This is the first picture I have of this deer. I have hunted this place for 5 years now and dont recognize him. What are your thoughts? At first glance he looks young to me, but only having on picture of him its hard to tell.

Looks like an injury to me. Hard to tell, but if it is the pedestal that is damaged, it will always have a messed up antler. I had one like it a couple of years ago and it was never normal, but interesting to see how he grew...he disappeared at 3.5, never to be seen again

IMO velvet antler damage this growing season. I would think with those 2 small notches in the top of his left ear he will be easy to pick from last years bucks. He looks young also. For me with no history he would get a pass.

Looks like maybe he got hung up in a barb wire fence or something. Cuts in both ears and his right antler base is really abnormal. Looks very young and would be interesting seeing him in a year then make the decision.

I would deff give him a year.

I would give him a pass and see what happens next year.

Pass for me also

Pass

Young deer and like the others said pass for this year and see what he does next year. think that is either damage to the antler or damage to the pedestal if the latter it will be messed up next year as well. If he is in an AR county he is safe anyway.

young and dumb must of sassed a mature doe and got smacked around a little

I agree with BrowsnRods, Ramsey and the others I would give him a pass this year and see what he looks like next year

I would give him a pass.

x2

I'd say definitely injured along with being chit...

Here is a similar one, but this one had pedestal damage without a doubt...

2010



And 2011

Did he shrink in body size also from 2010 to 2011? I don't think that is the same buck IMO.

Hard to imagine there are two that look like that...

Same feeder location, different camera and look at the difference in the height of the grass. Bottom is a December pic in a drought year and top is a Sept pic in a wet year. When I get back to the house, I will show you some pics of older deer from 10' to 11'. They struggled in 11'. Plus, think the pic is a little decieving.

How do you know the top buck kept that same look from 2010 into 2011? How do you know it was not velvet damage only in 2010 and corrected itself in 2011? You have never seen other bucks likes this on the ranch in all the years you have hunted there? Convince me

I can honestly say I have only seen one deer with a horn coming out of his eye!!! Or maybe two if you are right

Not saying I am right, just you have to convince me you are right

I am convinced and that should be enough for you

I already hit most my points about range condition. Add that to the fact he has an antler poking out his eye, body was suffering. Different camera, different angle and he is a baby anyway. Same stand location too.

But the antler is not poking out of his eye in either pic

It's close...

That only counts in hand grenades and horseshoes.....

I had one with a messed up side one year. His pedicle was lower on his right side and his antler grew down.
The following year his rack was fine, but you could still tell that his pedicle was low.



And the following year...