How many days apart were those pics taken? I ask due to the amount of blood comment. Pic 1 looks like all he has to do is tip out the tines and then go find a tree to rub. Pic 2 is still sorta 'bulbous' at the ends which looks like he has growing to do and the blood supply might be flowing at a higher volume.


I'm no deer doctor or even close to. Just know what I have seen in the field. I always attributed lighter antlers to the amount of sunlight they are exposed to. Who hasn't seen sheds in April or May that were nearly chalk white? However, the longer the blood supply stays flowing in the antlers the darker they get makes sense, too.

On a mount, I think the method of skull cleaning plays a part. If the skull is boiled, the antlers always seem darker due to the fats and oils being steamed out by the boiling process are absorbed into the antlers.

Both of the pictures were taken this morning.

This is him last year. That is why I think it is genetics.

Hard horned pics?

Fair enough; it very well may be, IDK. Look at how much darker the lower buck's coat is versus the top one, too.

This was the last picture I got of him last year. Did not see him again during the season nor find his sheds.

Don, that is that a whitetail doe in the picture too??? odd markings on her if so, looks like a ewe barbado with that black on it's front legs and dark muzzle

A Mouflon Ewe

whew! I sat there shaking my head saying to myself, something looks really odd about that doe, even zoomed in on it to try to figure it out as it's head didn't even have the right shape much less the markings. I am not overly familiar with mouflon as we had a bunch of barbado (or that was what everyone called them) where I grew up that ranchers raised like spanish goats & sheep.

Here is that Buck as of this morning.

He's looking good, made quite a nice jump from the previous season.

Real nice jump over the last year. Not only are his antlers dark but his coat looks darker as well.