Double Drop Tines

[Charmin]

These are new pictures of the buck we call "Elliot". He is a double drop tine buck this year . This is the fourth year that he has come in to feed by our house. In the early spring(Feb/March) he was trying to jump the 7 wire fence by our house and got one of his hind legs caught between two wires. We just happened to be home and saw the whole thing---it was horrible! One of the cowboys here on the ranch got a pair of wire pliers and cut him loose. Elliot got up but was really limping around and over the next month after the accident we didn't think he was going to make it. He was so skinny and then just disappeared. We weren't sure he was still alive until this evening when he came in with some does. Imagine our surprise when we looked out and saw him---(and yes, we can tell its him because of the messed up left side of his head that always makes the horn grow funny). Then he turned his head just right and we could see those double drop tines. His left horn is just a main beam with some trash around the bottom. It is probably one of the coolest things to see these bucks come back year after year.
Here's some pictures---The first is a collage of Elliot from 2007, 2008, 2009 that I think I've posted before. The other pictures are from today(this evening). Thanks for looking and hope you enjoy!

 

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[fossis]

That 'poor guy' has had a rough time of it, thanks for sharing.

Fossis...........

 

[Charmin]

That 'poor guy' has had a rough time of it, thanks for sharing.

Fossis...........

Yes, that just what we were saying, Fossis....His life hasn't been easy. Its a wonder he's still alive after the trauma of getting his leg caught in the wires. I wonder if that is one of the reasons why he has those drop tines this year? You know they say something like major trauma to the body can cause the horns to grow funny, (of course his were already growing in strange directions), but the drop tines are really something to see.
Thanks Fossis!

 

[beulahlandgirl]

Ol' Elliot is a survivor!! That's awesome that you got pics of him these last few years!

 

[MiniMe]

He's definitely had a rough time. Seems 2009 was his best rack. Those drop tines are amazing, I love the last picture you can see them both.

 

[Charmin]

Ol' Elliot is a survivor!! That's awesome that you got pics of him these last few years!

Yes he is. Josie said it looks like his hind leg (that was caught in the fence) is still a little messed up. He's got to be getting pretty old . I'm glad he came back this year.
Thanks, Sis!

He's definitely had a rough time. Seems 2009 was his best rack. Those drop tines are amazing, I love the last picture you can see them both.

Yes, 2009 was his best rack---if he had that rack with these drop tines, he might have been a shooter .
Thanks MiniMe .

 

[RGINN]

He looks a little puny in the first picks, but appears to be rollin and popular with the ladies later. When those bucks start flicking that tongue out, that's the deer gang way of signifying 'Bring it on, Dude'.

 

[Charmin]

He looks a little puny in the first picks, but appears to be rollin and popular with the ladies later. When those bucks start flicking that tongue out, that's the deer gang way of signifying 'Bring it on, Dude'.

Yes, he does look a little puny---He hadn't been coming in to get any corn to fatten him up. I think he followed a 'hot' doe in yesterday, because he only stayed for a few minutes to eat and then when she left, he went with her. Elliot likes to fight and does a lot of "posturing" and tongue flicking .
The deer were really moving around last night, so it won't be long until the rut is in full swing.

Thanks RGINN

 

[naturegirl]

Uh-oh, I'm starting to get attatched to him and cicatraz, not good. Great pictures Josie. I'll have to ask tommy if he has seen Elliot. He likes looking at the pictures too, some of them he recognises.

 

[Charmin]

Uh-oh, I'm starting to get attatched to him and cicatraz, not good. Great pictures Josie. I'll have to ask tommy if he has seen Elliot. He likes looking at the pictures too, some of them he recognises.

I think these deer around here get a free pass during hunting season . We can't hardly stand to shoot one of the 'regulars' . Especially after seeing them come in for the last 4 years! And as long as the road hunters don't get him, he should be okay.
Tell Tom to be on the look-out for him.
Thanks Lisa!!

 

[Ray S S]

That is amazing, being able to get such good pics of the same deer for so many years like that, and being
able to see his psysical changes through the years. These are good pics.

Thanks for sharing.

Ray

 

[Charmin]

That is amazing, being able to get such good pics of the same deer for so many years like that, and being
able to see his psysical changes through the years. These are good pics.

Thanks for sharing.

Ray

Thanks Ray--my daughter almost loves to photograph these things as much as she loves to hunt them.
Glad you enjoyed them!!

