Texas Hunting Forum

What causes squiggly antlers?

Posted By: GimmeABuck

What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 01:49 AM

What causes wiggly/squiggly antlers? Trying to think how best to describe it... Antlers that look like someone tried to freehand draw tines. I've noticed a higher number of the bucks on our property in Bandera county have these squiggly tines than I see even in Kerr county. Local genetics, diet, coincidence? Not thinking injury because it seems to effect multiple tines.

Thanks in advance!
Posted By: Creekrunner

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 02:01 AM

Just a higher population of ancient old bucks?
Posted By: Sneaky

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 02:11 AM

Squiggly genes.
Posted By: SnakeWrangler

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 02:26 AM

Originally Posted By: Sneaky
Squiggly genes.
Winner......
Posted By: txshntr

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 02:58 AM

Originally Posted By: Sneaky
Squiggly genes.


rofl

I couldn't answer but most the ones I have seen with squiggly genes are old bucks. See if you can get a picture that we can look at
Posted By: Jimbo

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 12:40 PM

Genetically inferior deer, not an easy fix.
Posted By: Buck25-06

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 12:46 PM

Dead on Sneaky got to be those squiggly genes.
Posted By: Texas Dan

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 01:23 PM

Your buck-to-doe ratio is clearly out of whack. Join the QDMA, kill more does, and give them another year or two. They're sure to become brutes.
Posted By: GimmeABuck

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 06:36 PM

Squiggly genes is probably right though roflmao And very funny, Texas Dan laugh

Here is an extreme example from a few years ago and then a more typical example from this year.


Posted By: redchevy

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 06:45 PM

That deer is sick ancient or starving. This a HF place?
Posted By: GimmeABuck

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 06:50 PM

No sir. We saw him on camera for awhile and then he just disappeared. Havent had one look like that again, though we did have a skeletal pig for awhile.
Posted By: Hunter3007

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 07:06 PM

Posted By: kdkane1971

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 07:06 PM

Add viagra to your corn feeders -
Posted By: Herbie Hancock

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 07:10 PM

Originally Posted By: kdkane1971
Add viagra to your corn feeders -


Zinger!!!
Posted By: GimmeABuck

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 07:16 PM

Originally Posted By: kdkane1971
Add viagra to your corn feeders -
roflmao genius, why didn't I think if this
Posted By: TiggerV

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 10:17 PM

We've got a bunch of deer with one side normal, and the other antler growing outside ways or down or some over off kilter.

We're guessing genetics and are killing those guys first.
Posted By: GimmeABuck

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/14/17 10:39 PM

Tigger, probably a wise thing to do. We only have 36 acres,
Not sure if it would make much of a difference for ours.
Posted By: Mr. T.

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/15/17 01:21 PM

From what I can find out: wavy growth in the left antler is a result of a mutation in the gene that starts and stops antler development the gene tells the the antler to grow then stop then start again then stop which causes the wavy growth while a normal gene would tell the antler to start growing then when summer was over to stop without pause. So they all may be right to say it's in the gene pool.
Posted By: Sneaky

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/15/17 01:39 PM

I knew it.
Posted By: therancher

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/15/17 05:08 PM

Cwd
Posted By: GimmeABuck

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/15/17 10:37 PM

Originally Posted By: Mr. T.
From what I can find out: wavy growth in the left antler is a result of a mutation in the gene that starts and stops antler development the gene tells the the antler to grow then stop then start again then stop which causes the wavy growth while a normal gene would tell the antler to start growing then when summer was over to stop without pause. So they all may be right to say it's in the gene pool.


Thank you! This makes a lot of sense. also interesting that both examples I posted have it affecting the left antler only, or at least significantly more so. Sounds like culling these guys isn't a bad idea. Not sure how much we can alter local genetics with only 36 acres, but worth trying!
Posted By: therancher

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/16/17 02:52 AM

Originally Posted By: GimmeABuck
Originally Posted By: Mr. T.
From what I can find out: wavy growth in the left antler is a result of a mutation in the gene that starts and stops antler development the gene tells the the antler to grow then stop then start again then stop which causes the wavy growth while a normal gene would tell the antler to start growing then when summer was over to stop without pause. So they all may be right to say it's in the gene pool.


Thank you! This makes a lot of sense. also interesting that both examples I posted have it affecting the left antler only, or at least significantly more so. Sounds like culling these guys isn't a bad idea. Not sure how much we can alter local genetics with only 36 acres, but worth trying!


It’s incredible to me that on a hunting site no one has come up with the reason for deformed antlers on one side. Invariably, without exception, if you have a buck with one antler deformed, it has a problem with one of its opposite legs/feet.
Posted By: Jimbo

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/16/17 10:22 AM

Originally Posted By: therancher


It’s incredible to me that on a hunting site no one has come up with the reason for deformed antlers on one side. Invariably, without exception, if you have a buck with one antler deformed, it has a problem with one of its opposite legs/feet.


This may be true, but the OP said in his post said that it seems to be a common trait in several deer on his property.
It would be highly unlikely that several bucks would have similar injuries, all at the same time.
If I were on that jury, I would have to vote for a genetic problem with that evidence.
Posted By: snake oil

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/16/17 07:34 PM

Originally Posted By: GimmeABuck
What causes wiggly/squiggly antlers? Trying to think how best to describe it... Antlers that look like someone tried to freehand draw tines. I've noticed a higher number of the bucks on our property in Bandera county have these squiggly tines than I see even in Kerr county. Local genetics, diet, coincidence? Not thinking injury because it seems to effect multiple tines.

Thanks in advance!


Copious amounts of alcohol consumed in the stand...........
Posted By: therancher

Re: What causes squiggly antlers? - 12/16/17 11:17 PM

Originally Posted By: Jimbo
Originally Posted By: therancher


It’s incredible to me that on a hunting site no one has come up with the reason for deformed antlers on one side. Invariably, without exception, if you have a buck with one antler deformed, it has a problem with one of its opposite legs/feet.


This may be true, but the OP said in his post said that it seems to be a common trait in several deer on his property.
It would be highly unlikely that several bucks would have similar injuries, all at the same time.
If I were on that jury, I would have to vote for a genetic problem with that evidence.


And I was responding to some theory about single antlers. I also believe the op’s place has some issue with feet or legs as well. Never heard of anything but age and leg/feet problems causing a lot of squiggly antlers.
© 2024 Texas Hunting Forum