Tiny antlers just starting

[lew]

Had the 1st deer of the season show up in my yard this morning and you can see his new antlers just starting to grow.

[Rattletrap2]

Lew,

I was watching out back today to see if any came around here today. Didn't see any so far. I have seen as many as six at a time in the past, but all Doe's. The only Buck I have ever seen was about 10 years ago when he charged out in front of a neighbour's truck! He was a big old boy and really did some damage. Totalled his truck.

[lew]

I'm lucky here Brian as we get quite a few bucks and last year was the best with 6 different ones.

Here's a couple from past winters

 

Even had an elk about 10 miles from here a couple years back & that was pretty kool

 

[OhioFisherman]

One of my son's buddies hit one with his car over the weekend, luckily just minor damage, it's the rut and they are all over the place here.

Man attacked by deer

this was a news story a few days ago, they are wild animals, beware!

[grimsbylander]

5 hours ago, lew said:

Had the 1st deer of the season show up in my yard this morning and you can see his new antlers just starting to grow.

You sure get some great picture Lew. That deer is either a first year button or a doe (yes, it's not common but does can get small spikes) The mature bucks will have fully developed antlers at this time of year. An eight point buck we see in November looked like that in August.

[lew]

I was kinds wondering about that too as this critter was definitely full grown. We get lots of young deer here thru the winter and they're far smaller than this one.

She wandered out of the woods and was eating the leaves off that small tree right behind her at the back of my yard.

[Rattletrap2]

Beautiful photos Lew!

[grimsbylander]

18 hours ago, lew said:

I was kinds wondering about that too as this critter was definitely full grown. We get lots of young deer here thru the winter and they're far smaller than this one.

She wandered out of the woods and was eating the leaves off that small tree right behind her at the back of my yard.

With a second look at the pic I don't think it's an odd ball doe. It doesn't have a really slender neck of a doe and at this time of year the necks of the bucks swell. That one looks far too beefy(venisony? lol) to be a doe. Also, look at how dark the tarsal gland is on the inside of the back leg at the knee. During the rut this gland get quite dark and smelly from the oil it extracts. A buck will urinate down it legs and over this gland to freshen breeding scrapes within it's territory. Still, I wish I had a backyard like yours!!

[dave524]

3 hours ago, grimsbylander said:

With a second look at the pic I don't think it's an odd ball doe. It doesn't have a really slender neck of a doe and at this time of year the necks of the bucks swell. That one looks far too beefy(venisony? lol) to be a doe. Also, look at how dark the tarsal gland is on the inside of the back leg at the knee. During the rut this gland get quite dark and smelly from the oil it extracts. A buck will urinate down it legs and over this gland to freshen breeding scrapes within it's territory. Still, I wish I had a backyard like yours!!

Agreed, it's probably a yearling buck , born spring of 2017,  sexually mature but of poor genetics for antler growth,  definitely should be culled if you want to manage the herd for trophy animals ? 

[ch312]

Either a yearling buck with slow antler growth or a doe with spikes. Both are possible, you should have checked between it's legs ?