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Big sheds- dead deer, part of skull attached...

Sligh1

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So this deer was on a buddy’s place. Found a shed and he was stoked. Found other side & within yards - there was the shed out buck: dead. Late February or March.
did some reading - sometimes brain abscess from fighting. Kills the deer. Not sure how often this happens???
We do find a fair bit of sheds with some skull on them. Do u guys often see deer the following year when they have skull attached to shed????? Grow funky racks, totally normal or do they often disappear??? What’s your experience? I’m trying to understand this more & see what everyone’s history or experience or thoughts are????

here’s one article that does touch on this issue. But - want to hear from folks that have seen & followed this over the years.


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Holy smokes!! Thats a set of sheds!!! My understanding is anytime the pedicle is deformed in any way it will cause some sort of deformity on the antlers. Can't say I have "followed" any yr to yr. But having mounted deer for 25 yrs from what I have seem it holds true . Deformed pedicle deformed antler.

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So this deer was on a buddy’s place. Found a shed and he was stoked. Found other side & within yards - there was the shed out buck: dead. Late February or March.
did some reading - sometimes brain abscess from fighting. Kills the deer. Not sure how often this happens???
We do find a fair bit of sheds with some skull on them. Do u guys often see deer the following year when they have skull attached to shed????? Grow funky racks, totally normal or do they often disappear??? What’s your experience? I’m trying to understand this more & see what everyone’s history or experience or thoughts are????

here’s one article that does touch on this issue. But - want to hear from folks that have seen & followed this over the years.


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We had a buck one time that we found entire left side that broke off from fighting deep in the skull. He lived another 4 years after that and every year his left side was always a really funky side compared to his right

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Holy crap, that boy had some serious mass! Hope he makes it, I only ever found one shed that was a year old that had a 2 1/2" splintered piece of skull attached which I figured was from fighting. They are unbelievably hardy animals so it wouldn't surprise me if they live through the injury but most likely will be deformed.
 
Holy crap, that boy had some serious mass! Hope he makes it, I only ever found one shed that was a year old that had a 2 1/2" splintered piece of skull attached which I figured was from fighting. They are unbelievably hardy animals so it wouldn't surprise me if they live through the injury but most likely will be deformed.
This one didn’t make it. :(o_O My friend went from “so happy” to “devastated” in 5 mins. Found one shed. Then the next shed was next to the dead deer. He literally shed one antler, then shed the other & died. I’d guess within a matter of minutes.
My “total guess” is when the side with skull came off it did something with brain that resulted in death .... who knows.... brain aneurysm, trauma to brain, abscess that burst, etc. no idea but a bummer. That’s life in the wild though.
IMO- when a lot of bucks hit “old, giant & super smart” - I personally think most (>50%) die from “natural causes” or “non-hunting related deaths”. They just too smart by then for average Joe Schmo to connect with.
 
My GUESS.... this is example of old big buck that was messed up for 3 seasons. I’m gonna guess he got this from either shedding part of skull like that or injury of course. Guy down road shot him this year & was healthy & BIG with no sign of injury but that doesn’t mean it didn’t cause it. I’d bet he shed with part of skull on.
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oh- check out this pic from few years ago!! Crazy. Did shoot him & skull was broken in chunks and could feel the brain fully exposed under skin. Deer walked around like a big healthy dominate buck for weeks til he got shot.
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Here's one still walking around far as I know. Maybe get a look at him this yr. Called him the club! Good right side and just a 18in "club" on the other. Hangs out on neighbors alot he wanted to see what he turns into this yr also.
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We had one that shed a normal 4 point side as a 2 yr old with the pedicle snapped in 1/2. As a 3 yr he was a heavy fork on that side, and he shed it with a chunk of skull attached. 4 yr old that side was a 14ish inch spike that had 1/2 a dozen points randomly coming off it. 5 yr old was just a clean spike. His undamaged side was always a clean 4 point. I don't think he'll have a sixth year. I hit him quartering away in Oct. that was too far forward, and I think I only got 1 lung. Never found him and haven't seen him since.
 
My guess would be he died with the antlers on but very close to shedding. probably knocked off and carted a little ways by the coyotes after he died. I would agree the deep pedicle had something to do with it. Did he keep the skull and clean it up?
 
My guess would be he died with the antlers on but very close to shedding. probably knocked off and carted a little ways by the coyotes after he died. I would agree the deep pedicle had something to do with it. Did he keep the skull and clean it up?
No. Took pics of dead deer is all. Just took the sheds. I don’t know or don’t think he’ll mount it so I think he just looks at em as “giant sheds with an ending to the story”.
 
So this deer was on a buddy’s place. Found a shed and he was stoked. Found other side & within yards - there was the shed out buck: dead. Late February or March.
did some reading - sometimes brain abscess from fighting. Kills the deer. Not sure how often this happens???
We do find a fair bit of sheds with some skull on them. Do u guys often see deer the following year when they have skull attached to shed????? Grow funky racks, totally normal or do they often disappear??? What’s your experience? I’m trying to understand this more & see what everyone’s history or experience or thoughts are????

here’s one article that does touch on this issue. But - want to hear from folks that have seen & followed this over the years.


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Skip, were those sheds super heavy or almost seem hollow? Buddy has a set of sheds that are super heavy (nowhere near like those) but where not nearly as heavy as you would think with that mass. Just curious, no clue if it has anything to do with the skull injury.
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Skip, were those sheds super heavy or almost seem hollow? Buddy has a set of sheds that are super heavy (nowhere near like those) but where not nearly as heavy as you would think with that mass. Just curious, no clue if it has anything to do with the skull injury.
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Very heavy. One of biggest sets of wild sheds I’ve held.
that’s interesting .... maybe some “lighter ones” grew with “larger pore space”??

The ones above are heavy!!!
 
I know for a fact what killed that buck. Me. I did. I shot him the last day of late muzzy season. I was sick to my stomach and looked for him for days. Thanks for finding him for me. Where can I pick up the skull and rack? ;)
 
I know for a fact what killed that buck. Me. I did. I shot him the last day of late muzzy season. I was sick to my stomach and looked for him for days. Thanks for finding him for me. Where can I pick up the skull and rack? ;)
Yep- that sounds legit. Public land in Northern iowa. I’ll send you location. Since he was dead- just put the sheds back next to the deer u shot. Happy to end your hunting season with a conclusion & sheds waiting for u!!!!
 
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