Cool bucks, IL!
I have 2 friends that raise pen deer. They have both been in this business for well over 20yrs. They argue all the time about drop tines and non-typical racks. Sounds like they're married. They can come to no consensus on them. They do agree that injuries account for a large proportion of their non-typicals.
One of them makes a cut through the velvet on come bucks after their main frame is formed. He cuts on the bottom, trying to get an abnormality to form a drop tine. He says it has worked before for him, and once it does work, the deer will keep the tine from then on.
He does have one drop tine now. It's impressive! Here's one of his deer. (I didn't take a pic of the drop-tine buck) This one (who is peeing) is on his second rack. Pretty nice one!
