Vert

[LBI]

Found this in Bandera County, TX. It seems to be fossilized but kinda hard to tell. Any ideas as to what it’s from?

[Fossildude19]

Not a vertebra, but an astragalus.

Possibly deer.

[LBI]

Thanks!! Any way to tell what species of deer?

[Fossildude19]

Not that I'm aware of.

Wait for more comments, but it looks modern to me.
Try a burn test to see if it gives off any smell.

[fossilus]

16 minutes ago, LBI said:

Thanks!! Any way to tell what species of deer?

Actually, it looks more like cow sized. Likely bovine.

[LBI]

Probably not as fossilized as I thought then. Thank you. 

[Slow Walker]

Doesn't look like a vert. Looks like toe bone. 

[Shellseeker]

On 7/26/2022 at 10:08 AM, LBI said:

Probably not as fossilized as I thought then. Thank you. 

You should read this older TFF thread.  Your fossil find is too large to be deer.  It might be Horse, Llama,  Bison or cow,  all of which you have in Texas...

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/98823-astragalus-bone-of-unknown-critter/

 

Edited July 28, 2022 by Shellseeker

[jpevahouse]

Astragalus, the rear ankle of a deer or other herbivorous  animal; pigs, goats,sheep, early camels, bison, cows have similar astragalus defined usually by size. I'd bet on deer for that one. Looks like it might be old enough to be a fossil.

 

Edited July 30, 2022 by jpevahouse

[Harry Pristis]

Good images, LBI.  I thought at first that size must make it cow; but, closer scrutiny leads me to think it is from a large mule deer.

 

 

[fossilus]

2 hours ago, Harry Pristis said:

Good images, LBI.  I thought at first that size must make it cow; but, closer scrutiny leads me to think it is from a large mule deer.

 

 

Mule deer are definitely found in Texas. My son nearly totaled our SUV around 10 years ago in west Texas after hitting one.

[Harry Pristis]

Yep . . . I had a doe jump into the fender of my vehicle in Trans-Pecos Texas year ago.  They are much larger than white tail deer.