Home | Ezine | Forums | Links | Contact
NitroExpress.com: Weird forkhorn buck killed with my muzzleloader 9/23/15

View recent messages : 24 hours | 48 hours | 7 days | 14 days | 30 days | 60 days | More Smilies


*** Enjoy NitroExpress.com? Participate and join in. ***
You are not logged in. [Login] Main Index · Search · Active Topics
New user · Who's Online · FAQ · Calendar

Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Muzzleloaders & Blackpowder
Previous topic Previous   View all topics Index   Next topic Next   Threaded Mode Threaded  

Pages: 1
Birdhunter50
.375 member


Reged: 03/06/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Iowa,U.S.A.
Weird forkhorn buck killed with my muzzleloader 9/23/15
      #270971 - 25/09/15 10:15 PM

Hi Guys,
Here are some photos of a weird forkhorn buck that I killed the other day with my muzzleloader. I had been hunting for five straight days with nothing coming in except does with fawns and very young deer. After fighting the heat and humidity plus the mosquitos for four days, I was ready to quit and come back after it cooled off. Finally on the fifth day it cooled just a bit and a nice breeze came up so I decided to hunt until full darkness set in.

I was only wanting to shoot a deer for the freezer so when this guy showed up late in the evening, I shot him. At the time I didn't even notice his offside antler, or if I did, I didn't recognize it as an antler. I didn't see it till I walked up to him. I have heard that when deer form these types of wild antler growth that it is because they have had a testicle injured, but this guy was fine in that department with both testicles fully intact.

I don't know what caused this but it is really strange to walk up on what you thought was just a forkhorn meat deer and find something like this. I am currently cleaning up the antler and skull for a European type mount. There was some rotten velvet left on the strange antler and it stunk to high heavens but I have gotten most of it off. I have to be very careful with it though, because in places the tips of the antler are still somewhat soft and it can be hard to tell if I am taking off just velvet or getting some of the antler tip as well. Some of the antler is porous without a hard covering.
Bob

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Iowa_303s
.400 member


Reged: 22/03/13
Posts: 1016
Loc: Iowa, USA
Re: Weird forkhorn buck killed with my muzzleloader 9/23/15 [Re: Birdhunter50]
      #270977 - 26/09/15 12:18 AM

Birdhunter,
I have asked my son to take a look at your photos and to let me know what he or his associates think may have caused this.
He is a Wildlife Biologist.

--------------------
Matt

formerly known as Iowa_303

"Once your reputation is ruined you can live your life quite freely."

"Enkelkinder über alles"

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
DarylSModerator
.700 member


Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27000
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: Weird forkhorn buck killed with my muzzleloader 9/23/15 [Re: Iowa_303s]
      #270981 - 26/09/15 01:08 AM

Looking forward to the boiled version. I'm sure there will be an update.
That is going to be one weird looking rack.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Iowa_303s
.400 member


Reged: 22/03/13
Posts: 1016
Loc: Iowa, USA
Re: Weird forkhorn buck killed with my muzzleloader 9/23/15 [Re: DarylS]
      #270998 - 26/09/15 09:44 AM

Birdhunter,
Here is what I received from my son Jacob:

Probably caused by an injury during antler growth, with an infection, or fly strike causing the antler to flair out.
The holes through it are most likely caused by Bot fly's or something similar

--------------------
Matt

formerly known as Iowa_303

"Once your reputation is ruined you can live your life quite freely."

"Enkelkinder über alles"

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
thetexasrifleman
.224 member


Reged: 05/09/15
Posts: 17
Loc: Stephenville, Texas
Re: Weird forkhorn buck killed with my muzzleloader 9/23/15 [Re: Iowa_303s]
      #270999 - 26/09/15 10:07 AM

Here are some answers: http://coloradooutdoorsmag.com/2014/10/2...-the-biologist/

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Birdhunter50
.375 member


Reged: 03/06/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Iowa,U.S.A.
Re: Weird forkhorn buck killed with my muzzleloader 9/23/15 [Re: thetexasrifleman]
      #271021 - 27/09/15 04:20 AM

Thanks guys,
Here are a couple of pictures of it after I got all the extra flesh boiled off of it. The knobby part looks just about the same as it did. Bob

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
DarylSModerator
.700 member


Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27000
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: Weird forkhorn buck killed with my muzzleloader 9/23/15 [Re: Birdhunter50]
      #271022 - 27/09/15 04:29 AM

Crazy antler growth! Tks Bob.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Birdhunter50
.375 member


Reged: 03/06/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Iowa,U.S.A.
Re: Weird forkhorn buck killed with my muzzleloader 9/23/15 [Re: Birdhunter50]
      #271023 - 27/09/15 04:39 AM

To Iowa 303 and all other interested parties,
That little buck was the second strangest deer I have shot in 52 years of deer hunting in Iowa. The pictures that follow are of a doe that I shot back in November, 2007. I was told that this condition is caused by biting midges or flies that bite the deer on the head. Then it gets an infection which causes the bite sight to start growing a huge wart like appendage, this happens most in hot dry years and I was told that the main reason for it is when the deer drinks from stagnant water puddles.
As hideous as it is to look at, it is part of nature and we all need to realize what our wild deer go through. Their lives can be pretty rough at times and we need to be aware of that. We did not eat any of this deer because I didn't know at the time what had caused this condition and wasn't going to risk any problems from eating any of it. She was perfectly healthy otherwise and I was told later that we could have butchered her and it would have been fine. I just don't think either my wife or myself would have been able to enjoy eating any of it anyway. At the time I considered this a mercy killing, right or wrong. Bob

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Pages: 1


Previous topic Previous   View all topics Index   Next topic Next   Threaded Mode Threaded  

Extra information
0 registered and 21 anonymous users are browsing this forum.

Moderator:  DarylS 

Print Topic

Forum Permissions
      You cannot start new topics
      You cannot reply to topics
      HTML is disabled
      UBBCode is enabled

Rating:
Topic views: 2700

Rate this topic

Jump to

Contact Us NitroExpress.com

Powered by UBB.threads™ 6.5.5


Home | Ezine | Forums | Links | Contact


Copyright 2003 to 2011 - all rights reserved