This is "Forx". He was a button buck last year. I know because he has a ripped right ear that is very distinctive. I couldn't believe he had these for his first set of antlers. He is a loner, I see him mostly by himself although just these past 2 nights, he has been with a 5 pointer at our camera. I watch all the deer around here, does and bucks and fawns. I give them names if there is some distinguishing feature that I can identify them with - especially the does. There are about 4 does that I know when I see them from certain marks on them. We have a spike this year that i will know next year because he has brown eyes, they look almost human. This may sound crazy to some hunters out there, or maybe not. I enjoy watching the deer and learning about them. I know anti hunters think we all hate deer, but i could watch them all day. I find them facinating. Anyway, getting back to "Forx"; as time has gone by and I have watched his antlers come in, I noticed he had an unusually large brisket. I kept an eye on it and now it is down-right abnormal. My husband and i suppose he has got a big tumor in there. My question is how big will it get and how long can he live with it? I know tumors are common in whitetails, so I wonder if there is anyone out there that knows what his chances of survival are? It does not look like he even knows it's there, so I don't believe there is any pain with it. if i thought that there was, i would definitely burn my tag and try to put him out of his misery.
Is there anybody out there who knows more about this subject? Also, do you believe that it is indeed a tumor? I am pretty sure because it gets a little bigger every week. Here are some pictures of him. Thanks. The first picture is September 23rd, the second is 10 days later.
Poor Fork has a tumor!
