what happened here?

[weekender]

This looks to be a 3 yr. old buck by his body, look at the over sized hams and wrinkled neck. I have been seeing him or his pics since mid Nov. He had lost his horns then. He is clearly in rut looking at his neck and hocks. Although the pic is not real clear, I could see through my binos that his horns were broke off, not shed. I don't know if maybe he was hit by a car and survived or if another deer some how broke both them off. His right side neck and shoulders were marked heavy as if he had been fighting. Either way, he seems in excellent health other than not having a "knife" for the fight. Maybe he will make it another year.

[marlineer]

That is a nice Buck minus the bone! It makes You wonder what His rack was like. It looks like He had some big bases.

[Dave Sikorski]

I've heard of them getting an infection where the antler and skull meet. Can lead to premature shedding and sometimes death.

Find his sheds and you'll be able to tell.

-D

[Robja]

Got Nuked over at New Hill

[marlineer]

I was just talking to a Bud on the phone when He tells Me He found a set of antlers tangled up in wire fence.....TONITE! How weird is that? I told Him about the site and the Buck Here. He is a Farmer and says an older mature Buck in His decline will shed early prior to winter in which He dies. Don't know if that's true or not but I do know He has been farming the same 400 acres for 35yrs and sees alot of Deer!

[FXRScotty]

Youse guys don't know a deer sex change when you see one? I have shot shed bucks in December here durring ML season. I try and save a doe tag just for that reason. Scotty.

[Joey Herring]

Got Nuked over at New Hill

Funny!! and I am probably the only one here that got that one!!!

He is trying to survive..the big bucks have figured out that they can cut their horns off and make thru hunting season!!

[clt_capt]

Got Nuked over at New Hill

Gonna have to check the night vision pics to see if he has the "glow"

Do antlers fall out like hair when radiated???

[Buckeye]

I found a shed antler on 11-29 most poeple I asked said likely do to stress or injury.

[weekender]

I have seen some December shedding in eastern NC but never seen it here, not that it doesn't happen. I saw this buck again this morning and he is broke off right above the bud on both sides, not shedded. He has a bad scar on his right flank just in front of the ham. Maybe I will be able to monitor his livelyhood if he can keep off the neighbors killing fields. If it's brown it's down over there, and he is mighty close right now to being stew. I'll have to get a geiger counter to see if he has "New Hill" syndrome.