# mutant rack



## javacoder (Jul 13, 2011)

This buck was under my stand twice Tuesday night. I drew on him both times but just couldn't pull the trigger. He appears to be a 2-1/2 year old and I can't help thinking about what those antlers would look like next year or the year after if he isn't harvested on another property. Any thoughts?


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Sure is interesting looking. He won&#8217;t ever amount to much, antler wise.


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## partlyable (Mar 2, 2005)

That is a cool looking rack. 


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

if I was hunting private property I would of had to pass. I would really like to see what that rack would look like a couple of yrs from now. I think you made the right choice to let him grow.

that deer could be a 1 1/2 or 2 1/2 yr old buck. you add a couple of yrs to that deer and he could be a real trophy non typical. I would have to take the chance.

I hunt public property where any legal deer is fair game. if he came in on me I would have to take the shot. because the odds of any deer making it to 4 or 5 yrs old would be very rare. and so many people would think that deer is already a trophy in its own right. good luck and good choice.
sherman


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

M.Magis said:


> Sure is interesting looking. He wont ever amount to much, antler wise.


In one of my books about whitetail deer. They conducted a study of spike bucks. You know "once a spike always a spike". They followed 20 spikes over 10 years and most spikes were 5 1/2 years old before producing a 120" class 8 point rack. 2 years behind comparable deer that were not spikes.

so just maybe another three years he may turn out to be a very unique buck.

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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

ostbucks98 said:


> In one of my books about whitetail deer. They conducted a study of spike bucks. You know "once a spike always a spike". They followed 20 spikes over 10 years and most spikes were 5 1/2 years old before producing a 120" class 8 point rack. 2 years behind comparable deer that were not spikes.
> 
> so just maybe another three years he may turn out to be a very unique buck.
> 
> Sent from my ZTE-Z990G using Ohub Campfire mobile app


I agree. What I was getting at is that hes not your normal young buck. It does appear that hes probably a 2.5 year old deer with some sort of issue, whether its genetic or injury, preventing him from growing much in the antler department. If hes 1.5 year old I would certainly agree, he could grow into anything.


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

if i had to guess he looks 2 1/2. guessing eye to nose length. he most likely will never be a monster buck but you may end up with some weird funk rack.
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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

That looks like a 1.5 year old deer. He may be something in a couple years. You never really know what they might be until they have a chance to mature. One thing is for sure-if he gets killed now he won't get any bigger.


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## javacoder (Jul 13, 2011)

If he is a 1-1/2 year old, he is of good size. His rear-end is heavy and wide, while his chest is narrower than his rear and deep. I was guessing him to be 2-1/2 based on the size and shape of his head and muscling in his shoulders.


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## WeekendWarrior (Jan 20, 2008)

Hope he makes it to a mature age. This deer could be something cool!!


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Interesting deer, would be tempting if he got even a little bigger.


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

You don't want that deer in the herd...take him out.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Sorry guys, it is absolute myth that once a spike always a spike or that young spike deer are inferior in some way genetically.

Study after study has proven time and time again that that is just not true.

http://archives.petersenshunting.com/content/shooting-spike-bucks/1

Also, in addition, many studies including the largest study done to date on the King ranch in Texas proved that *you can not affect the genetics of the deer herd trough culling "inferior" bucks
*
The little buck in this thread would be one I would protect over a little average 4 point all day long.

Way too many guys still living off of old wise tales


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

M.Magis said:


> Sure is interesting looking. He wont ever amount to much, antler wise.


 I have a feeling you may be right, but you never know.



ostbucks98 said:


> In one of my books about whitetail deer. They conducted a study of spike bucks. You know "once a spike always a spike". They followed 20 spikes over 10 years and
> most spikes were 5 1/2 years old before producing a 120" class 8 point rack. 2 years behind comparable deer that were not spikes.
> 
> so just maybe another three years he may turn out to be a very unique buck.
> ...


You know what somebody else found out? That those bucks were absolutely typical! The "typical" adult whitetail buck, when mature, turns out to be an 8 point, about 120" to 130"! Another thing to remember is, did the study mention what the nutrition was like in the range these whitetails inhabited? In a young buck "primary" nutrition goes to growing long bone and keeping the body alive. It's only "secondary" or "excess" nutrition that goes to growing the rack. The rack is superfluous to survival of the individual, it is only important to the survival of the bloodline. 




M.Magis said:


> I agree. What I was getting at is that hes not your normal young buck. It does appear that hes probably a 2.5 year old deer with some sort of issue, whether its genetic or injury, preventing him from growing much in the antler department. If hes 1.5 year old I would certainly agree, he could grow into anything.


Again, I agree. This young(ish) buck is not normal. Either it has some unusual genetics, or, it has been physically injured in some way. I also have seen pics of some freakish, "palmated" antlered bucks, which this young guy seems to be headed for. Have any of you ever heard of the "barnacle buck"? This was killed not 20 miles from my house, in a swampy area, and has the freakiest set of antlers you could imagine. I think there's stuff on the web about it.



Lundy said:


> Sorry guys, it is absolute myth that once a spike always a spike or that young spike deer are inferior in some way genetically.
> 
> Study after study has proven time and time again that that is just not true.
> 
> ...


Don't I know it! The buck pictured, while not much to look at now, could hit a certain age and just blossom into something spectacular! He's certainly unusual now.

Genetics is weird thing. Variations keep introducing themselves into any population of living things. Without getting too far out and mystical about it, it sometimes seems that our very genes, as well as the genes of all other living creatures on this earth, may be subject to the influence of something that we don't really understand.


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## Captain Kevin (Jun 24, 2006)

If that deer makes it 2 more years, he'll be a bragger. The palmation already present means this deer will be a special deer. You did the right thing by passing.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Lundy said:


> Sorry guys, it is absolute myth that once a spike always a spike or that young spike deer are inferior in some way genetically.
> 
> Study after study has proven time and time again that that is just not true.
> 
> ...


I think some have misunderstood what I was saying. My point was that if this deer is 2.5 years old, then there's some reason he's not growing much for antlers, and that reason isn't likely to change next year. By that age, a deer is starting to show some hints of his future. Obviously, if he's 1.5 then those first antlers mean nothing.


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

My theory of taking him out had nothing to do with genetics or inferior buck or anything like that...the buck pictured could do damage to another buck with spears coming straight out the top of his head like that...that was my main reason...also I don't believe that buck would ever amount to anything special...especially assuming that its already 2.5 years old.


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## Captain Kevin (Jun 24, 2006)

Looks like he's a year and a half to me personally. I base that on length of snout, and diameter of bases of antlers.


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