Blacktail Down and Rutting Hard

[fishnfur]

Very nice! Anyone else think that buck's left antler looks like a whitetail antler?

I think they both look like WT antlers in the last photo.  Very cool - looks like he was getting a dropper on the R.  Every once in awhile, a BT buck ends up with a rack that looks suspiciously like a WT, especially in the lowlands.  Columbian WT's were common in the region from the Columbia River up to Southern Puget Sound in the distant past.  Hybridization has been confirmed between the two species previously, so it makes perfect sense that every once in a while, the BT offspring get a rare mix of genes that produces antlers that appear to belong to WTs. 

Excellent way to close out the season Tree Farmer.  Hopefully this success means you've turned the corner on a rough year and things are now headed in a positive direction.  Shoot me a PM sometime if you want to talk trees.   

[7mmfan]

Excellent buck, great job!

In relation to the antlers, blacktail are prone to all kinds of goofy antler configurations. I know a guy that's killed two near Darrington that had similar antler configurations that ones left side. The all off the main beam is consistent with Whitetail, that's what we recognize it as, but it happens in blacktail as well as mule deer. A close friend killed a whopper Mule Deer in sage brush of Yakima County a few years ago that had all antler points of the main beam. It happens.

[pd]

Forget about that four point in the trail camera. You shot the much better buck.

Congratulations!

[Axle]

Good story 

[abhold87]

Amazing buck congrats

[fishnfur]

Excellent buck, great job!

In relation to the antlers, blacktail are prone to all kinds of goofy antler configurations. I know a guy that's killed two near Darrington that had similar antler configurations that ones left side. The all off the main beam is consistent with Whitetail, that's what we recognize it as, but it happens in blacktail as well as mule deer. A close friend killed a whopper Mule Deer in sage brush of Yakima County a few years ago that had all antler points of the main beam. It happens.

Agreed.  Muleys and WT also hybridize occasionally.  The antler configuration could show up many generations after the original cross-breeding. I don't think I've ever seen a WT with forking like a muley though....  Hmmmmm

Regardless,,,, great success on that stellar buck!  Congratulations again.