Antlered doe

[Mobuck]

I haven't seen her pee yet but I'm fairly confident I have another antlered doe living here. I had one here about 10 years ago that I actually saw with her fawn nursing so no question on that one. Current suspect has been seen 3 times this summer with other does and fawns but usually in the 4' tall soybeans which prevents a physical confirmation. Saw her/it this morning with several other does and fawns in the open @ 50 yards but it didn't hold still long enough to check the barcode under tail. Left antler is approx 8" curved spike and right antler is a 4" straight up spike.
As with the previous specimen, this one will be off limits for shooting. If one lives long enough, and looks hard enough, there are some really interesting things to see.

 

[contender]

A rarity for sure. It happens occasionally,, but most never know until they kill it. Kudos on your close studying. And double kudos for allowing it to live.

 

[RC44Mag]

Wonder what pronouns it uses?

 

[Mobuck]

Wonder what pronouns it uses?
SHE-IT
I got a work memo a while back--the sender was a bit fumble fingered with the pronoun identifier and entered 'HER-SHE'. I instantly pictured her wrapped in brown waxed paper and almost choked on my coffee.

 

[Gator89]

I know one fellow that has killed two antlered does in his life.

 

[Mobuck]

Must be something in the water here. Long time back-like maybe 30-35 years back, I unknowingly shot a 'button doe' right down the hill from my barn so if I'm correct about this one it makes 3 which seems way beyond random occurrence.

 

[pyth0n]

Wonder what pronouns it uses?

Boe or Duck.

 

[idsubgun]

Really not that rare, It's the reason Idaho went from buck/doe season to antlered/unantlered deer seasons decades ago.

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

Really not that rare, It's the reason Idaho went from buck/doe season to antlered/unantlered deer seasons decades ago.

They have antlered/antlerless seasons here too. But that doesn't mean it's not rare. I've been hunting 3 decades and never seen one or heard of anyone else taking one.

 

[idsubgun]

They have antlered/antlerless seasons here too. But that doesn't mean it's not rare. I've been hunting 3 decades and never seen one or heard of anyone else taking one.

I'm 66 and hunted Idaho since I was 12. I've seen 2, and heard about others at my dad's gun shop.

I just Googled it and depending on the conservation study I just read, they say 1/10,00, 1/5000 and 1/8600. There are 25 million deer in the US. Without doing the math, the studies show there are probably thousands of antlered does in the US.

 

[idsubgun]

They have antlered/antlerless seasons here too. But that doesn't mean it's not rare. I've been hunting 3 decades and never seen one or heard of anyone else taking one.

Listen, the Idaho Fish & Game wouldn't change the regulations because of a rare antlered doe. I'm sure other conservation departments have done the same.

 

[idsubgun]

They have antlered/antlerless seasons here too. But that doesn't mean it's not rare. I've been hunting 3 decades and never seen one or heard of anyone else taking one.

I just did some more research. My adopted state of Missouri says there are 1 in 5000 antlered does. The deer harvest last year was 294,000 deer. That means there was a possibility of 58 antlered does according to the studies of the Missouri Conservation Department.
Uncommon? Yes. Rare? No.

 

[3manfan]

Oh, great.

Even the Deer are falling for the Transitioning crap.

 

[Mobuck]

It may just be a factor of how much time some of us spend in the midst of a LOT of deer multiplied by being observant and interested. Some folks/hunters really don't pay much attention to a spindly 'spike buck' and therefore don't consider that 'spike bucks' aren't likely to be running around with a group of does and fawns in mid-summer.

 

[Old and grumpy]

Boe or Duck.

No. "Democrat" They can't figure it out.

 

[Mobuck]

Update: Saw 'her/it' again last weekend. Running with a couple of other does and one fawn.

 

[kmoore]

About 18-20 years ago, a game troop had checked one, He asked the head of the fish/wildlife in the yearly meeting we had. He said the numbers in percent with deer and elk and I don't remember what it was then. . That's the first time I had any knowledge they exist. They know about them, he made the point if the antlers are legal for the tag do not cite the hunter.

 

[Mobuck]

Saw 'her' again yesterday morning.

 

[Paul B]

Probably the vest chance of getting one, if you were inclined would be California. Their deer restrictions almost guarantee this happening. I know beacuse I shot one way back when. Warden actually wanted to cite me for shoot a doe. I said those weren't tree branches sticking out of her head. I didn't get a ticket.You can't shoot does or spikes last I heard and doubt there's be much change. I can remember when I lived in California from the time I was legally able to hunt until I escaped that craphole state does were a no no. They added spikes a few years before I left for good. Last time I passed through northern California was when I went to see my daughter who was living in Oregon. The wife and I were totally shocked at the amount of dead deer at the side of the road. We counted over 100 deer and considering the time of year, not a single one was a buck.

Foe a bit of enlightenment, google up "The Rat Syndrome." from the Scientific American. Interesting experiment on how populations behave when there gets to be too many of the species for the system to handle. Compare that with some of the crap going on today. It's not a pretty picture.
Paul B.