Roe antler question

[Neal 1,931]

I get a lot of deer near me. Initially just roe but, during the last year, I've also seen a fallow buck, a pair of sika and a gradually growing population of muntjac.

During the last two weeks I've noticed that one particular roe (with a kid of c. seven months old) has what appears to be antlers. I was initially surprised simply because of the time of year; I've seen a couple of individuals with the big buttons appearing, but these are so small that they're only visible through the binoculars. However, this individual (the one with the kid) has definite antlers. But...they're tiny things. No velvet, simply antlers. They're only about one or two inches at most with, obviously, no branching at all. They're more like long studs or the other way to describe them is that they look like normal antlers which have been snapped off near the base. I'm sure I've read somewhere that some roe does can have small antlers. Do you all think this is the case? It looks and acts very "doe-like" in every other way. Thoughts please.

[Borr 8,674]

You sure it's not hanging about with muntjac. As for does with antlers I've not heard of that, hopefully someone can enlighten us.

[low plains drifter 11,491]

That'll be one of these woke trendy metrosexual bucks that identifies as a doe, they're enough to get on your tits

Edited 19 hours ago by low plains drifter
Nipple conjunctivitis

[Neal 1,931]

22 hours ago, Borr said:

You sure it's not hanging about with muntjac. As for does with antlers I've not heard of that, hopefully someone can enlighten us.

No, definitely a roe. I'd seen it several times during the summer with the kid but it was only recently recently I'd seen it through the binoculars. I'll see if I can find the book where I read about does with antlers...

[Neal 1,931]

...found it! There's a section in Richard Prior's "The Roe Deer: Conservation of a Native Species." It says it's usually older does and that the antlers are usually small. Even has a photo of one which had kids every year until developing male characteristics in old age.

I've heard of some female birds and reptiles changing sex if there was a lack of males around but maybe some mammals do it for the same reason too. Though there are plenty of bucks around here too.