Shot 2 with locked horns!!!!
Whitetail Deer
I just finished my annual trip to SD. I took along two friends and a great time was/is being had by all. Unfortunately, I had to leave early as my wife is having surgery in the morning. (She will be fine)
The trip started out a little slower than usual although everyone was seeing a lot of deer just not as many large bucks as usual. We try to find 150 class bucks if possible.
The first night on stand I was able to take this coyote at 30 yards. He was facing my and I shot him between the shoulders. It was a good shot and he fell dead right where I shot him.
The following morning was very windy and things slowed down considerable. However, when driving out we came across two big bucks fighting. We jumped out of the car and tried to get close but they ran off into the bush.
We returned after lunch and Rick bumped them, still fighting, while walking into his stand. He shot one at 30 yardsand hit a little high. He texted me and asked me to come and help as he was unsure of the hit and the deer ran into a milo field.
It was a big commotion and he was unsure if they were locked or simply fighting.
I got over there and we each walked down one side of a 60 yards trip of mile a half mile long and did not kick them up.
So, we picked the other 60 yard stip next to the first. While we we pushing the second strip a large body deer jumped up about 50 yards from me. I inched up another 20 yards and shot when I saw horns. I made a good shot. After I shot, The one that Rick shot stood up and he was able to put another arrow into that deer.
Long story very short, the deer had locked horns and could not get them separated. Each deer are 150 class.
We tried to separate them for over 90 minutes and were unable to do so. Crazy!
They are both 10 pts with a few stickers.
Life is good.
We are each going to mount our own and get a replica of the other so we can mount them together.
Great story with a good friend.
Wow those bucks are super nice. Thanks for posting
Once in a million hunts!!!!
Congrats to you both!!
Where in SD?
Mark
That is awesome! Congrats! What part of SD were you in? That is a great story and you and your buddy will have some awesome mounts to remember it!
Those'll be cool mounts. Congratulations!
CONGRATS!!!! Gonna be tough hanging those two guys together :)
How cool is that! Congratulations!!
Wow...crazy hunt. Congrats...
What an experience. Congrats on multi-trophies !! What are the odds this would happen or even greater, happen again ?
Wow that is unreal congrats to you both
Let us know how the meat is. I’ve been curious if all that stress would taint the meat or make it tough. Crazy experience.
Can they make a replica of horns locked together? Just curious?
Be interesting if you can get them unlocked for mounting separately, without damaging them.
We hunt in Gregory, SD.
We donated all of the meat to Hunters for the Hungry.
I believe we are going to have to separate them to get the replicas made.
They may come apart after the skull caps are removed and they are caped.
Might have to do an even-odd year traveling trophy! Congrats on a unique trophy.
So we're they locked when you shot them? Obviously yours was locked when you shot yours.
Will be the coolest mount ever. Congratulations!
So cool! Once in a lifetime there!
Geez, that is way cool! Congrats on a really unique experience.
one in a lifetime...........no way. not everyone will see THAT in their lifetime. More like once in 100,000 lifetimes to see that and that quality.
Wow! Congrats to you both
http://leatherwall.bowsite.com/TF/lw/thread2.cfm?forum=23&threadid=293345&messages=4&CATEGORY=9
Leatherwall people still over there smelling of mink oil and huffing each others farts
I don't know what to say. I really don’t think I was puffing out my chest. I was simply sharing a story. In my opinion, I was sharing an event that I will likely never see in my life.
It was not a great story of hunting prowess but more of a lucky chance.
We do target 150 class bucks on my farm and are often successful.
I didn’t know they were locked when I shot. However, I would have shot anyways. I doubt they could have survived the night. There are plenty of coyotes in the area and they likely would have faced a much more cruel death.
I rarely post here and usually simply lurk unless I am congratulating someone.
I don’t need the drama or approval from anyone.
I do enjoy the friendships I have made on the here and enjoy reading others stories.
I was simply trying to contribute.
Have a good day.
Congrats on the bucks! At least they didn't go to waste.
I was able to take a mule deer several years ago that had the head and neck from his opponent still attached. I spotted him walking across a CRP field and was able to stalk up and harvest it. The rest of the dead buck had been eaten off by coyotes. Both were 170 class bucks and are still locked up to this day.
I wouldn't worry about it, you guys did good killing those bucks. Pretty unique experience you got to share with your friend and that's a cool idea to have a mount made of them locked up.
Very neat story thanks for sharing. Congratulations! Don’t let the off comments get you, its the internet
Yep, I’m sure none of those guys would have shot them! Thanks for sharing an awesome story!
Why not separate them with a saw to hunt them Fair Chase? The bucks will tire enough to safely get this done. I've done it. Just my 2 cents.
