I shot this odd looking elk this year at the end of rut and i was just wondering if anyone would know why this happened or how this could have happened

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just an injury in velvet. I've seen a couple like that. Here's one a friend shot two years ago.

Interesting deal going on there. That horn is growing right out of his forehead. I have seen pics of deer like this. I beleive that it may be some kind of birth defect. How long was the horn?

im not sure but here is a better picture of the spread

Thats NOT a wound from velvet. Thats how a "normal " non-typical happens, but this guys skull was damaged, or his horn bud was damaged and moved to the center of his head. He would've been the same year after year, just bigger.with a injury in velvet it only affects that years horn and will only recurr if he hurt it again the next year. It could be a birth defect.

thanks NVMIKE thats exactly the answer i was looking for that would actually explain why his skull was king of deformed.

I hadsome friends in high school that owned a ranch. they shot an antelope and it dropped in its tracks. When they got out close to it it jumped up and sped off w/ one horn hanging down and the other was still normal. It was a few years before they were able to harvest him, but when they did they found his skull was also deformed from where they grazed his skull and broke it.

The skull must have been affected at a young age. Birth defect? Possible that the elk could have been hit by something like a car and survived. Cool looking picture. Thanks for sharing!!

oh never mind i thought you were just talking about the brow tine growing straight out....that is a weird