Disease blamed for velvet-antlered bucks shot during hunting season

Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Hunters across north-central and northeast Montana reported seeing a large number of mule deer bucks in velvet this hunting season, according to Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
The reason may lie in the Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease outbreak that affected deer in several areas across the region this fall. Although EHD is often fatal in white-tailed deer, mule deer can acquire the disease and, according to some studies, it may not always be fatal but instead affect testosterone production in bucks.
Without proper testosterone production, buck deer often have issues with the normal cycle of antler growth and may retain the antlers year-round. Several issues can cause testosterone production abnormalities — including disease, injuries, and old age — but the high number of velvet mule deer bucks seen this year pointed to other factors.

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