Deer with their ears layed back/down

[hirshey]

I've noticed a lot of animals with their ears layed down this spring... they never bring them up into an attentive stance.

Has anyone else seen this? What is it from...? I'm assuming some kind of bug in their ears, but curiosity has driven me to ask anyhow.

[wastickslinger]

Sometimes a bucks ears are layed out farther than a does. You wont notice it until he drops his antlers. Then he stands out a bit because of that. Good shed hunting tip.

[hirshey]

Sometimes a bucks ears are layed out farther than a does. You wont notice it until he drops his antlers. Then he stands out a bit because of that. Good shed hunting tip.

I'll remember that... however, I'm talking about extremely exaggerated.. the ones I'm talking about seem to be unable to perk them up. They shake their heads often and and even when they bust you their ears are almost paralleling the ground.

[wastickslinger]

Like this or flatter?

[hirshey]

I would say maybe even a little flatter. They look quite odd in comparison to the rest of the animals they are running with. I will try to get some photos later this week when I'm out and about. It seems that some of them only have one ear that is infected, because one ear is normal while the other is terribly floppy.

[hirshey]

this is roughly the angle... maybe the ears are a little more angled towards the back, but they seem to have lost the ability to move them. I know its a bad edit, but roughly what I've been seeing.

[wastickslinger]

maybe it was a chupacabra. 

[hirshey]

maybe it was a chupacabra. 

  ... like I said, I'll take some photos this next week. I've seen numerous deer with this issue around the Chelan/Entiat area over the past month.

For now we'll stick with the chupacabra though...

I did jet an email to one of the WDFW biologists to see if they've encountered this before, too... so we'll see if they have any answers for me.

[haus]

maybe it was a chupacabra. 

  ... like I said, I'll take some photos this next week. I've seen numerous deer with this issue around the Chelan/Entiat area over the past month.

For now we'll stick with the chupacabra though...

I did jet an email to one of the WDFW biologists to see if they've encountered this before, too... so we'll see if they have any answers for me.

maybe really big bucks? I've seen whitetails and muleys in the spring where both ears were horizontal or angle towards the ground a bit. gave them a reach around check  ....yep all bucks

[boneaddict]

All deer can do it.  They know their ears stick out like a sore thumb.  They'll flatten their ears in ana attempt to hide.  Very common, you might just be paying more attention these days and notice it more.

[haus]

All deer can do it.  They know their ears stick out like a sore thumb.  They'll flatten their ears in ana attempt to hide.  Very common, you might just be paying more attention these days and notice it more.

gj captain obvious   ...... he's referring to more permanent radar positioning not temporary radar positioning due to the fact that the deer hears something behind or to the side, or wants to kick another deers ass, or is scurred, or constipated...etc.  

extended or permanent ear drooping.....larger bucks, or a deer thats struggling with winter, bugs/mites, sickness, water in their ears cuz it rained so damn hard, etc etc. same as any other animal save for the antler factor with the bucks

[boneaddict]

If I had time to go through the some 20,000 deer pics I took this fall, I could probably show you a pile of them.  As far as I could tell it had nothing to do with the inability to move their ears, but their unwillingness to. 

[haus]

If I had time to go through the some 20,000 deer pics I took this fall, I could probably show you a pile of them.  As far as I could tell it had nothing to do with the inability to move their ears, but their unwillingness to. 

your gonna get tendinitis.

the bucks that I've seen with saggy ears could still move them, they could even move them up slightly when in alert mode to a more normal position, but they'd always return to their regular sagged position after the temporary alert subsided. This is not very noticeable when they have antlers on their head, its still there just the same, but honestly who's lookin at the fkn ears on a 4point muley? 

[hirshey]

If I had time to go through the some 20,000 deer pics I took this fall, I could probably show you a pile of them.  As far as I could tell it had nothing to do with the inability to move their ears, but their unwillingness to. 

I'd understand if they had busted me already... but I'm talking about deer that are browsing, bedded down, running away.. at attention. Whatever their position may be its different than simply a buck's wider ears. They shake their heads vigourously quite often and simply don't move their ears. I'll take some photos tomorrow/this weekend and post them.. I know a few different herds where some of these animals are. One for certain is a doe; she's in really bad shape (a rear and front leg both injured) and I've seen her numerous times and at close proximity (she refuses to drop into the canyons, so she'll hobble by about 50 yards.). Like I said, I'll get some photos to document precisely what I'm talking about soon.

[rasbo]

there are relaxed...

[MtnMuley]

I notice it quite a bit also.  I'd guess it was from frostbite damage or some sort of disease to the inner ear.  the person to ask would be DOUBLELUNG.

[hirshey]

Alright, I finally caught up to one of my does with the ear issue; there are plenty of bucks around now with nubs and I watched her through my binos for a good deal of time; its not due to any sort of antler: sorry the photos are grainy I was trying not to get close enough to disturb them..

But she shows good contrast anyhow; she only has one affected ear.

[carpsniperg2]

we have has a few over the years as well, i am not sure but i think the ear got broke some how? they are pretty funny to look at

[boonerboy]

I know I have had pigs in the past that had broke an ear. Just sort of flops around, looked very similar to your photos.

[hirshey]

I've seen 3 other animals with both ears affected; I'm wondering if it isn't some kind of critter taking residence in their ear.. 

[rasbo]

I've seen 3 other animals with both ears affected; I'm wondering if it isn't some kind of critter taking residence in their ear..  
[/quote     ticks maybe

[lokidog]

Not sure what might cause it.  We had a doe we called "donkey doe" for a couple of years hanging out back, very distinctive but I think she raised them once in a while.

[runamuk]

My two guesses...either broke it or she has ear mites/ear infection