Cactus Buck Questions

So last year My dad shot a great cactus buck and it was the first I have ever seen out east in an area I've deer and pheasant hunted for 15 years. This weekend while out scouting I ran into two more bucks with velvet still on at the same place. My question is what's the cause? And is it possible the buck my dad shot passed on the genetic disorder. My dads buck only had one stone. Below are the two other buck and the buck my dad shot. This area is private land and holds some amazing deer numbers and I've seen some huge muleys over the years. One other alarming thing I've noticed the last couple years is the amount of white tails. I saw three white tail buck Saturday out in the sage hills and there is no river bed or creek bed anywhere remotely close.

No the odds of it being genetic are very low if not near impossible. A cactus buck lacks the testosterone needed to harden antlers. They typically show no interest in the rut and if you watch them they do not understand the idea of breeding! Most are caused by injuries to the testies.

So I do not think it is genetics. As for whitetail they are always expanding!

I don't have an answer for you but elks96 sounds really good to me.

Just wanted to post and say your dad's buck is a stud...err I mean stag! haha.
Helluva fine trophy! congrats to him.
Zeke

From experience here s a different angle. And, once the Paunsy study is complete it might shed some more light on this most. interesting subject.

The last two stags we shot were quite interesting. One had normal sized junk and jewels and the other had probably normal sized junk but only pea sized testacles. Now here is the really interesting part. Both, upon further investigation, had what appeared to be female organs!

The buck with the normal sized business had robust female organs (easily identifiable). This buck would actually participate in the rut and would cast his headgear a couple months early. The sheds were very light and porous. And, as some shed hunters may know, had a concave appearance at the base of the antlers. You could actually put hand/fingers into the antler. I have picked up several of these types in November when normally most deer start casting in mid/ late February.

The other stag would never cast his headgear but kept growing his typical frame with the usual tons of small non score able points. Unlike some cactus bucks that freak out all over the place like the one pictured above. These bucks generally have those feminine looking faces and spend more time with the does.

What does this all mean....beats the heck out of me. All I know if someone has one of those cactus/stag tags for the Paunsy, and you want to kill a real wall appeal hanging conversation piece, you might want to make contact.

Congrats on an awesome stag.

Brett, it could be several things. Some discussed on here already. Look up EHD on Mule Deer. The parasite found at some watering holes attacks the testicles. Generally kills whitetailed deer. There was a study being done down in SoCo and they might have more insight.