Hey everyone! Wanted to share a ~ 4.5 year old unique acorn-tip buck that my dad shot last Friday in Val Verde County on FM 1024 between Pandale & Comstock.

Curious if anyone has ever seen anything like this. Does this happen year to year or just on this antler set?

I have seen it several times and have a Mule that has one. Pretty sure it happens due to an injury while in velvet. That would make since since it occurs so sporadic.

Take yours for instance, The side with the acorn is much heavier, but yet the acorns are only on that side. Damaged early enough during growth, blood still circulating, makes sense to me how that could happen.

Heck of a conversation piece too, nice buck you go there too!

Dennis, appreciate your insight. We assumed it was damaged during velvet and the acorns were the by-product of the injury.

I am trying to find a unique base for a Euro-mount. Let's keep unique all around!

I shot a typical 12 pt in 2010 I think, that had all tines on his R side acorned. I hear it was a bug or pesticide that gets in the velvet and burrows up in there and the antler tries to grow around it.

I have also heard that the antler stops growing and then tries to start to grow again when proper nutrition is in their body again.

Not sure what is correct but they are def cool looking.

Injury is correct, would not have repeated (unless he was a slow learner)

I got one hanging around too. I think it is caused by a parasite during antler development.

we see at least one or two racks each season come through our shop with acorn tips. I think they are cool looking. Gives character to the mount.

Perhaps it was because the antlers may have been broken or severed while in velvet. If so, that would leave a flat spot on the antler, but if it continued to grow after getting severed, it would then grow to a point.

But really....who knows?

I've seen it a couple times too

I have two bucks taken 20 years apart that have nearly identical racks, both with acorn points. Seems genetic

That's cool it looks like okra.

My son took a 7pt two years ago and every point was an acorn point. Really made a great euro mount.

Greg - I am planning to do the same here!

IMO it is due to antler damage in the velvet stage. Makes a neat looking mount.

I shot one last year like that I didnt know it was from damage during velvet

Now I'm hungry

Its a pretty cool effect no matter the cause

I have an 8 point I shot about 4 years ago that had the acorns about an inch below every "point." Even had em on his tines and end of his main beams.

Believed to come from them slightly fracturing the tines but still maintaining blood flow. It will weaken that area and make it where it's easier to break off. Kind of like a persons bones healing up. A buddy of mine just shot a muley that had huge ones a cpl inches up all of its tines.