Deer had NO teeth-What's Up With That?

12 November 2001, 14:08

<Rifleman7>

This morning on a lease in Early County GA, I shot a doe and a friend got a 140 lb 4 point. Neither deer had teeth with the exception of the 4 front lowers - NO top fronts, or molars, no sign there ever was ANY other. These deer were at least in their 2nd year, my doe was even nursing. Is this a normal thing or what? Every deer I've ever seen has had a set of teeth. Other than this oddity, both animals were quite health looking.

12 November 2001, 14:29

<Hoghead>

Deer and deer family members don't have upper front teeth. None, nada, zip.

12 November 2001, 16:25

<Don Martin29>

I shot a buck in VT that had no molars. I have no idea why. It was a mature buck of normal size for the area.

12 November 2001, 19:15

<Peter Walker>

Rifleman

Deer have no front uppers. On a full grown deer there is a gap of 3 or 4 inches to the rear molars, you really have to pull the mouth open to see the rear teeth. If you shot one before with a full set of chompers he had a dandy dentist.

13 November 2001, 09:45

Yukoner

Yeah,
I have seen this a couple of times.

Deer with no teeth.

Matter of fact, they had no brains either.

All they had was one big hole in the back of thier head!( They had kinda had buggy eyes too)

Daryl

13 November 2001, 07:28

Dutch

I shot a nice 6x6 elk this year that had four front lowers and one ivory left, and one of the front lowers was fractured and just about gone. This was definitely age related. Still had a nice symmetrical rack that scored about 315, though. FWIW, Dutch.

15 November 2001, 05:10

MacD37

<<<<<<<<< SMILE >>>>>>>>>>

How long you have been hunting deer?

Deer don't have uppers in the front, and the molars are WAYYYYYYYY back in the mouth!

------------------
..Mac >>>===(x)===>
also DUGABOY1
DUGABOY DESIGNS
Collector/trader of fine double rifles, and African wildlife art

15 November 2001, 05:52

Deerdogs

It is the presence of juvenile three crown premolars and the condition of the adult two-crown pre-molars and molars that provide the most consistent indication to the age of deer.

By the terms of my agreement with the owners of the land I hunt over, I am obliged to remove and boil out the bottom jaw of all the deer I shoot in order to age them correctly. I have boxes full of jaws at home - although sometimes my dogs get lucky!

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Regards

Richard

16 November 2001, 20:24

BBBruce

quote:
Originally posted by Daryl D:
Yeah,
I have seen this a couple of times.
Deer with no teeth.
Matter of fact, they had no brains either.
All they had was one big hole in the back of thier head!( They had kinda had buggy eyes too)
Daryl

LOL

Sounds like it needed an eye nose throat specialist AND a dentist!

The ones with upper teeth are probably throw backs to when giant jackalopes roamed the countryside.

Cheers !!!

17 November 2001, 07:19

<perrydog>

All cervids(deer family-moose, elk, caribou, etc.) have no upper incisors/canines. Sheep, goats, cattle, pronghorns and I assume, since I have no direct experience, true antelopes also lack these. Maybe someone with some dental knowledge of large herbivores can enlighten us on some of the african/asian species such as giraffes, hippos, rhinos, elephants..elephants at least have upper canines...

Anyone that has been bitten by a horse(basically anyone that has been near one in my experience)knows horses have upper and lower incisors. Pigs(and their cousins javelinas/pecaries) have the upper canines/incisors too.

17 November 2001, 11:24

Atkinson

Seems to me I recall a deer in So. America that has upper fangs like a baboon or cat, big'uns. ???????????? right?

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

17 November 2001, 13:02

Pete E

Ray,

Do a search on Chinese Water Deer if you want to see a sabre toothed deer!

Pete