Anybody know what causes this??
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: t-roy
10-Feb-17
I found these last year's sheds and they are from the buck I killed this year. Both sheds have holes in the main beams that seem to have been formed when they were in velvet. The buck I killed had no holes at all in either antler, which makes me think that this isn't caused by something genetically. I've seen these holes before in other antlers as well.
My question is, does anyone know what causes this? Insect bite? Injury to the velvet?
From: Scooby-doo
10-Feb-17
Yup I believe some type of larvae gets in there and causes it. Scooby
From: GaryB@Home
10-Feb-17
Botfly or less common a blood vessel burst.
From: Scar Finga
11-Feb-17
X- Bow Hunter... Just kidding:) Those are REALLY COOL looking!
Scar.
From: Woods Walker
11-Feb-17
Simple. It's a Goth deer. Wait until you see it's ears and nose!!!
From: Paul@thefort
11-Feb-17
I will support that the holes being caused by injury, induced during the velvet growth period, blood supply, etc, . Insects, flies, might give one the impression that they caused the holes by boring, but they just arrived, being attracted to the injury in the first place.
From: GF
11-Feb-17
But generally speaking, I believe that injuries sustained in velvet tend to affect the growth in following years, don't they?
That was always my understanding, at least.... Are you 100% that it is the same deer?
From: Olink
11-Feb-17
Not caused by injury. Caused by botfly larvae getting into the deer's intestinal tract. From there they travel thru the bloodstream and head to the nutrient rich antler where they feed and grow. Before the antler hardens the larvae burrows out, leaving the hole.
From: Duke
11-Feb-17
I second Olink's opinion above... cool antlers.
From: TSI
11-Feb-17
It is normally a fly or infection from a skin breach while growing.
From: Jaquomo
11-Feb-17
Maybe botflies are getting into the intestinal tracts of many "snowflake" Millenials and burrowing out through their earlobes and nostrils?
From: Paul@thefort
11-Feb-17
Ok, I stand corrected after reading an article in Deer and Deer hunting magazine, after googling "what causes holes in deer antlers".
From: t-roy
11-Feb-17
GF...yes I'm certain it's from the same deer. I posted other pics on the "sheds" thread along with the similarities between the antlers.
Paul...I read that article as well.
Jaq....I think that must be where they exit the body after they have completely devoured their brains.
From: drycreek
11-Feb-17
T-roy, you beat me to the punch on the brain eaters. Damn !
From: Matte
11-Feb-17
Do you have honey suckle thorn trees. An area I hunt that has alot of those trees with the long 4-5" thorns seemed to have a lot of deer with antlers like this.
From: Matte
11-Feb-17
Do you have honey suckle thorn trees. An area I hunt that has alot of those trees with the long 4-5" thorns seemed to have a lot of deer with antlers like this.
From: t-roy
11-Feb-17
Matte.....we have thorny locust trees.
From: Killbuck
11-Feb-17
They are caused by Warble flies. Egg laid in velvet. Larva grows and morphs into a fly. Just like in squirrels.
From: Woods Walker
11-Feb-17
Poor parenting!
From: Zbone
12-Feb-17
Yeah botfly larva...
From: Bou'bound
12-Feb-17
Caused by botfly larvae
