The endocrine system is a network of glands that secrete hormones to help a deer's body function properly. The glands include the pituitary gland, thyroid and hypothalamus. Regardless of why Double Beam's antlers were still in velvet, the big buck had an undeniable presence wherever it roamed, even if it did go largely unnoticed. That he survived for years in an area where traffic and good hunters take most trophies and attained substantial size is a tribute to the buck. But this smart buck fell in some 10 of Cambria County's nastiest brush because an overextended hunter played his ace in the hole and made it count during the limited time he had to hunt early in the season. It was exceptionally warm. Mike was pushed to the limit. And the buck had disappeared. But instead of going somewhere else, Mike waited. It wasn't exactly a textbook move during the first week of bow season, but it sure paid off big. Mike's velvet Double Beam is proof of that.