Description of a Pathologic White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Mandible from Central Georgia

Authors

Patrick M. Powers, Georgia College and State UniversityFollow
Alfred J. Mead, Georgia College and State UniversityFollow

Abstract

A pathologic mandible was observed in a male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) harvested in central Georgia during the 2015 fall hunting season. The deer was approximately four and a half years of age and displayed no outward indication of injury or evidence of irregular tooth attrition at the time of death. Upon soft tissue removal, the mandible displayed signs of premortem trauma. The pathology was consistent with secondary bone deposition associated with bone breakage. The nature of the fracture suggests that it may have been caused by antler impact during male-to-male sparring. A physical examination of 621 white-tailed deer mandibles from the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge in central Georgia failed to provide additional examples of similar pathology.

Recommended Citation

Powers, Patrick M. and Mead, Alfred J. (2017) "Description of a Pathologic White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Mandible from Central Georgia," Georgia Journal of Science, Vol. 75, No. 2, Article 6.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.gaacademy.org/gjs/vol75/iss2/6