Baillie heads

[novice]

Obviously such trophies are very rare. What i was wanting to know was whether such heads occur as one offs, or whether a buck can show a Baillie head over several seasons?

Given that quite a few of the recorded examples have been found dead, im guessing whatever the underlying cause is will be responsible for the death of the beast. I wonder how many of us would leave a baillie head to see if it was repeated the next season?!?

Are there any records of cast Baillie antlers being found?

Novice

 

[willie_gunn]

Novice

The Baillie heads affect not just the antlers but also the skull itself with a large amount of abnormal bone growth, particularly around the eye sockets, for which there is still no explanation (unless someone would care to enlighten us). As such, one would expect the consequent thickening of the antlers to occur year upon year though, as you say, it is unlikely that somone would leave such a buck once seen.

I can't recall if any cast Baillie antlers have turned up, but I'll try to have a dig through the library this evening.

BTW, there's an interesting article by Richard Prior that touches on the Baillie Monsters here: http://www.klaksholm.dk/files/Verdensrekord_i_buk.pdf

willie_gunn

 

[chrisc]

Hello novice ,

I spoke to richard prior about these heads and he had on record 21 heads but most of them are well down south around winchester etc but i shot 1 in north yorkshire which scored a bronze i will post a picture , the fact that mine was in the north really did put the spanner in the works.

regards
chris

 

[jamross65]

I was under the impression that high levels of protein available to the buck is one main factor for causing the abnormal bone growth.

 

[willie_gunn]

I was under the impression that high levels of protein available to the buck is one main factor for causing the abnormal bone growth.

Something that Richard Prior also comments on in his article. It's an interesting theory, but given the prevalence of feed hoppers in the South of England (and elsewhere) I would personally have expected a lot more Baillie heads to occur if this was the reason for them. It would be great to get some real scientific research into the Baillie heads, and malforms in general.

willie_gunn

 

[morena]

I did an article on malformed antlers with examples by kind permission of the owners' photos from their collections plus my own photos and submitted it to BASC Shooting Magazine and was rejected as 1:Only a niche interest 2:Had to have broad coverage.They did offer to put it on line or for me to try BDS or Sporting Rifle.This article was based on scientific peer reviewed papers from around the world. Prior to submitting it I did a survey amongst my professional stalker friends who found it interesting and informative.

 

[chriseoe]

Try sending a copy to Graham Downing at Perdix publishing. They do the BDS DEER magazine and are always looking for more science based articles than the others. I am sure you can find them if you search on line.

Ys

Chris

 

[moose]

I have some pictures of a buck i cleaned for a mate shot in Ayrshire this year that has thickening of the pedicles, not very pronounced as in the Baillie Monsters but unusual non the less, have never seen anything like it before.

I have tried to upload the pictures but for some reason there is no option to upload from the computer when i click on pictures, only from the URL and i don't know how to do.

This thread has reminded me that i was going to send them on to Richard Prior for his thoughts.

Moose

 

[novice]

Hello novice ,

I spoke to richard prior about these heads and he had on record 21 heads but most of them are well down south around winchester etc but i shot 1 in north yorkshire which scored a bronze i will post a picture , the fact that mine was in the north really did put the spanner in the works.

regards
chris

You're a lucky man Chris! Had you seen the beast before you had an opportunity to grass him? Was there a pheasant shoot on the ground?

Novice

 

[novice]

I did an article on malformed antlers with examples by kind permission of the owners' photos from their collections plus my own photos and submitted it to BASC Shooting Magazine and was rejected as 1:Only a niche interest 2:Had to have broad coverage.They did offer to put it on line or for me to try BDS or Sporting Rifle.This article was based on scientific peer reviewed papers from around the world. Prior to submitting it I did a survey amongst my professional stalker friends who found it interesting and informative.

I'd say their decision is their loss! Any chance of a sneak preview for SD members??!!

Novice

 

[chrisc]

You're a lucky man Chris! Had you seen the beast before you had an opportunity to grass him? Was there a pheasant shoot on the ground?

Novice

novice there was a small pheasant shoot on the the land and all the roe where massive body weights the ballie had a clean larder weight of 62lbs and most does where close to fifty but never under 42lbs. But this was the 1st beast i shot on the land which took 3 weeks to see but after the 1st deer it went fine after that i had around 35+ of 400 acres which was mental but out of that cull program i never shot the best and some i had never seen before including a horned doe.

 

[jcampbellsmith]

Obviously such trophies are very rare. What i was wanting to know was whether such heads occur as one offs, or whether a buck can show a Baillie head over several seasons?

What is a 'Baillie' head? Is there a scientific term for this? Regards JCS

 

[WestCoastStalker]

I have some pictures of a buck i cleaned for a mate shot in Ayrshire this year that has thickening of the pedicles, not very pronounced as in the Baillie Monsters but unusual non the less, have never seen anything like it before.

I have tried to upload the pictures but for some reason there is no option to upload from the computer when i click on pictures, only from the URL and i don't know how to do.

This thread has reminded me that i was going to send them on to Richard Prior for his thoughts.

Moose

If you go to http://tinypic.com/ upload the photo then copy and paste the url that it gives you for forums then that should allow you to post it

 

[mj robson]

Hello novice ,

I spoke to richard prior about these heads and he had on record 21 heads but most of them are well down south around winchester etc but i shot 1 in north yorkshire which scored a bronze i will post a picture , the fact that mine was in the north really did put the spanner in the works.

regards
chris

Chris,

I thought Baillie heads weren't reconised by the CIC, hense the big hoohaa around Tom Troubridge’s world record head?

 

[chrisc]

hi mj i dont know about that but mine was sent to dominic griefiths if i have spelt it right and he is richard priors son in law and showed it to him that is why he phoned me up to see where i shot it.

regards
chris

 

[moose]

I have some pictures of a buck i cleaned for a mate shot in Ayrshire this year that has thickening of the pedicles, not very pronounced as in the Baillie Monsters but unusual non the less, have never seen anything like it before.

I have tried to upload the pictures but for some reason there is no option to upload from the computer when i click on pictures, only from the URL and i don't know how to do.

This thread has reminded me that i was going to send them on to Richard Prior for his thoughts.

Moose

Now been able to add pics

Moose

 

[stone]

Is this a better example

Not sure how a ballie head was given a bronze medal
More like it may of been teetering on the edge of normal-ballieism , so got the benefit of the doubt
Moose
interesting antler configuration , any more like it or is it just a one for the area

 

[chrisc]

i will post some pictures today and if i can find the cert i will show that for you.

regards
chris

 

[chrisc]

here are the pictures of the roe buck that richard prior told me was a ballie monster and he also told me of the chaps name who 1st recorded the formation but that was a long time ago.

regards
chris

 

[moose]

Moose
interesting antler configuration , any more like it or is it just a one for the area

I cleaned this head for a mate who is in a syndicate, have done maybe half a dozen for him and they have been all normal, but can't say if there has been anymore that maybe the other guys have shot.

Moose