Completely Befuddled
 

Howdy, I'm completely new here, so if this doesn't belong here, mods please take care of this accordingly. Anyways, I have came here about this question because I don't even know what to think about this..

After checking all the pictures on my trail camera, I have came across something I have never seen in 10 years of hunting. Personally I cannot comprehend the rack of this buck, so hopefully someone here can tell me how this has happened.



As you see, this buck's rack is a little... a little strange. On his left side, (your right) it seems like he has developed a split type paddle. On his right, (your left) it looks like there's another paddle developing, but this time splitting off the front.

Here is the same picture zoomed in;


I'm pretty positive there isn't another buck standing behind him to create the illusion this is giving off. Also, there aren't any limbs or ect.. that would make his antlers look like this.

Here's a picture of that same location, just 5 days earlier;

As you can see, there is nothing in the background. The area I live in hasn't been to good for deer. No real nutrition value to help development. Could the lack of nutrition be the cause of this crazy rack? Unfortunately, this has been the first time I've ever seen this deer before, so I haven't seen him in person. Would it be better to bag him if I see him, or let him shed and see how he grows this upcoming year?

Personally I'd let him grow. Could turn into something really cool and if not no real loss.

Looks like a genetic problem that has nothing to do with nutrition. It will be interesting if you continue getting pictures of him next year when he grows another rack. He may continue with the nontypical rack, but may go to a typical. I doubt it though.

I would actually guess this deer screwed up his antlers early in velvet and will likely be normal next year

My guess is he was born with no testicles, if that is the case he will not lose his antlers, but will grow another set next year, have read about a few cases of this.
RR

or ,it could be an injury . maybe he got hit by a car while in velvet

Cactus buck? The other buck looks nice. He must be eating something.

If that's the case, I doubt that he would have been able to grow any antlers at all since testosterone is needed for that. It would also be pretty hard for him not to lose his antlers and then be able to grow another set the following year like you mentioned. I also doubt there was any injury involved since both antlers are screwed up. Normally an injury, such as being hit by a car, causes a deformation in the antler on the opposite side of the body than where the injury occurred, not both.

The odds are that the deer sustained an injury early on in the antler growth and they are deformed as a result. I have seen many buck with deformed antlers because they damaged them while they were forming.

Testicles
 

Either born without, they never dropped, or he was castrated somehow. The question is will he live long enough to grow the type of exotic antlers Rockport is talking about. I say wait and see if he sticks around. I for one would be curious to see how he gets along.

ATB