Deformed whitetail antler

[wojo]

I've caught this guy hanging around my yard recently. His left rear leg is injured and he puts very little weight on it. He hobbles around on it but he holds it off the ground while standing still. Kinda feel sorry for him. If I was not in the suburbs I would put him out of his misery.MFDC7780.jpgMFDC7739.jpg

[DV8r]

Don't worry either he will heal or feed the area coyotes. Nature takes well care of itself.

[Sledhead]

Probably tried to stop a car.

[josey wales]

Probably last year or older injury, that's why deformed right antler. He's older buck that looks to be in good shape, he will probably be fine.

[wojo]

Probably last year or older injury, that's why deformed right antler. He's older buck that looks to be in good shape, he will probably be fine.

You are very wise Mr. Wales. It is an older injury. I saw him last year and his limp and rack looked the same.

[Jackam]

Two things I noticed -

Your trail cam is of excellent quality. Which Moutrie do you have?
Your white chair is the same style that I have. I backed the tractor into one of mine. When you get ready to get rid of yours, help a bro out and make my set whole again!

That is a cool looking rack. Thanks for posting the pics!

[wojo]

Two things I noticed -

Your trail cam is of excellent quality. Which Moutrie do you have?
Your white chair is the same style that I have. I backed the tractor into one of mine. When you get ready to get rid of yours, help a bro out and make my set whole again!

That is a cool looking rack. Thanks for posting the pics!

Without going outside to check, I believe it is a Moultrie A-10. I went to buy another one recently only they no longer make that model. The "newer" model I purchased does not take as nice of pictures.

I asked the wife if she was willing to break up one of her patio sets. All I got was a cold stare. If we ever get rid of it though, you will be the first to know.

[Musta Demoni]

Despite his issues, sure doesn't look like he's starving.

[POCKETKNIFE]

Whitetails are tough. Their will to survive is incredible. Who else can take an arrow at 25 yards and run almost a mile away?

Kind of odd for a buck of his age to be out in the middle of the day. Is that a regular pattern for him? Also, did you give him a name?

[tenthumbs]

I personally know of a doe that gave birth to twins five times and triplets twice on a small tract of private property despite having a severely crippled rear leg. She was easily identified by her injury. They are incredibly resilient critters.

I thought I remembered an article by John Ozaga [sp] about injuries affecting antler growth several years ago.

My search didn't find that but I did find this.

Major skeletal injuries, such as broken legs, can sometimes have strange and unexpected effects on the future antler growth of whitetail bucks. The neurological connection isn’t completely understood or easily explained, but such effects have been documented many times. In November 2012, QDMA member Todd Reabe of Wisconsin got several photographs of a buck with just such a condition. Todd doesn’t know the buck’s history or how it came to break its right rear leg. By the time Todd first encountered him, the buck’s leg bones had already fused together, as seen in the photo above, rendering the leg useless. Though not always, rear leg injuries often affect future antler growth on the opposite side of the buck’s body, and that’s the case with this deer. Note the crazy deformity of the buck’s left antler in 2012!

antler deformity.jpg

https://www.qdma.com/leg-injuries-ca...antler-growth/