Muntjak

[John]

My neighbor brought a picture over of a critter that was killed on his mother's place up in Pennsylvania. My first reaction was that jackalope lives. It was about the size of a pygmy goat, had some strange lookin' horns, and the kicker was the tusks out the side of it's mouth.

I did a bit of a search for it on the net, and sure enough it was for real. Don't know what it was doin' in Pennsylvania though.

[Graybeard]

There are some exotic game farms in PA, no doubt some private ownership of exotics also over and above those type places and there are zoos and perhaps animal parks where folks view but don't hunt. Could have come from any of those. Weird stuff happens.

[markc]

or Graybeard, how about a pic of those critters...?

[Graybeard]

[John]

Yep, that be them, they are also called barking deer, cause they sound like a dog when they feel that they are in danger.

The photo that the neighbor has showes the tusks real well, those things just do not look right on a little deer.

[Brithunter]

It's actually Muntjac and most likely a Reeves Muntjac although there is also an Indian Muntjac. They originate form Asia and are primitave Deer and also although small not dainty. My friend the gamekeep has the scar from those tusks on his calf and that Buck had a broken back after being hit by a car. he was only going to finish it to put it out of pain and it whipped it's head round and slashed his calf through his rubber Wellington boot  :eek: .

I have a nice old Boy mounted on my wall which I shot Jan 1st 2001 but here are a few Muntjac photos:-


Buck and Doe, yearlings.


In the early morning light


With a Muntjac Doe


Muntjac Doe with my Medwell & Perritt 30-30 bolt action


My Muntjac Buck mount.