Unique Antler Formation

[AZ Jim]

I was skinning the skull cap from my son's elk and uncovered a really unique antler formation. The antlers grew crooked / misaligned. The elk was a non typical 4x6. Look at where the base of the antler met the pedicle. On the 6 point side it looks normal, but on the 4 point side it did not look fully formed and there is some palmation occurring. On the bottom side of the skull cap, the brain cavity appears cramped and small, almost divided, with just tissue that filled the void under the deformed side.

Anyway have any of you seen anything like this, or know what causes it? I was thinking it was born that way, or it got damaged during growth?

AZ Jim

 

[AZ Jim]

Oops, sorry... double posted some of the pictures.

 

[AZ Jim]

P.S. - that is red paint in the sink not blood.

 

[Bossbrott]

Interesting formation, still a very unique rack.

And yes, I thought it was blood at first. You've proven to be a great elk hunter,,,,,,and a messy painter. Funny stuff right there

 

[AZ Jim]

that is what happens when your teenager washes out the brushes with oil based paint....

 

[Tag Stew]

P.S. - that is red paint in the sink not blood.

Ya, hot damn, I was gonna say looks like Tony Montana washed up in ur sink!

 

[solus]

Im gonna take a wild guess and say when it was a young buck it broke an antler off during a fight. Probably damaged the skull thus would explain why it had a non-typical antler growth. Also could have hurt itself as a calf. you know like it fell on a really hard rock fractured its skull and managed to survive until adult hood until your son got a shot at it. Congrats to your boy btw :wavin hello:

 

[dchunter]

Looks like it's part moose. Cool pics.

 

[thewolfman]

I agreed with Solus...looks to be an old injury to the head when it was still young...but really cool looking formation of the antler...congrats

 

[FTTPOW]

I always heard that if an animal was injured on the right side, the left antler was deformed and vice-versa. That must not apply to a brain/skull injury.

 

[jbv]

i seriously thought that was blood....wow! cool antlers! gotta love the uniqueness!

 

[warren nelson]

cool looking horns, I wonder how it affected him in life it does seem the brain was smaller then normal.

 

[AZ Jim]

It did not seem smaller in the back part of the brain but the brain cavity seemed compressed towards the front. It seemed he had his wits about him as he was the one who was successfully trying to hide out out of the bunch, seemed a little more cautious and aware of his surroundings that the other two he was with.

 

[Vermonster]

Brain Abscess maybe?

 

[Bossbrott]

Brain Abscess maybe?

Really? I guess its possible.