Bigfoot

WOW! I use to raise rabbits when I was young and they grew 'nails' like this, but never seen this on a deer.

Crazy! (@@)

wow was this killed in the same place the seven legged deer was killed ? i wonder how he even walked

Almost feel sorry for the guy tryin' to sneak through the woods with those things on his feet!

I did a little surfin' when I first saw this pic (Can't remember where I originally saw it). I guess it's called "foundering". From what I read, it usually results from a sudden change in feed or the ingestation of certain minerals and such that the deer isn't normally used to. Although I couldn't find what types of food or minerals will cause this I'm gonna keep lookin'.

I know some woman that would kill to be able to grow nails like that though! Maybe I can market it!!!!!!!!

Yep, Its founderd, got into to much of a good thing, like corn most likely. Its rumen wasn't adjusted to it. Caused some sore of an unbalance.

sorry to say but this is a pen raised deer. this is what happens to hooves when the animal doesn't have enough room to keep them wore down.

I know some woman that would kill to be able to grow nails like that though! Maybe I can market it!!!!!!!!

:)) :))

WOW that is freakish

muleystalker01, although this might happen with a pen raised deer, this one was not. It was hit by a car (The pick-up it's layin' in now) in open country. The fella that hit it brought it to the game department because the large hooves disturbed him.

Like Waynedevore was correct, this happens when a deer's feedin' habits change abruptly or something else is introduced in large quantities. From what I can gather, this kind of growth is not unknown but is seldom seen in live or freshly killed game because it severly hampers the animal's ability to move about and makes it easy pickins for predators.

How in the world did he get around to eat, or hide from predators, he looks like he was fairly healthy. WOW.

now thats funky. looks like he has snow shoes on

I found some more info on this deer on the web that may help explain.

"The deer was hit and killed by a truck near Alma, WI. According to a local newspaper, biologists speculated that a diet high in proteins and minerals caused the deer to grow those long, curved hooves.

We ran the photo by a couple of our resident scientists and they said that while they may be off base, they suspect the animal was from a captive herd. They say that when a deer is fed excessive starch, primarily corn, founder lesions like elongated hooves can occur. EHD (Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease) and other diseases often cause deer hooves to crack, slough, etc., but not elongate and curve like that.

Body and rack wise, the buck was in good shape. Our biologists believe he was able to survive and prosper on those hooves because he was on welfare. They point out that many deer become dependant on backyard feeders and thus consume excessive corn/starch. While the animals might not be captive behind a fence or in a compound per se, they are conditioned to feed where groceries are easily accessible. You've heard it before--don't feed the deer!

BTW, the buck was reportedly placed in walk-in cooler at a bait shop for safe keeping. The owner of the shop said he planned a full-body mount."

79ford, thanks for the info! Looks like ya "solved the mystery" on this guy.

Interesting, thanks for the info. Good thing I don't feed deer. :)

Can actually kill them in the winter if you feed them also.

i have heard of this type of thing happening to whitetail deer down south from time to time .

#-o #-o

This is the second buck I have seen foundered like this the other was killed in some serious scab rock country in Odessa, WA.
Here is what B&C has to say.
http://www.boone-crockett.org/news/trophyWatch.asp?area=news
self made skis

That thing is messed up!!!I have never seen a deer like that.

weird that is very strange

that is insane

i to think its floundered, horses that get floundered grow hooves like that.
I'd say he has gotten into someones grain barrel. we had a Shetland pony that did and it grew hooves like that the rest of its life. 15 yrs.
the bad part was she swelled up with gas and we had to stick a knife in her to let it out. WOW that smelled bad. #-o
she kicked in a walk door and ate enough that she couldn't fit back out it. (???)