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Hypothetical question about growing antlers ....

K

KANSAN

PMA Member
Okay guys, bear with me on this. I sit here and do a lot of thinking about antlers. I mean A LOT. So yesterday I was watching TV with visions of big antlers in my head when I asked myself an interesting question: "What would happen if someone could mold a set of antlers into a particular shape .... as the buck grew them?

In other words - hypothetically, could you take a buck with fantastic genetics for growing a big rack - or even an average buck - then somehow (I have no idea how you would do this) put an antler mold onto his head at the pedicles with a different shape rack than what he'd normally grow, would the growing velvet conform to the shape of the mold? I know this is very unrealistic in real life, but it gives us something to think about and ponder while we're dreaming of deer season. Imagine, hypothetically , taking the Lovstuen buck, attaching a mold to his head with the Hanson buck antler molded into it, and see if the buck grows to the shape/size of the Hanson deer? Stupid ramblings, I know. I don't know why I think of this stuff!!
 
wasnt there rumors similar to this about the Rampola buck? somthing about him putting a 2x4 between the beems of a penned deer and replacing the board once a week with a wider one to get such a great spread on his deer?

somehow I think putting a mold like you say on deer of that caliber would either break the mold or kill the deer.

my 2 cents
 
I think of antlers a lot also but really think you've gone over the edge with this one Jody. Go out and chase some turkeys.;)
As a side note though, hardened antlers can be straightened, bent, twisted, etc.
 
LOL Jay - just something new to think about. Antlers are on my mind 24/7. For some reason this question just popped into my head. So it got me to thinking about the extend of the "moldability" of living antler tissue.
 
My Grandfather used to put small cucumbers in a pop bottle or other glass containers as they were growing and they would grow to that shape.
Wasn't it the Mayans that would block their newborns heads to elongate them?
I still think you need help.:grin:
 
There are several rumors floating around that this has been done within the deer farming industry. Not with a mold but by "slicing" a notch into the early velvet, causing an abnormal growth. Also hear that "tying" a leg is common practice on some farms. Cause a limp and you can get "weak" antler to catch up with the other side. All this is just rumor, however, I have sat with, and know several deer breeders who have substantiated it. Another common practice is to keep a buck under floresence light, causing an abnormally long antler growing "season". Years ago there was an article in North American Whitetail about a penned buck named "Desi". He was over 280 inches and it was written that growth lights were used on him. I'm sure the practice took off after that article. Rodeo bull breeders can determine the angle of horn growth by how they cut the tip of the horn (rodeo bulls have to have horn tips no smaller diameter then a 50 cent piece). They can get them to grow up, down, forward or backward, with just a slice of a knife. I'm willing to bet the deer breeders are trying all the same tricks as well.
 
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