be it was not saddled with the task of raising children. Did not see it in subsequent years. .

Seems like it’s a fairly common occurrence in Utah, they even have a special season for what they term ‘cactus bucks’. I didn’t know anything about them when several years ago I shot a nice 3x4 mule deer in Co and sent the picture to an old army buddy who lives in Utah. He asked me if it was a ‘cactus’ buck so I did a little reading on it.

Just an afterthought. A coworker of mine once nailed a still in velvet antlered cow elk several years back. Only 1 antler though. Did a Euro job on the skull.

Some cowboys have been known to rope a fawn, break out the Schrade, and nut it for a good time.

Those velveteen bucks are the result. As I recall they are kinda prized for the size and meat quality.

GE

It could be a condition we see often in central Texas called hypogonadism. A failure of the testes to produce adequate amounts of testosterone. In September large amounts of testosterone are introduced into the blood stream that slow the antler growth the blood vessels swell and restrict blood flow causing the velvet to dry peel and fall off. The buck you are describing can’t produce enough testosterone to stop the antler growing process so he never loses his velvet. Or at least in the normal time frame. He does not act like other bucks when they are chasing fighting and burning the candle at both ends. Your buck just eats and sleeps he may never breed a doe in his life. A Good management program would allow him to be shot. And yes they are very tender and tasty if not to old.

Cactus buck. Balls got caught in a fence or never had to begin with. Great eating, even during the rut .

Obviously our cowboys rope one once in while, but they left this one intact. First saw him as a tagged button buck at probably 5 months. This image was at 1 1/2 yrs with lines to the left being attached to Cookie's bird feeder setup. He was a 4 by at 2 1/2, but was arrowed between our archery and rifle seasons and died in a neighbor's yard before we managed a third pic.



Asked around, but no one took credit for the tagging.