Palmated Antlers

Well, while watching my game cameras for our lease for this year, we have had a relatively young buck show up with a palmated tine on his rack. What i am curious about is what causes this to happen in deer? I have seen this in some places but it is usually the whole rack, not just one tine. The tine on this deer is longer, a bit thicker and also palmated and split at the top. We estimate he is about 3.5 years old. With the split at the top of the point, it makes him a 9 point. Im just curious as to people's thoughts about this antler variation as this is the only deer i have seen with an antler like this on this property since we have been on it, which is short, being now 2 years. Next time i pull the card at the feeder he has been coming to, ill post a pic. Thanks for any comments or feedback on yalls thoughts on this deer!!!!

Either due to an injury to that tine during antler development, or it's just a genetic trait.

Yep. He’ll likely be normal next if it’s an injury but hopefully it’s genetics and he’ll just get better with more palmation as he ages.

a piece of property that my wife hunts produces a lot of bucks that have palmated g2's on both sides. Definitely appears to be a genetic thing