In Texas we call them "cactus bucks". People have theorized that they have had the testicles destroyed by being punctured by cactus thorns.

I have also seen bucks that were castrated on purpose as a fawn to be kept as a pet. The antlers do get very wierd looking and never shed their velvet. That is the hallmark of a "stag". They always have velvet. Any wierd, nontypical rack that is hard horned would not qualify as a "stag".

One pet buck was in Corpus Christi. After several years, the buck kept getting abrasions which the flies would get in and cause infection. The only way we gave the buck some relief was to give him several injections of Testerone so the antlers would harden and fall off. Of course, he would start growning them again immediately. I am a veterinarian and these people were clients of mine.

Edited by - txhunter58 on 01/27/2003 20:36:31