here's a question for you

[Buckshot]

I have a buck on my property that was wounded last year and survived. It has a really bad rack. I am pretty sure it is a buck I watched last year as a 2.5 year old so he is a 3.5 now. The question is; will the rack ever recover or will it be deformed for the rest of his life?

If it will come back I will let him pass if not he freezer meat.

[BruceBruce1959]

I would think if it's eating the proper nutrients to develop a good rack, the quality of the rack is determined by a combo of genetics and diet.
So if his food sources are abundant my best guess is he's just got an ugly Rack and will always have an ugly rack.
the only other reason for an ugly rack would be, he's a fighter and damages his rack during the velvet stage.
those are my best guesses,,, I'd say send him to the freezer while the meats young and tender.

[delbert]

The few ugly rack bucks we have taken always had a injury on the opposite side of the bad deformed horn
The partys over for him

[on_the_fly]

Just harvest him and fill the freezer, what's the horns matter anyways? No matter how long you boil them they don't even get chewy so their useless anyways,

[turner]

It's my opinion that he will never be "right" again. If the injury was enough to cause the deformation this year, when he'd been injured last year and has since grown new antlers, it will, I believe, remain for the rest of his life. I caught a buck with bad genetics chasing does last season. I decided to do the "right"(?) thing and took him out. He was at least 3.5, perhaps even 4.5 and a big bodied deer. It kinda stung to take him as my only Kentucky buck of the season.

Now, with your buck, I would also still believe that his genes are still the same and he will pass on whatever he had at birth. I do not believe his offspring will have bad racks, because of his deformity now, if that matters.

[daddus1]

Buckshot, (I didn't want to use the initials) LOL
I think delbert has it right. If there was a previous injury it could affect the rack but I doubt it would affect his genes if he bred. Sounds like backstrap to this old boy1
daddus

[tator]

Yep, I'd take him. I've seen where bucks get wounded and they favor one side of their body so much that only one side of the rack is nice and the other is lacking. I'd definately take him out this season If I were you b/c I don't see him "recovering" from this.. plus you'll probably put him out of his misery.

[Buckshot]

Yea I agree I will probably take him out. It's a shame because he was looking good last year. He chased a doe across the road and the nieghbor shot him and I thought killed him, then found out last month he never found him.

He is getting around good with no noticable injury but I think you are probably right he will have a deformed rack from now on. I think I will put my grandson on him.

[timberghost]

Hopefully there's no infected deer meat if he has been wounded last year....just a thought.

[deerless]

if he had an infection it probably would have been his demise...