 

[mainer]

Too bad his left side is messed up. He has a great looking horn on the right side. I remember that charecter from the video you sent me. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Charmin]

Too bad his left side is messed up. He has a great looking horn on the right side. I remember that charecter from the video you sent me. Thanks for sharing.

Yes, we were sure hoping he would have a better rack this year. Seems like every other year with him, that left side is messed up even worse. He's fun to watch, though. I remember that first year he came in(the year his horn was dropped down along side his face), he would kinda walk funny....like go in cirlces....we thought he was re-tard-ed . Poor old thing . It doesn't matter how big his horns are (or aren't), he still thinks he's the 'bull of the woods' .....kind of a 'mind over matter' type of thing I guess.
I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures, mainer!!

 

[kuger]

Injuries to a hind leg,or quarter usually cause an abnormal antler on the opposing side.I have seen this time and time again.
I once had a hunter completly blow a shot with a bow on a 6x6 bull elk and hit him in the left hind quarter.Several years later another one of my hunters took this bull and he had 6 on the left and a WEIRD 3 on the other.....I also found 6 inches of the arrow and broadhead completely grown over lodged in the left rump.

It is beleived that drop tines are hereditary,and a deer will have them every year....if ever at all

 

[Charmin]

Injuries to a hind leg,or quarter usually cause an abnormal antler on the opposing side.I have seen this time and time again.
I once had a hunter completly blow a shot with a bow on a 6x6 bull elk and hit him in the left hind quarter.Several years later another one of my hunters took this bull and he had 6 on the left and a WEIRD 3 on the other.....I also found 6 inches of the arrow and broadhead completely grown over lodged in the left rump.

It is beleived that drop tines are hereditary,and a deer will have them every year....if ever at all

That's something I didn't know, Kuger.....Elliot has had weird antlers from the beginning. That first year was the strangest, with the left side growing down along his face. But the knot on his head may have contributed to that. We have been seeing him all through the rut and he's always got a doe with him. He's limping really bad and starting to look run down, but it hasn't stopped him---I guess all that testosterone keeps him going . He comes in about every other night to get some yellow acorns(corn) and then leaves with a doe. He sure is a tough old geezer.

 

[kuger]

Elliot actually broke his antler in 07(as you stated he is an aggressive buck)This was more than likely done fighting.I know he did it in o7 because there is no velvet on the antler,which if it would have been an old injury,wouldnt be the case.The antler would not have grown back as perfect as it was in 07....as can be seen in his later photos.
I have taken several bucks and one elk that have broken the antler this way and the skull just heels over like they were born that way...pretty phenomenal.

 

[Charmin]

Elliot actually broke his antler in 07(as you stated he is an aggressive buck)This was more than likely done fighting.I know he did it in o7 because there is no velvet on the antler,which if it would have been an old injury,wouldnt be the case.The antler would not have grown back as perfect as it was in 07....as can be seen in his later photos.
I have taken several bucks and one elk that have broken the antler this way and the skull just heels over like they were born that way...pretty phenomenal.

Yes, pretty phenomenal! I hope some of those hereditary "drop tines" genes are getting passed along to his offspring. We have enjoyed studying these deer from year to year.
Kuger----Do you know approx. how many miles a whitetail buck's territory can be? Say 4 or 5 mile radius? Or smaller?

 

[kuger]

I have been told that actually the doe is responsible for passing on the gene,but I dont know?
I cant say for sure but I can tell you that I took a buck in a river bottom,with pine pitch in his antlers(where he had rubbed a pine tree)and the nearest pine trees were over 8 miles away!While in the rut the less dominant bucks tend to wander aim lessly,in search for a "place",where he wont get his butt kicked!

 

[mainer]

Hey sandcreek. How did your daughter makeout? Anything on the ground yet? I know you was asking Kuger about how far a buck will travel. I have a friend of mine who had a ten pointer on his trail camara all summer long and come fall he set up where his camara was hoping to take him. Well low and behold I shot the deer and I was a good distance away. I knew it was the deer he had on camara the second I saw him, he had showed me a ton of pics of him. So I took a hand held gps one day and marked where the camara was and marked where I shot the deer and it was almost exactly 7 miles in a straight line. Now the other cool thing is he had the deer on camara where he was 2 days before I shot him. So he must have been on a mission. Sorry for the long story, just thought I would chime in. Hope you all had a great thanksgiving.