Injury of some kind?

[Pope94/IA]

We went out camping this weekend and I went to set my camera over a little water run way with all kinds of sand and mud in it and there was all sorts of deer running through.

Well sence I had barely any bttery power left I went out the next morning and took the camera down just to check it. I had 16 pictures of 10 differant deer at differant times of the night on it.

There was only one buck and the rest were does. But the buck that I had on it seems like something went wrong with its antler growth or mabe its back leg was injured but this deer had a small drop tine that sorta curls out from the left antler then drops straight down. To me the buck looks young, but im just judging by body size and antler size at this time of the year.








that black tine on this picture above is the drop tine part of it.

How old do you think the buck is? What may have caused that droptine, injury or just gnarly growth . Also how much more do you think this buck might grow?

[Arrowmaster]

The drop tine is more than likely genetic. Nice buck, he will grow a bit more but not too much. I say hes a 1 1/2 yr old...

[Siman08/OH]

He looks fine to me, droptines dont always mean he was injured.

[Pope94/IA]

ORIGINAL: Siman08/OH

He looks fine to me, droptines dont always mean he was injured.

yes i know that.

But concidering he looks like a very young deer. I guess I wouldn't think the drop tines started coming in till there around the 3-5 year range with no injury.

[gbrownlee]

ORIGINAL: Pope94/IA

yes i know that.

But concidering he looks like a very young deer. I guess I wouldn't think the drop tines started coming in till there around the 3-5 year range with no injury.

I have seen a 1.5 year old deer that looked fine with a drop tine so its probably just genetic. Also, I think your deer looks to be 2 right now, give him a few years and i bet that drop tine will be huge.

[npockat32]

Nice young buck. He will be a dandy in a few more years.

Nope I don't see no injury!

[passthru79]

Genetic traits can start showing very early. I had a 1.5 year old that was a 13pt he had triple brow tines on one side and double on the other and a couple of kickers.

[Pope94/IA]

Thanks guys, it will be hard to see him go by during the season because the biggest and only buck that I have killed in iowa is a little 5 pointer that I would say scored around 40". And plus I have never even seen a drop tine buck on our property so it makes just want to take him. But ill try my best to let him go. We will just have to see when we come face to face whatmy decision will be.

[sticknstringer]

If you live in Iowa, you definitely should pass him up. There are a lot of shooter bucks in that state>>>> I know because i have pheasant hunted and seen more shooters in a crp field than i do in a season in nebraska

[Pope94/IA]

there are huge deer and many of them in iowa, definetly in iowa county which is where I live. But i have never really had a chance at one of these big bucks. Usually I see them 4-500 yards away and running off some where. But that will change this year because i've learned over the past and also im gonna try some calling this year along with some doe urine.