Obviously damage to a bucks velvet rack can indeed result in a droptine, however when this occurs the antler/s are usually very nontypical and really loose most symetry. The "true" droptines are indeed genetic and will be carried from year to year by the individual buck. I've had the chance to view/hunt a number of droptine bucks over the last several years and ALL have carried droptines every season since they were 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 years old. We've even managed to put a couple tags on some of these dudes. Jason took his buck in mid-December of '98 after we had seen him on a few occasions, this buck had carried his drop for a couple seasons already. What hurt is that with this buck I was supposed to be the shooter while HE ran the camera that day but a work schedule change changed my plans!!! That one hurt!!! But I was VERY proud that my huntin' buddy could score on his best buck. Dan put his tag on the black-capped brute last season after we had all but given up that this buck was still alive. We do have some of his sheds and a few Deer Cam pics from over the years. We gave this buck everything we had yet he continued to elude us. Despite the fact that the bucks antlers had gone downhill significantly, the 8 1/2 year old brutes droptine was the only thing that actually got larger every year. We couldn't believe it when Dan met us that evening and said that he had just put an arrow through "him". Both of these bucks, as well as another LARGER droptine buck, lived on the same farm and within a mile of each other. I would say that that is some solid proof that it's a genetic thing. That droptine giant is still out there, ya never know?