LOL! I knew it was only a matter of time before the "hollier than thou" crowd jumped all over this! ;-)
Don't pay them any mind! You and your buddy did the right thing, just as a lot of us would have done. And thanks for posting the story..................................some of us found it very interesting!
very cool, by the way you've got way more thumbs up than down ,and I guarantee the thumbs down crowd have some stink on them anyway!
If I'd had TWO buck tags I'da shot em both! That was cool. Way cool. Congrats on a very unique event. Thanks for sharing!
Ignore the peanut gallery. Most of us here hunt deer...... not adopt them......
Haa. Holier than thou....funny...kind of a similar situation story,,,guy in a campground I talked too every evening..
Haa. Holier than thou....funny...kind of a similar situation story,,,guy in a campground I talked too every evening..a decent buck followed a doe out of thick cover,,5 min later,,,a real GIANT popped out and started destroying a good sized cedar....he immediately got his rack locked in the twisted branches of the tree....45 min later. Exhausted,,,the buck just stood there.....the fella got out of stand 100 yards away,,,walked right up...10 yards and put a killing shot on em,,,ethical??? Man that's hunting,,,we all know,,,crazy stuff happens,,,,intelligent predators will take advantage of ALL opportunity.........period.
Amazing! Of course, it's the right thing to do on many levels.
I followed the link to the discussion on Leatherwall. WOW! Now I know that GF stands for Girl Fight.
Bow hunting longer than most of you I do know the proper, ethical , Fair Chase thing to do.
Sorry but I agree it was right to kill them. I don't consider it a true hunt. Locked together unable to flee. Again sorry but not fair chase and I would not be proud of the experience at all other then to end what most likely would of been a miserable death! Shawn
Bow hunting longer than most of you I do know the proper, ethical , Fair Chase thing to do.
Since the bucks were located with much time to spare......both bucks would have survived to be hunted proudly in the future. This is all I have to say.
I find it amazing that anyone on this site would call this hunting and even worst that many say they would of did the same thing. Yes killing the deer was most likely the right thing to do, but maybe not. They may of been able to be separated without killing them. Sorry but what part of this story has anything to do with hunting as we know it?? Holier then thou, hell the post made on LW is pretty much dead on, come on call it what it was, a mercy killing not a hunt!! Shawn
Good grief...... no wonder so many just quit posting here. And little wonder the LW has the reputation it does. Deer hunting is NOT a religion.
BTW I killed my first blacktail in '72 or '73 with a bear Kodiak magnum. And plan on packing out deer and elk and whatever else gets in front of an arrow for a good long time in the future. Only folks I know that bring up "they've been hunting longer than most" don't hunt much anymore. Certainly not 60 to 90 days a year.
It's a poor argument and proves nothing. Only that you've gotten old..... sometimes in many ways....
Man, TD said it perfectly. Get over yourself. The OP and his buddy came across a situation that most of us will never witness. Who knows how any of us would react in a situation like that? My guess is most would do what the OP did. The guy had a truly unique experience and shared it with the rest of us here on Bowsite. Then some D-Bag trolls from the leather wall crawl up here from their toad hole and bag on us for not being pure enough for them. Get over yourself. I can't imagine caring that much about what someone else enjoys to go on a public forum to criticize an experience that they truly found remarkable. I guess go look in the mirror and punch yourself in the face a few times. Your opinion doesn't mean that much. You aren't any better than the rest of us. To the OP congrats on an amazing event that most won't ever experience. Forget about the rest.
TD! That's the stuff right there! Boom!
So I guess if you see a small buck (or doe for that matter) limping along on a broken leg you should NOT shoot it because that would NOT be the "sporting" thing to do! GEEEEEZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : (
Rut but, the appropriate thing to do is tackle it and try to save it so you can shoot it later.
LOL..."I've been hunting more than most." That may well be true but most of us get some killing in once in awhile as well. :)
Oh, that's right! Tackle it, tie it up, take it to the vet, then release it back into the wild when it is healed so it's FAIR CHASE! ;-)
Expedition- this elitist, judgemental hypocrisy has driven many people away from bowsite. It single handedly killed the Illinois forum. Pay it no mind. Thanks for sharing an experience that most hunters will never witness. You and your buddy absolutely did the right thing in saving those animals from a horrible death. I can't imagine a hunter seeing two deer in such a condition and not having the sympathy to end the misery. As for the all of the macho people who would have separated the bucks, maybe some would try, but not me unless there was a ton of hands to help. My family comes first and I wouldn't risk being injured by wild animals without plenty of resources.
