Little Johnny has been hunting with Dad for two years, and while he has harvested several does, he has yet to bag a buck. But, he thought today might prove to be his lucky day as he saw the antlered deer coming through the woods. Twenty seconds and one shot later, Johnny had his buck. But the skinning rack told a different tale. The deer had antlers all right, but it had all the parts of a female. Johnny had shot a rarity - an antlered doe.

Why do does have antlers? We will begin to answer this question by describing what causes antlers in deer. After a fawn begins growth in the womb, the frontal bones of the skull grow bumps where antlers will form. Even females possess these tiny bumps. Although they do not normally grow antlers, they have the potential to do so. The locations of future antlers are shown by a pair of cowlicks on the head of a newborn fawn. Fawns are born, the hormone testosterone begins to increase in males, and is responsible for the development of pedicles. Antlers grow from these pedicles. While testosterone promotes pedicle development, estrogen, which is secreted by the females, inhibits pedicle development. This results in bucks having antlers and does lacking them. Once the pedicle is developed, other hormones, which are found in both males and females, are responsible for antler growth. The fluctuations in testosterone secretion cause antler maturation, loss of velvet, and future casting of the antler. These hormonal changes are triggered by the seasonal variations in day length. In summary, antlers will grow on males or females but only if pedicles are developed.

Several situations cause does to develop pedicles and grow antlers. The causes include hermaphroditism, increased levels of testosterone, adrenal cortex tumors, and possible sharing of reproductive hormones in the womb between male and female twins.

Hermaphroditism cases are interesting to discover. Animals with this congenital disorder have both male and female sexual parts, some are internal while others are external. When a deer has ovarian tissue and testicular tissue it is a true hermaphrodite. Normally these cases are bilateral, which means that the glands are found on both sides of the deer?s body. Oddities of the external genitalia can occur in these animals. One of the most frequent manifestations we see in this genital disorder is the presence of a greatly enlarged clitoris.

Antlered does that have an under-developed uterus and undescended testes are true hermaphrodites. There is just enough of a male influence to promote the development of pedicles as a fawn. These deer can sometimes have antlers much larger than spikes and are almost always infertile.

Pseudohermaphoridites are the most common hermaphrodites. These animals have either ovaries or testes and an anomaly of the external genitalia which resembles those of the opposite sex.

The bottom line about hermaphrodites is that they can really confuse you. They can possess respectable antlers, but resemble a doe sexually and internally have the glandular tissue of a buck and/or a doe. To further confuse you these deer can have antlers and actively pursue does during the rut, but have no means to reproduce. Ain?t it a mixed up world?

Antlers typically grow on female caribou, for reasons not exactly known. Among the rest of the deer species of the world, antlered does are most common in white-tailed deer, mule deer, and roe deer. Up to 1 in 900 white-tailed does had antlers in one sample in Michigan. Most antlered white-tailed does are spikes and usually are still in velvet during fall and winter. This normally has no effect on the febeen found to have a tumor in the adrenal cortex. Such tumors have been shown to exert masculinizing effects in females, and might secrete enough testosterone to produce pedicles, thereby causing the doe to grow antlers.

Another theory exists. A condition known as freemartin has been observed in cattle for years. It occurs when male and female placentas become fused in the womb. When the male begins to develop its reproductive tract, the hormones circulate into his sister?s bloodstream and affect the development of her genitalia. This theory is further strengthened by antlered does being more common in deer with normal twin births, such as white-tailed deer, mule deer, and roe deer.

One has wonder what goes through a buck?s mind when he trails up a hot doe to find a deer that smells like a doe but looks like a buck. Does he look around and make sure none of his buddies are watching? And what about the hermaphrodites? Do they chase themselves in circles when the rut begins?

Antlered does are a true rarity in the world of white-tailed deer, regardless of the cause. That next "buck" you see approaching your stand may be more of a trophy than you think! WI