Hunter Kills Hermaphrodite Deer

[matcom]

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. --A DeBary man who was out hunting deer last fall got a big surprise when he took one of his deer into the check station.

Joe Stokes was deer hunting on public land in Sumter County on Nov. 12 and shot two deer, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported.

When FWC senior wildlife technician Tim Farley logged in the deer, he discovered that one deer was a hermaphrodite, possessing both male and female reproductive organs. Farley also he logged in another hermaphrodite deer the day before.

"I've been doing this for 27 years, and I've only come across three deer that were 'true' hermaphrodites, those having all of the male and female sex organs," Farley said in a statement.

Robert Vanderhoof, the deer management coordinator for the FWC, said deer that are true hermaphrodites are extremely rare.

http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2007/01/31/florida_hunter_bags_a_hermaphrodite_deer?mode=PF