The buck that never sheds

[ShaunM]

Little back story on this buck. I took over this lease 5 years ago. I remember putting cameras out for the first time during the spring of 2017. A time when you would think bucks have shed their antlers. But to my surprise I get this buck on camera. He was a wide 6 pointer then but still in velvet. I thought that was really weird. All year long I had pictures of him and he was always in velvet. As time when on I realized this guy never once shed his antlers nor his velvet. I had thought he might have been a doe or something happened to him. After about the 3rd year I knew I wanted to shoot this deer and solve the mystery. I had talked to others that hunt around me and they had this buck in camera a few years prior to me taking over this lease. I had hunted this deer for 2 of the 5 years I've had the lease but by the time hunting season came he disappeared. Fast forward to this velvet season. I was hunting one of my favorite stands and had several bucks show up. Had a really big 8 come in and I was about to pull the trigger on my crossbow when I seen "helmet head" walk in. I knew right away what buck I was going to shoot. I flung a bolt his way and made a great shot. He ran around 100 yards with an easy blood trail. I was amazed how crazy his antlers had become over the 5 years. He went from a really nice wide 6 to something weird, unique and even ugly looking. He just kept breaking off and things grew weird. When I rolled him over to gut him I had noticed he had the hose but not the nuts. The poor guy never grew them out. That explains why he was always in velvet and never shed. Was a bittersweet end to "helmet head". I know hes crazy and ugly looking but what a great challenge to hunt him and finally get my hands on him. He will do justice on my wall in the trophy room. We estimated the buck to be 8 plus years given the history with him in the area.

[RED333]

Great hunt story, that is a very strange looking "rack".

[gregintenn]

That’s wild, but it occasionally happens. I killed a deer, gosh it’s been over 30 years ago now, and he had a nice, symmetrical 8 point rack. It was the day after Thanksgiving and he was in full velvet. He didn’t have any testicles either. I have a shoulder mount of him. A lot of the velvet has came off through the years, but some of it remains. It was a lot younger than yours.

 

You’ve had a good season!