What's on this Axis bucks head???

[jeffpg]

I saw this buck from a public road that I was driving down today. At first it appeared that he had snagged a trash bag or something in his rack, but after looking at him for bit I believe that this is a growth of some sort. It appears to have stunted the growth of his left antler. It's obvious that there's some weight to the object due to the way he holds his head and how he walks. I took these pics from several hundred yards at different zoom levels.

What do y'all think?

[J-Fish]

Deer Tick!

[Lee230]

My kid's Hippity Hop!!

[HoustonHunter]

Looks like his antler got infected but I'm no expert.

[lab man]

Main beam turned down into a drop tine. Full of blood. Be interesting to see if he keeps it until it turns into hardened antler or falls off when he sheds his velvet.

[ken]

Headed out to the bowling alley.

[LWC]

Truck Nuts!

[careybirdwell]

No where the size of that one, but I got a trail cam picture the other day of an Axis with a growth on it antlers

[Bisch]

That's crazy!

Bisch

[Patton]

Main beam turned down into a drop tine. Full of blood. Be interesting to see if he keeps it until it turns into hardened antler or falls off when he sheds his velvet.

Yep, he damaged the velvet and now has a few gallons of blood pooled up in there. I'd guess it falls off, I don't know, but it would be pretty crazy if all of that hardened into bone.

[jeffpg]

Thanks fellows, I can only wish him well!