Funky eared deer and a big buck
Contributors to this thread:Mule Deer
From: JohnMC
24-Jan-22
Check out the ears on this gal. What do you think is going on? My guess is frost bite but I have no idea.
From: JL
24-Jan-22
The ear tags got ripped out? I've got vid of deer that had the tips missing. On those I'd got with frostbite. That one looks like it had ear tags.
From: JohnMC
24-Jan-22
I fairly sure no ear tags would have been put in that deer.
From: JohnMC
24-Jan-22
From: JohnMC
24-Jan-22
From: JohnMC
24-Jan-22
And a eagle feasting on road kill from a few days ago.
From: LINK
24-Jan-22
Boy if that doesn’t look like classic ear tag ripping out I don’t know what does.
From: KsRancher
24-Jan-22
^yep
From: Brian M.
24-Jan-22
The only other explanation I can think of is someone took a headshot and got both ears. Love that first buck.
From: JohnMC
24-Jan-22
This was at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. It 15,000 acres all fenced in. In the years I have gone down there never seen a deer with a ear tag and there is no hunting in the area.
It almost has to be either frost bite, infections, bugs/parasites or something along those lines.
From: KSflatlander
24-Jan-22
Amazing photos and quality!
From: blue spot
24-Jan-22
As you said, likely parasites of some kind. Looks like the ears on my sheep after they had to stick their head through the woven fence to get the next bite of grass. You said the property is fenced. Any chance she could have ripped an ear after putting her head through something ? Or grabbed by a predator ? Always enjoy your photos. Thanks for posting.
From: KsRancher
24-Jan-22
I not familiar with the area. Nor am I trying to be argumentative. But I would eat my hat if those ears didn't have tags in them. The ear that's not ripped out has a elongated hole in it. The tag was probably punched in the bigger hole closer to the head. And it tore just a little before the button came thru. The other ear appears to have ripped the whole way out. I will keep an open mind to other things. But after looking at 100s of thousands of head of cattle I haven't seen anything but tags do anything like that.
From: KsRancher
24-Jan-22
But why are we talking about the doe with bad ears. HOLY CRAP! Look at that buck.
From: Zbone
24-Jan-22
I'm guessing predator or barb wire fence...
From: JL
24-Jan-22
"This was at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. It 15,000 acres all fenced in. In the years I have gone down there never seen a deer with a ear tag and there is no hunting in the area."
Because there's no hunting....is it possible the govt brought in some former, outside pen deer to bring in some new genetics to the herd? That would explain the ear tags.
From: Novembermadman
24-Jan-22
Could it be an old injury from say a coyote or bobcat trying to drag her down? I've seen videos especially of bobcats and they always go for the face/head and will hang onto anything they can as the deer is flailing and running in circles until they get it on the ground and at the windpipe/throat. Just a guess.....
From: scentman
25-Jan-22
That's Nancy Pelosi without her haircut, and earrings. ;0)
From: APauls
25-Jan-22
Love em John. Don't ever be shy on posting! What a buck.
From: Treeline
25-Jan-22
Would put money on a predator grabbing that doe by the ears. Maybe two coyotes?
That is a tank of a buck!!!
From: deerhunter72
25-Jan-22
No idea about the doe but that is an awesome muley buck! Great pictures as always.
From: Grey Ghost
25-Jan-22
Beautiful buck, but he's looking a little boney to me. The RMA is one of the few places on earth where Mule deer bucks can die of old age.
John, can you shed hunt on the Arsenal?
Matt
From: Shuteye
25-Jan-22
That bad ear doe has some fat ticks in her ear. Not that that had anything to do with her torn ears. Nice buck for sure.
From: JohnMC
25-Jan-22
I posted the doe on Instagram a texted to a few folks. It sounds like deer will get frostbite in that thin part of ear and you can see that happen in the center.
