Why some mule deer have split ears?

AGCHAWK · Post by **AGCHAWK** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 7:28 am

Yea, I would imagine that it would certainly have to be well below freezing before this would occur, although they really didn't specify exactly. dang glad I don't have that problem though...OUCH!

Post by **BOHNTR** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 7:30 am

AGCHAWK:

Hey congratulations on making 2-point status....... :lol:

BOHNTR )))-------------->

AGCHAWK · Post by **AGCHAWK** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 7:38 am

What can I say BOHNTR, I'm a late bloomer I suppose! You know us Washingtonians, always a day late and a dollar short.....and usually a brick or two short of a full load, but that's a topic for later discussion.

CountingCoo · Post by **CountingCoo** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 2:36 pm

I have often wondered about this, and have several deer coming into my yard with one or both ears split. One interesting thing though; I have yet to see a buck with a split ear, but probably 6 does.....??

Here is an example.

Post by **MuleyMadness** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 3:12 pm

Wow!! Now that is definitely what I call split antlers. I don't recall ever seeing one that severe.

AGCHAWK · Post by **AGCHAWK** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 7:21 am

dang! I thought it was small fork-horn buck when I first glanced at the picture! I would have to say that that is also the worse that I have ever seen.!

IdahoMuley · Post by **IdahoMuley** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 4:06 pm

Great pic thats what i have seen before to and never knew why.

wyomingtrophyhunter · Post by **wyomingtrophyhunter** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 7:09 am

Well, I just have to throw in on this one.

All the reasons given are perhaps valid. I do not know. I do know, however, that on at least one ranch in central Wyoming (I shall withhold the name to protect my guilty pals and to protect one of my primo hunting holes), the cowboys are responsible.

These particular wranglers are notorious for catching fawns during the late spring calf roundup and notching their ears just like they do the calves.....even castrating them on occasion....just to see how funny it is. Actually, the reason given is that they like to make some determination as to the range of the deer and see how many stay on the ranch....just a 60,000 acre affair, you know. Not the most scientific study ever launched, but I suppose they do get some sense of satisfaction knowing years later that they had previously laid their hands on a nice buck that they take.

Yeah, maybe these boys have swilled too many Keystones or maybe they are really just scientists at heart. It is, however, a fact (at least in this particular area) that those ear notches occur by their hand.

I have a split-ear buck mount from that ranch taken a few years back that I will photograph and send in if I can borrow a digital camera from one of my more modern pards.

I guess nose rings and eye barbells will be next........... :shock:

AGCHAWK · Post by **AGCHAWK** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 7:53 am

Funny you post something on this subject wyomingtrophyhunter 'cause while doing a little "surfing" on the subject we were discussing in earlier posts concerning the historical range of Mule deer I came across an article describing this same phenomena. As they describe it, Mule deer were never a naturally occuring species in the colder climate up north but have been pushed that far due to a number of issues. Because they (Mulies) have such long extremities (ears, legs) they have issues when it gets REAL cold. Not that it endangers them, because it doesn't seem to effect the mortality rate any more than extreme cold effects other species. The blood that normally keeps thier ears warm is diverted to more vital parts of thier bodies, which in turn allows the ears to freeze and eventually split (The same thing happens when a human gets frost bite in the fingers, toes, ears, etc).
They have been in these colder regions for 1,000s of years but deer haven't seemed to change much biologically speaking during that entire
time (White-tail for instance are no different than they were around the time of the last ice-age). They are just hardy animals that seem to "role with the punches" instead of adapting like some animal species do.
Let me finish this post by saying I am not smart enough to refute what the article says, I am just regurgitating the info in an attempt to SOUND smart...LOL

wyomingtrophyhunter · Post by **wyomingtrophyhunter** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 8:37 am

Man 'O man, you are out there doing some research and I appreciate it too.

The whole issue of genetics and cold climate makes plenty of sense in regard to the ear-splitting phenomenon. Now if we can just somehow explain what makes those crazy cowboys tick !!

MuleyMadness Hunting Forums

Why some mule deer have split ears?

Split Ears - Pic