RE: hole in antlers
 

He's right about the bot fly larvae it's the same one that causes wolves in squirrels and rabbits but I have seen some holes so big that they had to bee injuries

RE: hole in antlers
 

I did some searching and reading about botflies and deer and found that most botflies attack the nasal system or wounds in the flesh. I didn't find any thing suggesting that they attack antlers.

RE: hole in antlers
 

I don`t` know what makes those holes. I have killed two one ten and a nine and both have them holes in about the same place on the left main beam?

RE: hole in antlers
 

Here's a pick of a big hole in this years MD buck. I can put my pinky in the hole and it's angled along the beam and doesn't go straight in. Roughly 3/4" deep. They're not caused but injury as some have mentioned. Ticks, parasites and bot flies are the main cause of such things.

RE: hole in antlers
 

yep, bot fly is the answer i have read in books and magazines. i am sure that injury can cause some too. EVERYBODY is CORRECT!!! YEA!!!!

RE: hole in antlers
 

bullets from cock-eyed hunters reading about Bot Fly Larvae is more likely

RE: hole in antlers
 

I shot a buck this year with the same type of whole. It looks very very similar to the one in the picture already posted. In both cases the whole is on the main beam on such an angle that it would appear as though something stuck in their while the antlers were something. THis is nothing more than speculation as I have never seen this before. But it is just interesting that both deer have a whole so similar.

RE: hole in antlers
 

I opened this expecting something about the Hole In The Horn Buck.

RE: hole in antlers
 

Yep everybodys right here. Also some holes are caused by their genetics. I have a family of nice non-typicals on my property and they all have holes in about the same places.

RE: hole in antlers
 

The main reason is insects, etc during the velvet stages. Although I have heard that genetics can play a part as well.

The arguement of an injury has been tossed around lots before as well. I believe injury usually results in malformation, which I guess can be a hole as well. However I have taken animals that had sustained injurys to body(like broken legs and it effects the growth of the opposite side rack...I have read and been told this is b/c more energy is being used by the animal to mend the injury than horn growth) Have seen some injuries that were to the actual antler in velvet stage, one was a cut(crease) in the G2 and G3, we came to the conclusion he must have got tangled up in a fence, bail twine...something to cause this deep crease. It also resulted in a difference between tine measurement than the opposite G2 & G3.

Here is a qyestion I have wondered what causes some deer to hang on to velvet and turn it into the leather it does??? I have witnessed a number deer that exhibit this abnormality. It certainly didn't hamper the growth as some of these deer were extremely well blessed with head gear. It is often on droptine clubs, but I have seen it on basic typicals too.

Anybody know the score on this unique happening???