An unusual roebuck

Have you ever come across, or heard of, cryptorchidism in roebucks? On a stalking outing in August, I shot a young fourpoint roebuck. During the gralloch I realised that the buck had no obvious external scrotal sac, although in all other outward appearances he seemed normal. He was in hard antler, good general condition and the larder weight was 14.5kg, average in the area for his age and condition. Close inspection internally revealed a pair of small, white, kidney bean-sized testes, so they were present but retained internally. In almost 40 years of stalking roe, I have never encountered this condition before. How common it is?

I have discussed this unusual case with a leading deer vet and can confirm that retention of one or both testes within the abdomen is rare but not unheard of in UK deer. Most cases are unilateral and often unnoticed by the stalker, but bilateral cases do occur. The affected males have normal hormonal profiles and activity: they rut, grow and shed antlers, but the retained testes are infertile, so if both are within the abdomen, the buck or stag will be infertile. From the image you enclosed, the buck certainly seems to have been healthy, but the retained testes are prone to disease, especially cancer. GD

Finding a stag or buck with testes retained in the abdomen is rare but not unheard of