Cactus Buck

Cactus Buck

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
Know what a cactus buck is? Talking to Bryan Huskey, a very seasoned and knowledgeable hunter, about his hunting season, and he came up with quite a surprise.

"Great luck following up my archery season and taking the rifle out on a general deer hunt. And that's a great relief. After spending a month with a bow and arrow pursuing elk to be able to walk around with a rifle and have the extended range and ability of firearm versus the bow. This year I found a buck after hunting as often as I could. Maybe once or twice a week throughout the three and a half week season. Again, on my last day that I had available to hunt. I spotted a buck from almost a mile away, and I crept into position where I scoped out that I could shoot from. And when I got to that position, I eventually located the buck and shot him. And then when I go to recover that, when I walk up to look at the buck as I approached the buck, I realize he's still in full velvet. His antlers still look as if it's June. I quickly figured out that this buck that I shot is something very rare called a cactus buck. A cactus buck is a term for a male deer that by one reason or another has a genetic or biological deficiency and never sheds his antlers."

Gotta confess, that's a new one on me.

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