A few years ago I came across a pair of locked bucks, but unfortunately for them I was a year too late. And before someone starts tearing me down, yes I have salvage tags.
Don't let these heros with a keyboard both you or ruin your attempt to share expiditiontraders. I suspect the root cause of their unwilling to allow you to share is jealousy.
A couple years ago here I posted a pair of locked deer that I too found locked. One alive and one dead. I killed the live one and got a possession permit for the dead one. In total there are 334 inches of antler. From what I understand, it stands as the largest "find/kill" for whitetail deer ever. The crap you're getting is pale in comparison to the pm's I bet you've received, as I got 2 years ago. No matter how honest you are with your sharing this experience, and that's what it is, there are nay sayers that can't understand the uniqueness of your once in a life time day hunting. The pm's I received for example where saying "what kind of sportsman are you?" and "oh boy, I bet you think you're better that the rest of us?" and it went on and on.
For me, I love reading stories and seeing pictures of "out of the box" days afield, so thanks for sharing.
I been trying to get back into Bowsite. Was an avid reader but drifted away past few years. This exemplifies why. Congrats again to the OP on a cool hunt and by all means doing the right thing
A deer hit by a car or with a broken leg is totally different. By all means theOP did the right thing. The point is it was not a "hunt" in the true sense of the word. Anyone who thinks different is just plan wrong. Fair Chase, nope not by definition not at all. No high horse no nothing just common sense. Shawn
Great story and very nice deer! You hunt long enough and you find those very few precarious situations where the moons align and something like this happens. You don't hunt for it, expect it, or even look for it... You did everything by the book and it will be a fine memory that you and your friend will never forget and likely tell about for years to follow. The bucks will be respected and will be scrumptious table fare. Thanks for sharing!
Bet that was a real hard hunt no matter how you polish it up
I wonder what people would say if this had happened on Pat's Kansas hunt???!!! ;-)
I can’t really say what I would have done in this scenario, I guess it would have to happen to me, which is very unlikely. However, I’m not gonna fault what other guys do as long as it’s legal. I’m more concerned that the meat was given away than how it was taken. I guess I’m a meat hunter at heart. Antlers just don’t mean that much to me, but as long as the meat is not wasted, that’s all good too.
Both of those bucks are trophy's in my book. What an exciting experience you soon won't forget. There's always going to be haters and the "well the most ethical thing to do is"". It really does get old.. good for you and your friend on a pair of monster bucks.. congrats!!
Wow great encounter and cool outcome. Congrats to you and your friend. Like TD said if I had two tags i would have shot them both.
The peanut gallery gets let loose every once and while here. Ignore them. There just jealous.
A ' real hunt ' would have involved a trail camera, tree stand, and a timed feeder. :)
A real fair chase hunt that is.
Shawn would it have been different if the bucks were fighting and you snuck up and shot it? He didn't even know they were locked. Don't know why that would not be considered a hunt. Don't have to be an ass about it
This "do it like I do it or you're doing it wrong" really gets old.........
It isn't about doing it 'my way', or about jealousy. That's just a childish attempt to silence or deflect those you disagree with. Pure and simple, it's about fair chase or not... a hunt or not... whether congrats are appropriate or not. I'd feel the same way if it were two small bucks, or a doe stuck in a fence, or mud, or whether I found them or anyone else did, and there would be no congratulations appropriate in those instances either. I won't try to justify how it went down because they wore large antlers.
If ANY animal is helpless in such a scenario and we decide not to help it or free it, but to expedite it's death, and there ARE times when that's the best option, it simply wasn't a fair chase hunt... and no sportsman, or sensible, decent person, would pretend or believe it was.
'HE didn't know they were locked?' I have a hard time believing that. Who in their right mind believes that two bucks fighting, when approached by hunters will spook and run away into the woods with their antlers still together if they weren't locked up? How about after one of them is shot, and again the same two bucks run away into a cornfield... antlers still tight together. Still didn't think they were locked? You guys believe that? I think it's bizarre how antler envy affects folk's sense of reason... though I can't say I'm surprised.
I find this whole issue of "fair chase" to be quite ironic. You can follow dogs to the base of a tree where a black bear or cougar is held at bay and shoot it as "fair chase".....but might some consider them "helpless"? Of course the lion could make a jump for it and you may have had to slog through waist deep snow to get to the tree, but the reality is that another trained animal did the majority of the work and the "hunter" is really just a shooter. Then pose for the "hero" photo and enter it into a "book" if the animal happened to be large....in the spirit of "fair chase".
On the flip side, a hunter on free-range land encounters two large bucks that were fighting for dominance and entangled their racks. There is enough pictorial evidence that one or both of these animals would die of starvation or the tender mercies of a predator such as a pack of coyotes who would start eating them alive. The hunter was either very luck or quite skillful to be where the big bucks were, then makes the shot to end the life and death struggle. Then some step up to point fingers in a scenario they have never personally dealt with????
