A ? for all you experts.

[SaskGuy]

Let me start off by saying that the people on this site are the most passionate and knowledgeable people about deer hunting that I've ever met. That is why I'm bringing this ? here. None of my freinds here care to discuss things about deer hunting with me and this topic is one I've pondered for awhile. In 2001 I shot a 205" buck, he was main frame 4x4 with 38" junk. Later that winter the landowner found a set of 4x4 sheds with a drop tine and a couple abnormals that grossed around 190. The next winter he found the left side from the same deer and it grossed 90". The following winter no sheds turned up and this winter both did. I found the right side and a neighbouring kid found the other while snowmobiling. Since then I've often stared at the shed I picked up and the left side of the rack from the buck I shot in 2001, the similarities are uncanny. My ? is, Are these bucks genetically related or is this just a strange coincidence? I'd like to think it is genetic and nobody I discuss this with seems to care or know. What do you all think. I'll throw in a photo of the left side of the 205" buck, the shed I found this year and the match set from this year I took at the kids house,.

For the record, I've only ever seen this buck once, on Dec 1 last year at high noon. He was standing about 10 yards off the road with a doe that was obviously hot. I made sure and spook him into the pines before anyone came along and saw him.

 

[Shredder]

I would say genetics are quite similar. Same doe or same buck could have been the parent of any of the sheds. An example....One farm I hunt in IL has some bad genetics.....short tined and wide racked deer are fairly common...in fact, there are two deer there that have nearly identical racks this year...both 3yrs plus in age.

You could kill this one and have some genetic testing done if you so wish to determine how similar the genetics are...I am sure it would be costly tho.

 

[jkratz5]

I would say genetics too, we have killed three bucks in the last 3 years in IL that have had some key genetic characteristics, especially the way browtines protrude from the front of the rack, we think these bucks are related and I would say the ones you have are also.

Kratz

 

[dc240nt]

Hey Kaare, I'd say theres a real strong genetic relation there. Probably coming from the Doe (or at least the highest odds favor the doe).

Interesting thought, twin Doe's can throw very similiar looking offspring.

Just something more to think about even though we all know that twin fawns are usually opposite sexed. However, occasionally it does happen where both fawns are the same sex.

 

[Central Iowa]

I often see area specific antler traits. I attribute this to genetic links.

 

[nicerack]

I have seen amazingly similar looking bucks come out of the same areas for years. I don't know what else you would attribute it to but genetics. Even humans bear similarities to their siblings, and often even cousins. A "boss" buck probably does a good job of spreading his genetics around. Neat pics Kaare.