With all these non-typical deer showing up this fall, got me to wondering when in life do deer ‘become’ non-typical?
The attached photo is on our property and at first site, we thought we’d take this one if for no other reason but to eliminate those genes.
But is this a mutant rack and bad genes, or just a young non-typical?
Eric 
I would let him grow. He could turn into something special if he is young. I guess if you see him and he looks like an older deer maybe take him but if he is 1.5-2.5 I wuold let him walk.
Wow what a cool looking rack hes starting to get some nice palmation. As far as letting the deer walk do the neighboring properties have a lot of hunting pressure? Do they practice QDM? What ever you do I think he’s a beauty. good luck 
I would say he’s a 2 1/2 yr old…
If you can give him a couple of years, he should be something special!
I love non-typical’s they have so much character and you don’t see very many I would let him walk in hopes of seeing him next year good luck either way.
I’d be lettin him grow too. Could be in for some serious growth once he reaches his mature weight. You’ll probably see him add 40% horn in that next year. Cool buck! 
Let him grow 
……..He looks young, maybe even 2 1/2, if so he could mature into a real wallhanger!
Here are some newer pics and from some different angles. We have decided to talk with all neighboring land owners to see if we can let this one grow and see how he turns out!
We’ll see what happens!
Eric
I think he got radiation poisoning.
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his eyes are glowing!
Definetly a mutant!
Update on this deer as it was taken on some land adjoining ours. Guy came into the farmyard and was very excited about shooting this deer. I helped him recover it with the 4-wheeler or he would have had a heck of drag out.
After field dressing, the guy told me this deer was likely hit by a car. Spine was all messed up, had one rear hoof that was a club foot (permanently bent back). He did not think this deer would have made the winter.
After talking with some other local hunters, I heard more than one guy say that deer can/will grow odd looking antlers when injured or sick. Anyone else heard that or can confirm?
Eric
That is what I have heard before, if they are injured, say on the right side, then the left antler is affected. Nice trophy and good to put him out of his misery… rather than yote food 
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After talking with some other local hunters, I heard more than one guy say that deer can/will grow odd looking antlers when injured or sick. Anyone else heard that or can confirm?
100% true. Usually an injury to one side results in a bad rack on the opposite side. I shot one once that had broken his right rear leg at some point in the past. His left antler was a mess. Came out and went down all twisty and ended under his chin.
X2
X3.
A few years back I shot what I assumed was a beautiful 10 point right at day break with the bow. What I found was a beautiful 5-point on one side, and a perfect long mainbeam on the other with four 1-2 inch long tines.
So he was a 10 point, just not what I had expected. He had a badly busted up back left leg, and his right antler was underdeveloped as a result.
This fall I have an awesome 3.5 year old “Splitter” buck on my place, a tall 8 with perfect split G2’s. Problem is he’s got a bad limp, and a bad back right leg. I’m hoping he recovers enough to survive the winter and grow a normal rack next year!
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After field dressing, the guy told me this deer was likely hit by a car. Spine was all messed up, had one rear hoof that was a club foot (permanently bent back). He did not think this deer would have made the winter.
Eric
I’m sure he would have made it through the winter. At my previous home I had a buck come in 3 years ago. Front right leg was smashed and pulled up at his knee to 90 degrees. When I would flip the light on to look at him he would try to run and go right on his face. The only way he could move was walking and could not out that leg down at all. Watched him all fall until he disappear. He had a super cool, small non-typical rack. Had it been legal I would have burned my tag on him as I felt sick over watching him suffer.
Well, I saw him the next two winters, same problem but making it by, happy to be alive I’m sure. I would have sworn he’d die but didn’t.
Got another buddy that has a 5-6 year old buck that has had the same problem for 3-4 years of his life. Sees him every year and he’s there this year. This one was actually a decent low 140’s buck at his best, then has declined slightly ever year. Still in the 130’s now.
Alot of people like to have an excuse to put their tag on something less than their “standards”, like they are doing the animal a favor.
Good to know but in this case the guy was truly excited to have shot this deer and really loved the rack. Lots of character. I was happy for him.
It was a young guy hunting with his dad and they were really enjoying themselves.
All was good!!
ET
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