This study could not identify probable cause for spike-on-one-side in a large percentage of young animals. The authors acknowledged that pedicle damage can take many forms.įor example, they said, “There is evidence that cast antlers with a residual portion of pedicle and/or skull material have a high probability of developing spike-on-one-side antler characteristics in subsequent years, and that males already possessing spike-on-one-side antler traits commonly cast antlers with fractured pedicles.” “Logically,” they emphasized, “the more antler-growth cycles a white-tailed deer undergoes the greater the probability of sustaining significant damage to the skull or pedicle.” Furthermore, given the buck age relationship, they suggested that most such damage is probably due to fighting and rubbing trees prior to and during the breeding season.
Karns and Ditchkoff concluded that pedicle and/or skull damage was the primary cause of the spike-on- one-side phenomenon and that the frequency of such abnormal growth increased with a buck’s age. Five bucks suffered miscellaneous problems, such as improper pedicle position, missing skull bones, accessory pedicles and “double-headed” antlers. Seven others sustained skull damage not affecting pedicle formation, while five had malformed pedicles but no apparent skull injury. The most common cause noted was some form of skull damage and resultant pedicle malformation (14 individuals). Spike-on-one-side inducing abnormalities were detected in 31 of 41 (76 percent) 31⁄2-year-old bucks. One had an abscess close to a pedicle, probably causing abnormal antler growth, while two bucks each had one abnormally small pedicle. Two others had similar damage that had subsequently healed. One had breakage of the hard antler and another sustained injury to velvet antlers. Two of them had skull and/or pedicle damage and malformed pedicles. Nine of 20 (45 percent) 21⁄2-year- old bucks exhibited some form of pedicle, skull or antler malady contributing to their spike-on-one- side antler development. Three of 10 (30 percent) yearling buck antler sets had sustained breakage of the hardened antler, but none had pedicle or skull damage. Interestingly, young bucks were less likely than older bucks to exhibit symptoms of pedicle or skull damage. In other words, contributing factors for nearly 40 percent of the collected specimens were undetermined and were likely caused by other factors than direct injury to the pedicle or surrounding area of the skull. Probable cause of spike-on-one-side antler formation could be determined for 43 antler sets. Hunters provided additional information relative to date and location of harvest, as well as any other visual signs of bodily trauma such as old gunshot wounds or broken bones. Once the antlers and skull materials were cleaned, the researchers estimated deer age, recorded the number of typical antler points per side and categorized any damage to the skull, pedicle or antler. To test their theory, the Auburn researchers collected 71 sets of antlers showing the spike-on-one-side phenomenon from hunter-harvested bucks in Alabama during two hunting seasons (2010-12). Hence, they question the merits or procedures involved in buck culling strategies designed to minimize the occurrence of such abnormalities. This assumption has fueled the notion that these bucks should be removed from the population.īased on prior observations, Auburn University researchers Gabriel Karns and Steve Ditchkoff hypothesized that the spike-on-one-side antler phenomenon resulted from damage to the skull and/or antler pedicle - not heredity traits. Many believe that bucks with a spike antler on one side, but a normal branched antler on the other, possess inferior genetics for antler growth. A relatively common antler abnormality observed in members of the deer family, whitetails included, is referred to as spike-on-one-side.
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