I don't have a pic handy, but I got a couple shots of one of my big ones right at the end of ML season, meaning he made it through most likely. Seemed to be getting along fine and was even running in one shot, but he had what looked like a big bald spot halfway back below the spine. It hadn't been there in shots before gun season so it looks like he took a non-fatal hit that was healing.
Survivors
- Thread starter Bill
- Start date
Bill
Administrator
Often those bald spots are actually caused by bucks with racks using their antlers to scratch their back. They rub the hair right off. So he may be just fine, only itchy :)
Secrawhunter22
Yearling... With promise
2 of our most recent ones, the first guy was a triple racked 10 pointer in velvet but it looks like he broke it off.
Mortenson
5 year old buck +
The snipers are set up since before last weekend's season ender. They're a little closer to my fence than the past few years, so inside a half mile now. They'll kill some of the survivors here. Can't even get excited about seeing a big 1 on cam or picking up his shed until he shows up again next year.
Hey Tree Spud, is that 1st buck in your post #15 the same 1 you killed this year?
Hey Tree Spud, is that 1st buck in your post #15 the same 1 you killed this year?
Apple Junkie
5 year old buck +
These guys are still alive and still carrying head-gear.
Bill
Administrator
He’s cool. I like that second beam.
Bill
Administrator
Ha, I didn’t even see him.
Sling blade in the middle is my favorite. His left side G2 towers over the right.
bigbendmarine
5 year old buck +
Bucks I call "Split Ear" and "Lucky" both made it through the end of the season. Optimistic that Split Ear will be fine if he can stay out of local roads. Don't know if I could have resisted temptation on him this past year if not for his breaking a nice G4 off early in the season. Must have been a heck of a tussle as it looked like a nice, heavy tine before he broke it. Split Ear makes it, he'll be the first buck I've followed with 100% certainty from a yearling to 4 1/2 years old.
Hope "Lucky" makes it but his pedicle bases look wonkier each year (though horns actually improved this year). Worry about abscess with them but guess we'll see as the year progresses.
And putting an emphasis on the "survivor" note, discovered one yearling spike on our place got blinded near the end of season. Looks to be doing ok, thus far, but sure looks like it had to be hella' painful! Noticed the eye looked blurry / messy in a capture and sure enough looking on through additional night time captures I coud tell not an iota of light was refracted back from that side in all subsequent captures.
Hope "Lucky" makes it but his pedicle bases look wonkier each year (though horns actually improved this year). Worry about abscess with them but guess we'll see as the year progresses.
And putting an emphasis on the "survivor" note, discovered one yearling spike on our place got blinded near the end of season. Looks to be doing ok, thus far, but sure looks like it had to be hella' painful! Noticed the eye looked blurry / messy in a capture and sure enough looking on through additional night time captures I coud tell not an iota of light was refracted back from that side in all subsequent captures.
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Apple Junkie
5 year old buck +
It's nice to be able to follow one buck over several years like you've been able to do with "split ear". Your one-eyed spike might do OK. I've go one 8 point buck that does not even seem to notice he is handicapped. That said, I have not seen him recently, so he may be in someones freezer. You can clearly see he is blind in his left eye on the night time cam pics.
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Hoytvectrix
5 year old buck +
Bill, I'm surprised you still have so many antlered bucks. I am in your same neck of the woods and hardly have a single antlered buck remaining. I'd say the majority of the mature bucks lost their antlers about a month ago.
Jordan Selsor
5 year old buck +
You should find all kinds of sheds Bill if they are all yarded up on your place like that! Keep us posted!
Bill
Administrator
If my shed pincher doesn’t get there first. I have to my hidden cameras set up with decoy antlers in front of them ;)
Bill
Administrator
Me to. But I’m seeing less antlers everyday. And more head patches.
Jordan Selsor
5 year old buck +
Ahh I forgot about that no good 2 timing shed thief! Hope you catch him!
