Hunting Misfits - The Crested Saguaro
Was out hunting misfits in my favorite section of the Sonoran desert and found this monster. My buddy found it and as the rules go, gets to name it. Meet Bullwinkle, only my second crested saguaro found in the wild.
It’s called a crested saguaro due to the “fanning” at the top (second photo).
Biologists disagree as to why some saguaros grow in this unusual form. Some speculate that it is a genetic mutation. Others say it is the result of a lightning strike or freeze damage. Whatever it is, they are pretty rare, there is a group that has been hunting these for years and have found just over 2200. Seems like a lot until you realize the Sonoran desert covers 120,000 square miles.