njbuck22

Ive said it a million times, a double drop tine buck is my dream deer, i would die a happy man if i ever got to shoot one. One just like Mexhunters is what im talking about. Maybe one day. Luckily for me, i had one, a main frame 10 point with drops on each side, so a 12 point, was living in one of my hunting spots. I only saw him once, but a buddy saw him 2 times and the land owner saw him 4 times. Unfortunately for me he got hit by a car at the end of october this year. Hopefully his genes are around so i can find another "dream deer". I think the gentetics are there because a 16 point drop tine buck was shot in the area 3 years ago, and this in in NJ.

Im no expert, but i think that drop tines are cause by genetics and then letting the deer get old enough to reach their potential. I have heard from a few people who know a whole heck of alot about deer that normal, wild deer wont start growing kicker/sticker points, drop tines or any other "abnormal" antler till they mature, so until they hit their 4th year.

Talking with a texidermist friend of mine, the black stuff on the drops or any tine for that matter is dried velvet that the buck couldnt/didnt rub off.

louddrummer69

Here is a drop tine buck that lives by my parents house in the city. He's a monster and doesn't have the blood at the bottom of the tine.

quiksilver

I get to look at a lot of deer around SW PA and finding even a single dropper is like finding a needle in a haystack. I'd reckon that finding a double-dropper with 4"+ of tine bilaterally- that's more like looking for the end of the magic rainbow.

I saw a giant NT buck with at least one drop along I-70 right near the PA border, and nearly ran him over (not on purpose, well... maybe a little bit on purpose). The property on both sides of theinterstatewas wallpapered with fresh signs, so evidently I wasn't the only guy who knew he was around.

As the age structure of the herd progresses, we'll start seeing more and more of them, but given thesheer volumeof hunters in the Commonwealth, they'll always be few and far between in my neck of the woods.

Lucky_13

Here is the pic, i figured i would post it here before i start a new thread.
double drops with dried velvet on both.

No Mercy

Over where I hunt theres a big 12 pointer in there with a drop tine, My uncle seen it during bow season it was to far to shot though

farm hunter

Its definitely a genetic trait - though the trait can be passed on the doe's bloodline as well. Some areas are more common than others. Generally, areas with bucks that live to be 3-1/2 or older tend to give the impression that the area is more prone to deer having drops, however its more likely that older bucks will develop a drop.

I've seen a couple while hunting - and found one shed in Central NY (52" gross score)



Most of our bucks are taken before they are 2-1/2 years old though.

FH

mexhuntr

Yep I love that doble and perfect DT, thanks GregH

No Mercy

yeah Mexhunter those are perfect drop tines