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Alan Woodward of Three Rivers, Texas had watched a rare doe with velvet antlers for three years before harvesting it Saturday afternoon.

Hunting around 3 p.m. on an oat patch near Choke Canyon Reservoir, Woodward finally go his shot at the doe after five days of looking for her.

Texas Parks & Wildlife biologist Macy Ledbetter examined the deer before it had been gutted and documented the animal's condition.

"I aged the deer at 6.5 years and other than the present antlers, it was a full-blown female deer, inside and out," Ledbetter said.

"This oddity happens from time to time. It can be caused by having too much testosterone in the system, yet not enough to warrant velvet (shedding) or even antler shedding and regrowth. This deer was a social outcast and most likely did not breed, or ever successfully raise a fawn," the biolgist continued.

The rack, according to Woodward, has always been in velvet as long as he's observed the doe. This year, however, the rack almost doubled in size and sported two drop tines.

"The antlers were still soft and pliable (after being shot Saturday afternoon,)" Ledbetter said. "Once shot in the shoulder, the deer
ran out of the oat patch and headlong into a mesquite tree. The longest
drop tine (8.5") broke off and lay next to the deer."

Ledbetter photographed the animal and then field dressed it for examination. He noted that "there was no milk bag present and none of the teats had been nursed. Full female internal organs were present and accounted for, (while) no internal testicles or penis found. The vagina was slightly deformed and protruded out and upward, it resembled a prolapse to me.

"The tarsal glands were normal for a mature doe and the face and neck were also common to an adult doe. Tooth wear and replacement showed (her to be) approximately 6.5 years of age. The animal was in excellent physical condition with ample amounts of abdominal fat present throughout."

A lady friend of mine in Appleton Minnesota harvested an 8 point doe this season there. I don't know any details but it aparently was a full blown doe with an 8 point rack.

My buddy shot a 4 pt doe about 15 yrs ago.

I've heard of several other also.

One was taken opening day of season here in Michigan, a 6 pt as I remember. The paper quoted a DNR biologist as stating ~ 1 in 20,000 doe develope antlers. I don`t know how true that is but I see articals in the news on people taking them quite often, nearly yearly.

I shot an antlered roe doe about 5/6 years ago.

Is there anything wrong with the meat?

And since the antler was still pliable, will the guy even be able to have them mounted?

Very weird. I read a story a couple years ago I think about a female moose that was shot with full antlers. interesting things happen in nature.

Red