Huntn coues Report post Posted November 5, 2007 I saw a 130-140" 2 point muley this past week that was in full velvet. My friend that also had the same tag came across this same buck. He asked the Azgfd officer in that unit what he thought and he to said it has to do with the animal not being healthy in the previous year which causes them to start a little later and hold the velvet a little longer. Don't know if this true but it is just what I heard. We had 4 bucks harvested in our camp and only one had a tiny bit of velvet on them and also saw several other bucks harvested as well and none of the bigger bucks were in full (or even close to full) velvet either. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jim Report post Posted November 5, 2007 We saw alot of small mulies in 22 that had full velvet. The one my partner shot had velvet hanging off his horns when I first glassed him up the morning of the kill, however when he finally shot him he had knocked it all off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peloncillo Report post Posted November 5, 2007 I saw a little buck still in full velvet on my hunt but thats it. Way to go Bret! Awesome trophy. Keven Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HBU Report post Posted November 5, 2007 Good looking buck. Congatulations. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lance Report post Posted November 6, 2007 YES Velvet EVERYWHERE! Sticken, Hanging, Dangleing, Fuzing and bone white anteler poking out everywhere! This is one of the big bucks we took on the Oct hunt, he's got alot of velvet still on. Lance Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hunter4life Report post Posted November 7, 2007 It must be something funny about this year in particular. My brother just got done today guiding a hunt in Southeastern NM and he saw 10 different muleys still in full velvet. Some of these were pretty good sized bucks. We almost never see bucks this late in the year still in velvet. Very strange. I would like to see what some of the biologists on the site think of these observations. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HUNTMUP Report post Posted November 7, 2007 Way to go Bret!! VERY nice! I shot a small 2X3 on my Oct hunt. Nothing worth mounting unless you need some practice Not!! I know what your work looks like and you can be sure if he was worthy enough you would get a close look at him! Congratulations and the velvet was a cool bonus! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTT Report post Posted November 10, 2007 Thanks for all the comments about my "velvet" buck. I agree with what some of you said about the warmer than normal temp's having alot to do with all the velvet hanging around...because my buck was big bodied, had all his "parts", & appeared healthy. I've always wanted a velvet coues...just never thought it would be with a rifle Here's a pic to show the rest of him...he had a really cool "red" tail also. Bret Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted December 2, 2007 Bret, do you thikn your buck was young? all of the young bucks I have killed have had the red hint to their tail, do you think he was a young buck with good genes? i love the look and Im sure you will make him one sweet mount! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTT Report post Posted December 3, 2007 Bret, do you thikn your buck was young? all of the young bucks I have killed have had the red hint to their tail, do you think he was a young buck with good genes? i love the look and Im sure you will make him one sweet mount! Casey, I don't think the color of the tail has to do with age but more so with genetics...my buck was a mature deer probably 3-4 years old. I have seen a few others with red tails & they were also mature bucks 80"-90"...& yes I can't wait to mount him up. Bret Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deernut Report post Posted December 11, 2007 This was certainly the year of the velvet buck. We have seen this in at least one year in the last 15 that I remember. I have consulted with everyone who is anyone in the antler world and there is no easy answer. I had the world's leading antler researcher (George Bubenik) stay with me a few weeks ago and we discussed this. Collecting blood samples and running Testosterone levels and other hormones might result in an answer, but I don't know of anyone who has done that. To be this widespread, this can't be the result of a sickness, but has to be some widespread environmental influence. This sort of thing can be caused by a certain combination of rainfall (timing and amount) and temperature that causes certain plants to bloom in great number. Some plants contain "Phytoestrogens" which are plant compounds that act (in the buck's body) like regular estrogen and interfer with the circulation of "Manly" hormones. These kinds of things are very complex and hard to detect. So there's your typical biologist non-answer to a question. My website has a link to an article I wrote on Cactus Bucks. Click here for Cactus Bucks JIM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
