Muley Stags

tailchasers · Nov 8, 2019

Noticed there seems to be a increase in velvet covered muley bucks harvested this year in Colorado. Not necessarily in one specific area either, it's been all over the state. Curious what others have observed and what might be causing this?

"Courage is being scared to death but
saddling up anyway."

slamdunk · Nov 8, 2019

I am actually on a "Cactus Buck" hunt in Utah as I write this.
It is amazing how common these are in southern Utah.
Some are does and most are bucks with either no testicles or testes that are deformed.
I'd have to assume there is a bad gene problem in this area?

elks96 · Nov 8, 2019

Wouldn't that gene select it self out since the bucks cant reproduce?

So something else?

Homer · Nov 8, 2019

lots around Baggs for the last several years too....

Homer · Nov 8, 2019

just like humans.....trannies around very corner....

...

Katoom · Nov 8, 2019

Took a mature full velvet buck in 2nd season NW Colorado 2 years ago that had a small pair you know where.

fishnut · Nov 8, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Nov-08-19 AT 09:28PM (MST)[p]I killed one this year in South Central Utah and saw one other. I also heard of another killed on the same unit. I talked to the local biologist about it after the hunt. He told me they get a virus the first year and that is the primary cause. He also said he only averages seeing 2 a year on this unit so go figure. Mine had no jewels whatsoever and also had very large nipples that were cockeyed and not square to the underside.

Homer · Nov 8, 2019

When I was a kid..."blowing a Tranny was ONLY car trouble"

JakeH · Nov 8, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Nov-09-19 AT 00:49AM (MST)[p]I killed one 2 years ago in Colorado, and this year in a different unit I seen 8 different velvet covered bucks in 2nd rifle season in one unit. plus one more a couple weeks before the season that I never seen during season.

The one I killed had very small testicals that were the size of shelled peanuts.

I have herd that Blue Tongue can cause it. But I really don't know.

A Taxidermist buddy said he has seen a ton of them come through his shop this year here in NE utah.

Jake H.

WVHUNTER · Nov 8, 2019

I talked to some guys from California that were saying they had a lot of stags in their Blacktail herd.

One theory was that tick infestations on the buck fawns were damaging their testicles.

tailchasers · Nov 9, 2019

I had heard about the blue tongue connection but as I understand that is mostly transmitted during drought conditions with animals forced to drink from concentrated watering holes. If this is the car, I wonder if this a carry over from the previous years? Just seems like there's something else.

"Courage is being scared to death but
saddling up anyway."

Stonefly · Nov 9, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Nov-09-19 AT 09:49AM (MST)[p] in this report , from April 2006, it says interbreeding can be a cause.
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/24ea/acb8120744c0a8dca9999b0ebafa33b19284.pdf

stillhunterman · Nov 9, 2019

There are definitely a variety of causes for Cryptorchidism from genetics to environmental factors. It would be easier to nail down a cause if the condition were localized, but as I understand it this is happening all across the country in all deer subspecies. Pretty crazy stuff when you dive into it. I have a hunch much of this is based on some type of environmental factor(s) that is linked spacially. My two cents...

elkassassin · Nov 9, 2019

Just like JakeH Said!

We're seeing more of it around here in NE TARDville!

I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

mmwb · Nov 9, 2019

"Wouldn't that gene select it self out since the bucks cant reproduce?"

Not if it was linked to the X chromosome. The does would be the cause. I'm not saying it is genetic. I have no idea what's up with them.

elkassassin · Nov 9, 2019

The Bucks are being Hunted so Hard they are Trying to become Trannies!

They're getting better at it!

Now if they can just get the HeadGear to Quit Growing they'll be Perty Safe once We get the F'N Doe Hunts Stopped in this State!

I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

JakeH · Nov 10, 2019

>
>The Bucks are being Hunted so
>Hard they are Trying to
>become Trannies!
>
>They're getting better at it!
>
>Now if they can just get
>the HeadGear to Quit Growing
>they'll be Perty Safe once
>We get the F'N Doe
>Hunts Stopped in this State!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Haha, we actually killed a buck once that was probably a barely legal spike, but that sucker had a giant body and was rutted up and stinking really bad, he was definitely an older buck and planning on rutting all the does he could. Really glad my dad took him out of the gene pool. lol

Jake H.

brutus54 · Nov 11, 2019

They started to show up about six years ago in NW Colorado. We have seen them every year the last three years. And shot one two years ago he had no nuts. We also saw a spike by two point this summer that we were pretty sure was a Doe. It had a fawn with it and acted and looked just like a Doe. Here's a pic of the Buck we got two year's ago.

Focoelkman · Nov 11, 2019

Ya have people identifying as either working for wildlife agencies and resource departments. They need something to do.

deadibob · Nov 11, 2019

Different but similar, I've seen several antlerless bucks here over the years. My wife shot one on a doe tag. It was bedded with a bunch of other does and I told her to shoot the big one. It actually had nubs about 1/2" tall they were shorter than the hair on its head.

I watched one in the rut for a couple years and he was by far the most aggresive buck around. I watched him whip some big bucks. I would have never thought that possible without having antlers.