In my 40 years of bowhunting, I have envisioned many possible scenarios in the woods while staring at bare ground or watching squirrels. In west Michigan where I live, I would hope I had both my combo tags in that situation as I would likely be launching a couple arrow as well. Maybe I am not a pristine as some on here believe themselves, but they honestly don't know what they would do until engrossed in the actual situation. To the OP......you were there and made a split second decision.....the detractors were not.
It's not about "silencing" anyone in any way, shape or form. It is 100% about a few who are jumping in here bashing others..... trying to impose their own personal "ethics" on everyone else. Their's is the only "right" way. Everyone else is wrong.
If you wouldn't do anything about it, fine, that up to YOU. You ALONE. Knock yourself out. I fail to see why anyone would even think about slamming someone who came on here with a very unique event and good story. They had the tags..... THEIR tags..... and legally used them as they saw fit. That someone else is into eating theirs or wearing them as some badge of honor..... that to is their own personal decision. I couldn't care less, why would I care two flips what they legally did with their tags? Why some have a burning need to interject theirs on everyone else..... could probably write a thesis paper on it......
Leave the holier than thou one upmanship mud wrestling over on leatherwall. Many there take NOT killing anything to an art form. That place is toxic, you like it, fine. I hate to see the elitism ooze over here.
TD....damn well said.....!!!
WHAT THIS SITE HAS LOST IN educational value over the years it has more than made up for in entertainment value
Thanks TD, I was about to retort to that bullshit until I read your post. Couldn't have daid it any better.
Maybe if your bow didn’t have training wheels.... sorry, couldn’t resist. Definitely a once in a lifetime encounter.
I don't see where the OP asked for anyone's self righteous opinions in the first place. Maybe there should be a new forum for the ELITE, SELF RIGHTOUES, ASS HATS !
Jeff Durnell I’ll fly you out first class to tall Eric he’s a liar to his face!
Very cool and unique experience & thanks for sharing.
Question to those slamming would it be ok to shoot a buck who came in you know you can’t move or get busted.
Then the deer beds and dozes off. Now you can move without being spotted. Is it OK to shoot then?
It was a fair chase hunt and nothing at all illegal about it!
Great Freaking Job!
Expeditiontraders don’t sweat the negativity being posted on here. Hell bro I have one person who I think has taken to bash me or push buttons on any thread I make or post on!
Haters only hate because of envy!
Bou and TD are both spot on!
The negative comments on here are laughable. Just laughable. TD makes the points well. I just really wanted to thank the OP for sharing a really cool story complete with images for us to enjoy. At no point was he making a bravado statement, he was just literally sharing a super cool experience with us. As you can tell, many people enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing.
To the guys that claim this is "wrong" in some way? I feel for you. I really really do. I can't imagine going through life with that mindset and I truly hope you find some help some day.
Never mind going to another forum and starting a thread about your perceived negativity of a person? WOW that's a new level of low. That's the most shameful thing in this whole crapstorm. Hard to understand grown adults with that behaviour.
the dude- Said it best, Leatherwall people still over there smelling of mink oil and huffing each others farts" hahaha
All hunters just read bylaws posted by Boone and Crockett club regarding fair chase and end this debate . Very simple.
Since neither of these deer qualify for Boone n Crockett why do there by laws pertain to anything? Just maybe neither of the two hunters are members of Boone n Crockett. Boone n Crockett by laws pertain to Boone n Crockett members.
What difference does it make if a number of people think it’s not fair chase. They had a cool experience and filled there tags legally.
I say congrats to the hunters and thank you for sharing there encounter and success.
I am always amazed at the fights and how so many bucks die from locked horns. You would think the high stress points would simply break and release the deer.
Compounds ain't bows. Did he shoot it with a longbow?
If so, he gets a pass. Me, I woulda got a sawzall and set em free! Lol
Awesome bucks and cool story. Thanks for taking the time to share it.
Here's mine. I did try to unlock them and got kicked in the leg for it.
I read a while back that separating them after being over stressed would not save them generally.
Detractors can save your comments for another day. Thanks.
Hey, not everyone on Leatherwall is huffing farts! :)
Bear track we’ve been over this. You wait until they are tired and you walk up to them calmly and in your most soothing voice say “hey pretty little guys, I won’t hurt you. I’m here to save you so I can kill you tomorrow. Hold still”. Then you pull their horns apart gently and watch them bound away. Don’t shoot them as they are bounding. That wouldn’t be fair chase.
