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Forums >> Texas Hunting >> Texas Deer Hunting >> Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.

Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.

 July 18, 2009 11:13 PM [#1]
Hardy
Hardy
Hardy writes about Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.Hardy writes about Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.Hardy writes about Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.Hardy writes about Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.Hardy writes about Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.Hardy writes about Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.Hardy writes about Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.Hardy writes about Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.
Points: Y (0) / M (0)
Hardy Jackson
Starr county
Email Hardy

Interesting story behind this buck:
 
Late last season I noticed that he had lost his left eye in a fight.  It had glazed over and I wondered what would happen to him.  
 
I had gotten a few trail cam shots of him earlier and saw that his right antler was deformed and that his left eye was definitely gone.  It wouldn't "glow"/reflect in the photos.
 
Now, that does NOT go with the "rule".  After all, it's supposed to be that in rear leg injuries the opposite antler is affected and with front leg, the same side.  Whatever...it shouldn't matter with the loss of an eye.  That's not a skeletal injury.  I guess he could have sustained injuries to the skull or eye socket, but anyway. 
 
So I wondered for a while and one night my good friend Dr. Steve Bentsen was over for dinner and had a very simple and most likely accurate explanation.
 
If he lost his left eye, he is more than likely hyper-sensitive to anything approaching from that side (like another buck at a water hole or a predator).  He probably reacted to something that startled him and bumped that antler early on in the growth period.  It does look as if it started growing normally. 
 
It will be interesting to see how he finishes out and then if he survives until next season, what happens then.  Will he injure it again?  Will it return to normal?  Will trophic memory play a role? 
 
You gotta love this stuff!
 
Anyway, here are a few shots of him from another of my newly opened late lab-lab plantings.
 
Good Hunting and don't forget to check out Campos Viejos on Facebook for updates as the season gets closer!
 
Hardy

  • Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.
  • Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.
  • Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.

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RE: Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.

 July 21, 2009 11:16 PM [#2]
Hardy
Hardy
Hardy writes about Hardy writes about Hardy writes about Hardy writes about Hardy writes about Hardy writes about Hardy writes about Hardy writes about
Points: Y (0) / M (0)
Hardy Jackson
Starr county
Email Hardy

Thought I would share a couple of responses from friends I e-mailed this to. 

First one is from Rans Thomas, biologist for Tecomate Wildlife Systems:

 

"Great buck and great story Hardy and I agree with your friend. 

 

I was watching a research study presentation once that was your basic study of tagged deer movements on a property using trail cameras.  Like all other studies I’ve seen by grad students like this one I was asleep about half way through BUT I noticed the speaker kept referring to a buck that exhibited a deformed left antler for three years in a row.  He attributed this to genetics.  Something kept getting my attention as he went through the pictures of the buck through years 2, 3, and 4.  I asked him to go back and go through them again.  He did and surprisingly, MOSTLY to him, I pointed out that in all straight forward shots the deer’s right eye (opposite the deformed antler) did not reflect in the camera flash – the tapetum was obviously broken and the eye damaged.  The speaker went through the slides several times and the audience began to whisper about it.  Finally I said “is it possible this is an injury induced deformity and not genetic”.  He said hesitantly…“I’ll look into it”.  "

RE: Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.

 July 21, 2009 11:19 PM [#3]
Hardy
Hardy
Hardy writes about Hardy writes about Hardy writes about Hardy writes about Hardy writes about Hardy writes about Hardy writes about Hardy writes about
Points: Y (0) / M (0)
Hardy Jackson
Starr county
Email Hardy

The next one is from my buddy Nick Mundt.  Many of you may know Nick from his show with Michael and Travis.  The Bone Collectors.

"Last season on Bone Collector you may have seen Blake Shelton shoot a lop sided buck with us in Kansas. As we watched the footage the deer came in straight on and from 180 yds I could see, much like this story, that the bucks eye also had no reflection, and was a bit cloudy. After further inspection, the deers eye was indeed damaged. It looked like it worked , but must not have, because it had no reflection, even up close, his goofy side was also on the oppisite side!......Nick

I couldnt send this to the whole list of folks so you may want to pass this on.....Hope alll is well bro!!!!!"

RE: Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.

 July 25, 2009 08:53 AM [#4]
Encinal
Encinal
Encinal writes about
Points: Y (0) / M (0)
Marko Barrett
Email Encinal

Maybe:

 

I've seen deer with 1 eye that it has no effect on... deer with 1 eye that have both antlers deformed... one antler deformed (either opposite or same side) ... that never recover... and that bounce back in a year...

 

I think it's all about how the deer copes with the injury... not necessarily physically... but in his daily pattern.  If it slows him down too much where he doesn't make it to food as often as he used to... or to water... his body and thus his antlers will suffer...

 

Does it get infected... is it a constant irritation that requires the body's attention etc is also a factor... 

Forums >> Texas Hunting >> Texas Deer Hunting >> Slow afternoon, but one good 'un stepped out.

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