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Asher
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# Posted: 10 Oct 2018 10:52
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Question for the white tail hunting gurus.. I have some bucks that have a large buldge on thier foreheads. Is this some kind of gland or bone structure that might be genetic? It seems to be on all the ones in the area I have seen. The doe's have the normal smooth head, but the bucks look to have this angry eyebrow thing going on... I was hoping to give them a couple more years before chasing one for the mantle, but that buldge is kind of ugly looking... the deer your looking at are on their 3rd or 4th year...
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Asher
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# Posted: 10 Oct 2018 10:55 - Edited by: Asher
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here..
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xtolekbananx
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# Posted: 10 Oct 2018 14:17
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They are called forehead glands. Buck rub their antlers and leave the scent with those glands on trees and bushes. They almost look like a cap, they are reddish or blackish and those are nice looking not ugly. Those two would be considered trophies where I hunt.
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PA_Bound
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# Posted: 11 Oct 2018 17:39
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Are they large like that year-round? I've hunted whitetails for 40 years, and don't think I've ever seen a forehead gland that large. Given the purpose, is that something that changes sizes depending on the time of year (i.e. grows larger during times when bucks are rubbing the velvet off, or during the rut maybe)? I've always hunted later seasons, so maybe I just never saw that.
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Asher
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# Posted: 12 Oct 2018 11:25 - Edited by: Asher
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Thanks guys,
that's probably the reason I have never noticed it before (hunted later in the seasons). I can't remember them being that swollen up any other time, but I was never able to get regular pictures of them like I can now. Actually I found a picture from a couple weeks earlier that doesn't look as swollen up...
Honestly I have always hunted does because I think they taste better, but I am getting to the time the cabin will soon be finished and I want a nice mount on the wall.
I will probably let these guys have another year and see how things go, right now I kind of have my eyes set on the "queen" of the heard. She's a very aggressive doe that is always boxing the others around. I have watched her for the last 5 years, she has twins every year, but I think it's time for a heard mix up...
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old243
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# Posted: 13 Oct 2018 09:38
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Asher, Nice bucks. As far as thinning , the alpha doe from your herd. She is likely the grandmother or mother of the rest of the does , the usually stay in a doe family. If you remove her the pattern that the family follows may change. As a new matriarch takes over. I had an old doe at my place , grandma, she usually had several young does in the neighbourhood that revolved around her. Quite often she also had a buck tagging along. I think she was as crafty as some of the big bucks.
If you have a lot of does , I would choose one of the younger ones for the freezer, or a spike buck. Let grandma die of old age. She would be tough any way .Good luck with your hunting. old243
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Asher
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# Posted: 13 Oct 2018 10:32
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thanks for the advice, I was wondering if that might be the case. My main concern was if there would be too much inbreeding if she kept producing like she is basically the heard would be brother/sister... Maybe it's not a thing for deer, I just don't want to weaken what I have. When I first got the property the deer where very few, thin, and mineral deprived (only acorn fed), mineral blocks, corn and supplement mix has really brought them around, look fuller, jump better, run very well..
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old243
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# Posted: 13 Oct 2018 21:47
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I expect , with such a good doe herd, bucks from quite a distance might be attracted, and bring in new bloodlines. Mineral, salt and grain , really helps them. old243
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