I think it's from fighting and licking branches at scrapes.
I don't see it on the smaller bucks and I have picks of big bucks this year that were in great shape hair wise until the pre rut started and now they all have it.
Anybody else have a clue please let me know.
Tracy
Wow Tracy!! I've been wondering the same thing for the last few weeks. Wonder what that means.
I've never seen them do anything to cause it, but I don't typically see many (or any) really mature bucks.
Tracey,
I thought the same as you...I have heard from a few folks it is from ticks. I'm not changing my story though; he was a fighter ;)
Always thought that it was from the horns raking their backs as they work the licking branches at scrapes...you dont see it on small bucks and anywhere near the deers haunch, hips, etc...
I know deer can develop them from going underneath barbedwire fences.
I don't know either but some friends and I were watching some hunting videos the other day and almost every big buck had this and we were wondering the same thing. Never noticed it so much before. I figured it was from the fence the they were kept in LOL!!
I think it from going under fences also, my theory and I'm sticking to it :)
Jack
Just haven't seen that many "big" bucks going "under" fences!
I've never noticed the bald spots.
I watched a big buck go through a 5-strand barbwire fence once. Never broke a wire but there was hair floating around for quite a while afterward. I still don't know how he did it.
Dennis
I've wondered the same thing. Every BIG buck on videos has the same hair patch missing. I suspected it was from fence crossings... surely someone has first hand knowledge of how it happens.
I saw an odd video the other day that showed bucks were lying in a scrape on there backs rolling like a dog in a cow pie. This behavior hadn't been documented previously.
It is gang signs. Since they don't wear hats, they resort to this...
Be careful out there.
ChuckC
QuoteOriginally posted by Eric Krewson:
I saw an odd video the other day that showed bucks were lying in a scrape on there backs rolling like a dog in a cow pie. This behavior hadn't been documented previously.
This wasn't at Ken's (adkmountainken) scrape was it? :bigsmyl:
We tried to tell him peeing in the scape was going to do some weird things to the wildlife.
In one of the HS Strut Whitetail videos from a few years back it has a scene of a 135-140 class buck goning under a fence and the bare spot occurs right on tape. It is a Wisconson hunt and the hunter calls the buck acrossed a field then shoots it after it crosses under a fence coming to him.
I vote for the fence causation on this one.
Good hunting,
Charles
I watched a 170 class do it on a dead run-- on video. He turned his head to the right, dropped the left antler under, then leaned his head right some more and pulled the right one under. It's not like his headgear didn't make contact with the fence, but he hardly had to slow down. Amazing stuff!
Everybody Limbo! :jumper:
I'm pretty sure it's mostly from fighting, I went back through a couple dozen picks of big bucks working scrapes last night after I posted. Most of the big bucks racks are clearly off of there backs while using the licking branches but I'm sure it depends on the level of the branch's.
As for fences, The bare spots are mostly on the sides of there shoulders and some times all the way down to there brisket. Sometimes I have seen it bare on top also but the sides are bare too.
Last year I was able to watch 2 big bucks in a all out fight up close and let me tell you it was vicious, There was hair on all the walnut trees around the fight area and it looked like a rototiller had gone through when they were done.
What I noticed was that there heads were down almost on the ground most of the time and that there racks were pointing up and back. Even if there racks weren't touching there shoulders the other bucks tines were at times, I think maybe that's part of it.
Eric, Years ago at this same place the land owners dog would come through and roll in some of the scrapes and then pee in em but I have never seen a buck do that, Pretty cool. Wasn't Ken's dogs either. :D
Tracy
You didn't happen to see one Ohio buck with a patch about 1 1/4" wide shaved off the top of its shoulders have ya?? ;) If so...........it's mine! Don;t touch it----I still got 2 months for another crack at him> :bigsmyl: :archer:
Ben
The 7 I got on Nov 2nd had a 2x3" patch shaved clean between the shoulder blades. He was a two and a half year old. Still have the hide in the freezer if you all want to compare'em ;)
I've never seen a buck in the early season have these type of bald patches. It seems like they show up during the rut.
I agree with Tracy that it has to be from some sort of fighting. Just not sure how it happens?
Chris
I agree with Chris' logic. . . why not other times of year with fences? I go with fighting. . . I sure have observed some wierd hide tatoos as well. I also think it is more prevalent where more mature/larger rack deer are found. I saw one 2 year old with a racing stripe starting between the shoulder blades and right down his back. Looked sore and funny.
A guy that shoots videos told me that alot of those balding deer on video are from rubbing against the high fence they're raised in.Imagine if my neck was all swelled up,it may itch.I think they just scratch themselves on what ever like a bear.
I always guessed the bald patches were from fighting since I only noticed them on bigger bucks. But honestly I have no evidence for that guess.
The buck my brother shot this year had the bald patches on his shoulders.
(http://rmsgear.com/Images/danny08wt2.jpg)
Dude, that's a ridiculous buck.
Big bucks are old, their lossing their hair just like all of us !! lol
Thanks guys.
I guess we will never no but I did see alot of fur flying during the one fight.
TC, Thats a heck of a deer your brother got. I sure would like to see a frontal shot of that dude. I have a big buck with stickers at the bases just like that one.
Good luck everybody, I hope your having a great season. :archer:
Tracy
I believe it's often ticks. Two of the three larger bucks I've taken in IA had lots of ticks, as did one I've taken in Nebraska. They each had rubbed spots. And that year I took the one in NE loaded with ticks, I saw a couple other decent sized bucks that had big rub marks too, like those often seen in videos taken in IL/IA/WI.
I think the fence theory makes sense too.
Ticks + big antlers = buck able to rub off the hair on his shoulders by scratching with his horns. Have watched video bucks doing just that in later summer-early fall, and the hair flies!
You'll note this is not very common farther north - like in Canada....I'd wager those bucks fight as much as midwestern ones....just too cold for many ticks....also back years ago when there were fewer ticks around I don't remember ever seeing a buck, or pictures of one, with the rubbed shoulders you see on almost anything 3 1/2 yrs and older in the midwest anymore.
Ryan
Never really payed much attention, until this thread came up....watched a big 8 point take on a large spike/forkhorn the other morning, the larger buck twisted the young one head around his right shoulder and when the fight(?) was over the spike had a large patch about 3"x10" of bare skin on the right shoulder, where the larger bucks antler had rubbed!!