Non-typical Buck

[Jim B.]

A deer's antlers are classified as being non-typical when they are unsymmetrical and irregular in shape.
My 1st ever. I have hiked the woods for over 40 years and I have never seen one of these.
This deer was grazing in small field in the middle of my neighborhood.



Canon 300mm@f/9 ISO 400 1/60"

[Yan Zhang]

Jim,

I like the first shot, a good capture. Maybe using a large aperture to reduce DOF is a good idea so that the background is blurred and the subject stands out a bit more.

[jacsul]

I've never saw a buck like that in my life, that looks wild (no pun intended), something to send to field&stream. Inbred Buck.

[Steve S]

Awesome shot jim. That is one wild looking buck. Never seen anything like it.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Jim,

Nice pics under difiicult circumstances - as ever with (really) wildlife.

Am I correct in thinking these will be shed this year and a new set grown next?
Is it a random thing, or will the new set;
- definitely,
- may be, or
- unlikely to be
asymetric/unsymmetrical (on this animal)?

We can tell you were transfixed by them - in shot #1, you focused on them and not the eyes



(which is probably vaild - just a bit of a leg pull)

Cheers,

[Jim B.]

Thanks for the comments.I would have liked a shot without the BG clutter,just wasn't possible.He was there and gone pretty fast.
Dave,I was really excited and had a couple missed focus shots before these.I had IS off at the start and also didn't realize I was at f/9.I was at the limit on shutter speed for me to handhold with decent results.Not the steadiest hands here
Non-typical antlers can be the result of injury,tumors or it can be genetic.If genetics are involved the new antlers will grow non-typically.If it's a result of an injury the new growth will probably be normal(typical).

[Colin O'Regan]

Excellent shot Jim.

I hope the other bucks aren't making fun of him.

[KentDub]

Hi Jim,

Just wondering - where do you go to get all of these fantastic wildlife shots?

[Jim B.]

Thanks,Colin.He'd probably poke 'em in the eye with that tine with the downward angle
Most likely wouldn't see it coming.Like a sucker punch.

[Jim B.]

Hi Kent,

Some of the shots are in the woods behind my house.I also have a friend with a 100 acre farm where I do the majority of my wildlife stuff.My brother suggested a local cemetary that I just drove through yesterday.The place looks like a nature reserve!Deer,geese,squirrels,groundhogs and a peregrine falcon is nesting there.Going back when the weather breaks to see if I can hunt it up.