Below is a news release from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, which comes one month after an Idaho hunter shot a cactus elk with a different look to it.

Imagine shooting an elk only to discover it has crazy-looking antlers. That is what happened to a local hunter recently. After getting the elk in her sights and pulling the trigger, she walked over to the animal and was a little startled at what she saw. The antlers were short, snarled and fuzzy, kind of like a small saguaro cactus.  

She called FWP and learned what she shot is indeed called a “cactus” elk.” FWP biologists assured her that there was nothing to be scared of. The antler anomaly, although quite rare, can happen in elk, deer and moose. The antlers tend to grow abstractly and remain in velvet, making the rack quite unique.

“Cactus bucks are uncommon, and cactus bulls seem to be even more so,” said Brian Wakeling, FWP game management bureau chief. “I have seen one, but never in the wild.” 

Cactus antlers have a few different causes. Most frequently, it can be attributed to a change in the normal production of testosterone.

“Testosterone is primarily produced in the testicles, and so an injury to the testicles can create abnormal growth,” said Wakeling. “This may be a result of jumping and not clearing obstacles like fences.”

According to FWP Wildlife Veterinarian Jennifer Ramsey, other things that can affect testosterone levels and cause this condition include things like cryptorchidism, when one or both testicles didn’t descend, poor nutrition, malnourishment and very old age.

The anomaly can also be a result of hemorrhagic diseases like EHD or blue tongue.

“If antler growth is a result of the disease, the animal dealt with the affliction at least a year ago and is no longer affected,” Wakeling said. “The most common diseases that cause cactus antlers are not diseases of concern for humans.”

While the hunter was pleased she had meat to fill her freezer and a good story to tell, she said she has no plans to mount the peculiar rack.

(Photo credit: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks)