Undescended testicle bull

[UTJL]

I filled my cow tag yesterday. Started skinning out the elk and realized it didn’t have any udders. It had a small penis but no testicles. Double checked the head and didn’t feel any antler pedicles. After some further head scratching and skinning we found that it had a pair of undescended testicles. They were about an inch and a half long. Has anyone encountered this before? Seems similar to a cactus buck other than the complete lack of antlers.

 

[Overdrive]

Are you sure it wasn't a Bull calf?

 

[packer58]

Are you sure it wasn't a Bull calf?

Good point.

Back in the late 70's a buddy of mine shot a 3 point mule deer with udders in october during the rifle season. The antlers still had a fair amount of velvet on them.

 

[UTJL]

Are you sure it wasn't a Bull calf?

I don’t think so but it’s possible. It was over 300lbs on the hoof.

 

[rkcdvm]

He’s a cryptorchid. It happens in cats and dogs too. In domestic pet species the undescended testicle can with some frequency turn into an abdominal tumor. For larger animals I’m not sure of how often that happens due to most of them being slaughtered for human consumption.
We typically will see it with shelter animals that appeared to be castrated but in fact just had undescended testicles . My buddy removed one the size of a grapefruit once.
That’s probably way more information than you wanted to know.

 

[cnelk]

My son’s first bow killed elk was a cryptorchid bull.

Public land Colorado

 

[LongWayAround]

My son’s first bow killed elk was a cryptorchid bull.

Public land Colorado



View attachment 491896

That sucker would make a cool euro mount.

 

[cnelk]

That sucker would make a cool euro mount.

It did

 

[Mtnmilsurp]

We’ve had a funny looking “buck” hanging around our place. He never changes coats from red to gray and has one massive deformed antler that he carries year-round and is always in velvet.

 

[Rogue Bay]

I filled my cow tag yesterday. Started skinning out the elk and realized it didn’t have any udders. It had a small penis but no testicles. Double checked the head and didn’t feel any antler pedicles. After some further head scratching and skinning we found that it had a pair of undescended testicles. They were about an inch and a half long. Has anyone encountered this before? Seems similar to a cactus buck other than the complete lack of antlers.

Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon has (or at least had) one. He is/was completely antlerless as well.

 

[Sled]

I filled my cow tag yesterday. Started skinning out the elk and realized it didn’t have any udders. It had a small penis but no testicles. Double checked the head and didn’t feel any antler pedicles. After some further head scratching and skinning we found that it had a pair of undescended testicles. They were about an inch and a half long. Has anyone encountered this before? Seems similar to a cactus buck other than the complete lack of antlers.

I'll bet you didn't even ask how they identify before you shot.

 

[UTJL]

He’s a cryptorchid. It happens in cats and dogs too. In domestic pet species the undescended testicle can with some frequency turn into an abdominal tumor. For larger animals I’m not sure of how often that happens due to most of them being slaughtered for human consumption.
We typically will see it with shelter animals that appeared to be castrated but in fact just had undescended testicles . My buddy removed one the size of a grapefruit once.
That’s probably way more information than you wanted to know.

That’s great information. I did some more searching and found an article about cryptochid elk. Another weird thing about the elk was it’s urethra was half way up it’s belly towards its front legs.

Cryptorchid Elk (Cervus canadensis) in the Blue Mountains of Washington

George E. Hudson; Cryptorchid Elk (Cervus canadensis) in the Blue Mountains of Washington, Journal of Mammalogy, Volume 31, Issue 4, 1 November 1950, Pages

academic.oup.com

 

[UTJL]

It did



View attachment 491913

That’s a cool first elk

 

[InkedElkSlayer]

Can you post a pic of the ivories next to a penny?

 

[Pony Soldier]

Once upon a time there was a massive set of horns in velvet at a show. It was said at that time that if a bull in velvet lost his testicles that he would be in velvet till he died. If he lost them after they hardened, he would shed them and never grow another set. I know of a couple of massive bucks that were killed as does in that condition.

I have also seen a number of does with nice racks that had malfunctioning ovaries that made enough testosterine to grow antlers but were sterile.

 

[BFR]

Sometimes Mother Nature doesn’t care for rules.
I got this buck in NE Mt. a few years ago. No male equipment except his head gear.