Cull Buck or Give Him Time
 

I got pictures of this buck over the last two years. He's injured and obviously his rack is suffering. Is this permanent or will he eventually be a symetrical buck? Also, as big as his one side it, should he have more than 3 points? Here he is last year and now this year:

looks like this could be a permanent injury. I would try to take this deer and find out what is causing the problem. IMO

that is permanent,definetly wanna take him outta the heard and keep them bad genetics outt of the herd.

I'm not sure I would shoot this buck just for the sake of culling. His genetics are there regardless of the injury to his hind quarter. At 2 1/2, he has a pretty nice spread, although he doesn't have a lot of points. If he survived 2 more years, who knows what he might look like. He probably won't breed anyway given his injury, but he could get lucky. He certainly would have a difficult time in battle for does. Even though his injury has left one side kind of goofy, it could make for an interesting rack in the years to come.

dirt nap !

I was thinking he would be a cool buck for my 7 year old to call his first. He is eligible to participate in Pennsylvania's mentored youth hunt. I got him a Barnett RC-150 crossbow and have been working with him.

The buck is unique, for sure. If he wasn't injured, I'm picturing him as one of those giant 6-pointers you see occasionally. Maybe a couple sticker points when he gets old.

So, do you think he is 2.5? The first picture is his first set of antlets? I suspected that last year he was either 1.5 or 2.5 years old. If he's only 2.5, he could get much bigger in the next few years. I might be fun to watch his progress on the trail cam.

I think I'll let my boy take him if he gets a chance, but I will not target him. I won't really hunt this area myself until the late season anyway. We usually hunt upstate.

You're assuming that it's genetic, it could just as easily be the result of a head injury early on.

I think he was hit by a car last year. He also has some spots of road rash. They are completely healed over this year but no hair grew. Check out his bad leg, too.

Boom. Whack. Kick, kick, kick. MMMMHHHH, sausage.

If you do not want to shoot this deer yourself then let your boy or any other first time hunter take him. He does have a bad injury to his hindend and will no doubt not make it a few more years. Animals just like humans when we get a injury such as this get all stoved up and cant get around as we should, we have the help of doctors and the such, wild animals only have luck and responsible hunters to ease the pain of such a injury.
IMO you should do this deer and some lucky new hunter a favor and remove him from your herd.

The injury to the hindquarter is causing the Antler deformation. This Buck appears to be a perfect candidate for your Son's first Deer! :fighting0007:

I was kind of thinking on the same lines here. In a year or two, he could have a really unique rack with lots of character. On the other hand, I like the idea of letting your son take him. I'm sure he would be very excited to take a buck like that. I would personally let him walk one more year just to see what he looks like next year.

I will let my boy have a crack at him. Actually, any legal buck would be great for his first one but this one would be pretty cool. I probably wouldn't take him until late in the season. I would be proud of him as he's a cool looking deer and one that I've been patterning. But, I want to try and get a true whopper this year. PA is a one buck state and I want to have a current tag during the rut ;)

I would take him our for the deer's sake...no need to have an injured deer wandering around unable to live to the standard of the other deer. It sure can't feel good to walk around on a gimpy rear leg.

i'd whack em...dont want a bunch of juniors runnin around like that!

Thats an injury and he will never be "normal" As far as genetics go, he looks to have decent genetics and his injury will not breed lesser bucks.. His offspring may be very resepectable bucks.. Unless you think his injury is making him suffer, I'd let him live.. unless ofcourse you want to shoot him..

Let me add real quick.. an injury's funky antler growth is not genetic.. This is like saying because a male was in a wreck and broke his back, that his future sons will be born with a broken back as well.. Understand that there is a difference between genetics and injury. This case looks solely like injury to me, and this bucks offspring will be completely normal.

go ahead and take him.

Definite injury causing that odd antler. Most of the time it will be the antler to the opposite side of the injury just like this deer. It's totally up to you to take him. He may look cool next year or......if this wet trend keeps up in the North East through this winter he may not make it unless he stays close to food and cover. The choice is yours.

I agree with camokenny this would be a good candidate for a young hunters first deer.

I would also say this is spot on.

I'd take him for the simple fact that i wouldn't want to let him die from starvation in a bad winter or coyote's eat him. Thimk about it. Ethical also means taking sick or injured animal's along with making clean kill's, and a few other thing's that your son could be tought in one successful trip to the wood's. :happy0001: make's for a proud papa.

This deer lives in the suburbs. Both pictures were taken in my yard. One in the front and one in the back. I'm not too worried about coyotes or lack of food. He should be fine.

Now, if this was up at our cabin, he'd be screwed. Coyotes, bears, bobcats, lots of snow and below zero temps.

If my boy can take him, I'm going to encourage him to do so. If I see him in the late season, I'll take him.

He does look really cool.

i dont believe in cull bucks

Take him down! Bad genes!!!

Take him,I think you would be doing him a favor.

Of course he is a wild whitetail deer. Even if I decide to take him, that's easier said than done. :biggrin:

Im with a few others here when I don't believe in the tem "Cull Buck". It sounds like your shooting a deer just to get it out of the herd and your getting no enjoyment out of it. I refer to a deer like that as one that has reached his potential, just not a cull buck.

I think this deer will be fine for a few more years. If he has lived this long then his wound has healed. The only predator suburb deer face is ones with V8's! Ive seen a few 3 legged deer in my day and all look they have been doing fine.

Im not sure how hold this guy is. If he's 2 1/2, just take a look at his left side. If it wasnt for his injury then his right side would look the same. Thats not a horrible looking 2 1/2 year old. He'll grow some more, but just will never be a typical deer.

I wouldn't worry about genetics. His injury is one that occured after birth, therefor he doesn't have genetics to pass that gene on. He'll pass on the genetics of what he was bred with and what the left side of his rack looks like.

If that was in front of me for my first deer, I would take him without a doubt. Any first deer is one to be proud of and this one is really unique. Id take him for a first deer just not as a cull buck. If you'd be proud to take him, then take him. Good Luck!

I believe he is 2.5 years old. And I think he's a cool looking buck. My neighbor also thinks he's a cool buck so this guy is not lacking fans.

My question would have been better put like: Is this deer always going to look like this or will he be a symmetrical typical some day.

He would have been culled here, our red deer go through strict programs to ensure there are no bad genes, hence our beautiful deer.

I would say a cull buck.

Be a nice deer for your kid, but the injury doesn't mean he has bad genetics.

it is as always up to you its your hunt, may not be a trophy for some but to a kid it would be a memory they never forget, and do the deer a favor, dont let him suffer and give the kid an awesome trophy

i would definately take him out of the herd. you dont want genetics like that in your herd

Here's a couple of him in velvet.