How Do you tell if a deer had a bad first week or two in anterler growth and the horns on one side went sideways ,OR is that a sighn of bad generics? thanks!

make that genetics.sorry /

The vast majority of what people call culls due to bad genetics are actually velvet or antler damage. The majority of those deer will not look like that the next year if it is velvet damage. Now if the break an antler off in the skull during the rut it might effect them for many years. Post some pics if you have any of deer.

Everyone throwing cameras out all of a sudden half way through the year with a bright flash will make a buck really hurt himself.

I've got a pic somewhere of a buck nearly knocking over my feeder when he ran straight into it right after a flash, I'll see if I can find it. It made him have a wacky drop tine that year, and I felt bad about it. I've stopped use flash cameras. He's still around and is normal again.

Crazy but...I am told by those that know.. Injury to rt side causes left side antler abnormality

I've see rear leg injuries affect the opposite side. They tended to be deer that had noticeable healed over wounds with bone deformities.

I have seen the same thing. Seems to be true.

Exactly. I have seen many a young buck killed as a "cull" that was imo just an injury while still in soft velvet. I try to wait till the 2nd year to determine a cull.