Are young half racked bucks common?

[4khorn]

I was out hanging a stand a couple weeks ago and saw a year and a half old buck with half a rack. I have never seen a half rack buck this early in the year. My thoughts were that he may have been born late in the spring and thus is a little behind the other deer born that season. Do you think this is a one year thing?

[Bluegrass Archer]

Thats a good question. I've only seen one that i can remember and he was a 1.5year old too.

[hunt4fun]

He could have dammaged the one side while in velvet, causing it to fall off.  Also if he has a dammaged pedicle, that side will not grow right, if at all.  Lastly, bucks start sparring when their antlers harden.  Young bucks, who don't quite know their place yet may get a little more aggressive with each other, so he may have already knocked it off fighting.

[Whitetailaddict]

He probably hurt it while in velvet so the antler became black and may have fallen off while he was shedding the velvet. he probably isn't a "uni" buck because they are really rare.

[extrmhntr]

Another thing is the genetic pace of the buck. I have one buck that keeps throwing off half-racks but they start as spikes. Next year they have a half-rack 4 but the next year that buck either puts out a big 6 or a big 8. The 6's are usually outside the ears and the 8's are nice young 125 class bucks. but i agree, if its something that you haven't seen in the area often i would suggest break-offs or injury to the horn or the deer during initial antler growth.

[motorbreaker]

These two bucks had both antlers a week ago. Got there butt kicked.

[extrmhntr]

By the brute thats in your avatar pic??