Solax

Last night on the way home I saw some deer in a field near where I hunt. The properties are about a mile away and share the same wood lot so these deer are definite candidates for my hunting season.

Anyway, I see 3 small bucks, then over by the woods I see a nice rack, tall but kind of thin, I mean real tall though. Then another buck in the field, he looks at me and I almost lost it, nice wide, thick and tall, definite shooter. Then I see the 3rd big guy with his head down, he's got the nicest of all and I'm salivating waiting for him to look up. When he does I almost dropped my binocs. His left side was AMAZING, 5 points, 14 inch G-2's, lots of mass, I'm thinking half of a 150-160 class deer...............his right side.........looked like a basket racked 6 pointer. He only had 3 points and it was tiny, only coming off his head about 6-8 inches. I wanted to cry.

So, I'm guessing he has an injury on his left side. I know it's hard to say but do you think he'll grow a better one next year or is he done? Would you guys take him if you had the opportunity??? Man, it was heartbreaking.

davidmil

NOPE... he's that way for a reason and always will be more than likely... especially in that age bracket. Probably got zinged in some way in the off side front leg like you suggest. He's still a great buck in my book. I love those freaky things. Give me that Wild, Different buck anyday.... I could care less what his "SCORE" is, could or would be.

Pro-Line

I'm with you there, David. I love freaky racks. I killed one here a few years back that is my favorite. It was an OLD buck. (had few teeth left in his head) He was a 9pt...both sides were like cattle horns with pts coming straight up off them. They were twisted and ugly.

Was my fave. LOL

Sorry...no pics.

Fieldmouse

I think you will find that he was shot or injuried in the left side of his body if his right antler was smaller or messed up. He probably has been nursing an infection since then and if he heals his rack may grow normal next year.

A few years ago I was hunting in one of my honey holes. There was a huge 10 pointer running up and down the edge of the golf course but he wouldn't come down in the bottom. In the bottom that morning I had about 15 bucks and only 5 does. The bucks were mostly 6 and 8 with the biggest so far about 20" spread w/medium mass. Then I heard some noise behind me while still watching that 10 pointer. I turned around and see the left rack of the buck coming out of the brush. That beam was huge. There was no question he was one for the wall. When he came all the way out, his right beam was only 2/3 the size so I decided to pass on him. I did pass on him but as he got close I could see all his points. In fact he walked broad side ever so slowly at 7 yds. He was a 14 pointer with a gimp in his left hind qtr.

To this day, that is the only deer I passed up that maybe if I had the chance again I might shoot and mount it. He was different I'll give him that.

Solax

So let's just say I'm lucky enough to get a shot at this bruiser, if i get him mounted do I have to put the screw hole on the left side of the mounting board so he doesn't hang crooked? Seriously, this guy is half of a 150-160 sized rack on one side and tiny on the other. I don't know if I can bring myself to do it. I'll have to make a judgement call after I draw on him

Stump_MN_Hunter

A question to spin off of the original post. What do you guys think? If this buck is passed up.....will the genes that he passes on, be that of what his rack would have been if he didn't get shot or injuired? Or will his genes carry that of a screwed up rack buck?

Fieldmouse

His genes aren't messed up. The rack gets messed up due to the injury. If he gets healed and his body doesn't have to devote energy towards it anymore, his rack will come back to symetry.

Jason N

If it's a genetic deformity then he might pass it on(he can, but that doesn't mean he will). If it's from an injury then he CAN'T pass it on. I suspect it's from an injury....any buck that I've seen with a heavily loppsided rack has been injured in some way. I imagine slight differences are common, but when you have 65" on one side and 30" on the other it got that way from something other than genes....at least that's my opinion.

Stump_MN_Hunter

Fieldmouse and Jason,

That's what I kind of thought, but wanted to hear some opinions.

bearklr

If it were me I think there would be a couple of things I would take into consideration. 1st, if you pass him up what are the chances of someone else taking him. 2nd, would you really be happy with a deer like that or would you rather take one of the others, and 3rd, would your friends ever let you live it down. Just teasin' on the last one but these are just a couple of things you need to consider. Either way, he has to get in bow range first. Good luck.