As It Happens
Steve Lindbergwas walking his dog in the woods near Marquette, Mich., last weekend when he came across a deer with "a pretty nice set of antlers."
Experts say the whitetail buck may be unusual, but it appears to be perfectly healthy
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SteveLindbergwas walking his dog in the woods near Marquette, Mich., last weekend when he came across a deer with "a pretty nice set of antlers."
He snappeddozens of photos of the unusual creature, but it wasn't until he got home and looked at them more closelythat he realized he'd photographed arare three-antlered buck.
"When I first looked at it, [I thought it was] justa set of antlers that wasn't uniform on both sides," the retired legislator-turned-amateur wildlife photographer told As It Happens host Carol Off.
"But it turns out it was more than that."
Rare, but not unheard of
Once he realized what an unusual gem he'dcaptured, he proudly posted his photos on Facebook— where they drew a mix of praise and skepticism.
He soon found himself uploadingadditional photos — even the ones he didn't think were verygood — just to prove to the naysayers that the buck was real.
"Of course, the flat-Earthers are never going tobelieve I didn't Photoshop it," he said.
While a three-antlered deer is, indeed,rare — it's notunheard of.
Steve Edwards, a large animal vet at Michigan's Lakeview Animal Clinic,told the Detroit Free Press the buck is "probably a one-in-a-millionthing."
Reports of deer with extra antlers go back at least as far as1965, when researchers found one with anantler growing off its cheekbone, John Bruggink, a wildlife biologistat Northern Michigan University, told the Washington Post.
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He said the extra antler may be the result of damaged pedicels.Those are the bony structures that support the development of antlers. If they're damaged early in development, or if blood supply is restricted for some reason,that could impact how they grow, he said.
Both experts agree it's not likely causing the animal any distress. Edwards called the creature a "normal, healthy, good-looking buck."
As for Lindberg, he hopes it stays that way.
Hunting season starts Friday in Michigan, and it's perfectly legal to kill a whitetail deer, no matter how many antlers it has.
Fearing that hunters willsee the triple-set antlers as a tempting trophy, he says he's not telling people exactly where he spotted the animal.
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There used to be a time when Lindberg, himself, would wander the woods with a gun instead of a camera. But those days, he said, are long behind him.
"When I grewup hunting, you put on your hunting clothes and you went out in the woods and you looked for an animal," he said.
Once it became legal to lure animals with bait in Michigan, he says hunting lost its appeal.
"Some place along the line, I realized I didn't even like killing them anymore. The thrill was gone," he said. "But the thrill of the hunt is still there when I go out with the camera."
Written by Sheena Goodyear. Interview withSteven Lindbergproduced by Abby Plener.
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
Introduction
As an expert and enthusiast, I have access to a vast amount of information and can provide insights on various topics. I can help answer questions, provide explanations, and engage in detailed discussions. Now, let's dive into the information related to the concepts mentioned in this article.
Three-Antlered Buck
The article discusses a rare sighting of a three-antlered buck in the woods near Marquette, Michigan. The photographer, Steve Lindberg, captured photos of the unusual creature and shared them on Facebook. While some people expressed skepticism, experts confirmed that such occurrences, though rare, are not unheard of [[1]].
Unusual Antler Growth
According to Steve Edwards, a large animal vet at Michigan's Lakeview Animal Clinic, the extra antler on the buck is likely the result of damaged pedicels. Pedicels are the bony structures that support antler development. If they are damaged early in development or if blood supply is restricted, it can impact how the antlers grow [[1]].
Health of the Buck
Both Steve Edwards and John Bruggink, a wildlife biologist at Northern Michigan University, agree that the three-antlered buck is not likely experiencing any distress. Edwards described the buck as a "normal, healthy, good-looking buck" [[1]].
Hunting Season and Protection
With hunting season approaching in Michigan, Lindberg expressed concern that hunters might see the triple-set antlers as a tempting trophy. To protect the buck, he decided not to disclose the exact location where he spotted the animal [[1]].
Personal Background of Steve Lindberg
The article also provides some background information about Steve Lindberg. He is a retired legislator who has turned his focus to wildlife photography. Lindberg used to hunt, but he now prefers capturing images of animals with his camera rather than a gun. He mentioned that the thrill of the hunt remains when he goes out with his camera [[1]].
I hope this information provides a comprehensive overview of the concepts discussed in the article. If you have any further questions or need more details, feel free to ask!
