minature deer

[dadof3upatree]

I'll be the first to admitted this one is hard to believe, but its the Gods honest truth.  Somewhere in the neighborhood of ten years ago, after an evening of bow hunting, I was driving home and saw something very weird.  As I approached a curve in the road I was startled by a numbers of deer in the road.  I was able to slow and stop in plenty of time to let them cross safely.  As the group of does crossed at a distance of no more than 20 yards, I saw what appeared to be a minature deer.  This was October and it really didn't look like a fawn at all.  It was an estimated 2 feet tall and had no spots.  It just ran off with the rest of them and disappeared.  I did see it a few weeks later after another evening of bow hunting the same farm, at the same curve.  That was the last time I saw it.  I've spoken to a few people over the years about this and pretty much got the "How much had you been drinking?" attitude.  The answer is none and I have just about given it up to my own insanity.  So I ask you ladies and gentlemen this.  Do dwarf deer exist?  Do deer of at least 6 months ever remain 2 feet tall?  I know it happens in humans, so it doesn't seem too far out for it to occur in deer but I seem to have seen the only one, at least in Missouri.  Am I crazy?  Should I take up drinking?  Thank you for any information.  I know this is a good question for Mr. Rue, but I can't find a post or e-mail address for him.

[jacannon63]

Mother nature does some strange things sometimes. Last Jan. was a year ago I was hunting in a 15 ft. ladder stand. I had a very small buck walk right under me. I would guess about 40 lbs. He had very light spots along the top of his back. His left antler was about 6 ins. long with a small fork, the right was about 4 ins. long and broken. I have often wondered how a spotted fawn could grow this much antler so soon.

[Everyday Hunter]

I dunno. Maybe lots (and lots) of testosterone?

Steve

[Spurred]

Could it have been an escaped Axis deer?

[dadof3upatree]

Not likely, here in Missouri but possibly.  It really just looked like a regular deer that got shrank down.

[Hoytamania]

I would say anything is possible, if its in the genetics and matches up in the DNA strand correctly i guess it could happen, but i have never heard or seen this myself.