Finally - Rompola Proof
Whitetail Deer
Well that revealed somewhere between nothing and less than nothing new.
"some of the folks involved in this story are old or have died". I wonder if this story ever will also? my best, Paul
If there ever was a case of revealing somewhere between nothing and less than nothing new, there's one guy here who would know it ;^)..... Peeeeeeeeeeeeek-a-bou
^^^^ haha.... That is correct sir!
Sorry Bou but Traverse City and Southern Ontario two different worlds.
Now southern MI does have big bucks and is on the same latitude as much of southern Ont.
“You have to realize Mitch is awfully reserved,” Berger told D&DH at that time. “He does not give a rip what everyone else thinks. He doesn’t care.”
Well, that is false. He may be introverted but he tried to impress the Wensels with big buck pics that showed amateurish taxidermy. Now in regard to the several people who claim the rack was real, were they local friends? We don't know, but we do know fake racks can fool almost anyone. The bottom line is Mitch folded in the end for his reasons or a combination of external reasons and the buck is not the WR.
Just to clarify the pics were claimed to be a live buck, not a buck MR had mounted with amateurish taxidermy.
David A....The mount in question was not finished as the cape around the skull cap was not sewn up. That allowed the scorers to look at it. The article mentions that. To me it looks like a temp mount on a board just to complete the scoring and snap a few pics. Maybe Kevin would know how that was finished??
I'm referring to an incident where Mitch tried to make an impression by showing pics of a buck he claimed to be hunting that showed embarrassingly poor taxidermy and was posed in the woods.
As far as these scorers, I've heard they were friends of Mitch, but I don't know that as a fact and the story is old. If I was one of these writers, I would call up those persons and interview them instead of repeating the same-o pros and cons of the case.
The bottom line is Mitch folded and it's not the WR. Might it have been? Of course, there is that possibility it was real just as there is the possibility other WR antlers are in an attic or barn.
Ohio hunter, why click on the topic? It seems you want to dictate what other bowhunters should not be interested in...no offence, but just don't open the thread...
""Of course, there is that possibility it was real just as there is the possibility other WR antlers are in an attic or barn.""
I tend to agree about the possibility of another WR already out there collecting dust somewhere.
Did I ever tell you the one about the dead horse that wouldn’t die?
Hey..... didn’t someone mention on the last Rompola thread that the famous Rompola Buck was lost in a fire ?? It’s gone. Let the story die with it.
Mysteries always intrigue me. But..................I’d much rather hear what happened on that infamous Mtn lion hunt!
I believe the process of making that happen is called “belongingnification”, or in certain southern states simply referred to with the acronym “HDYLMK”.
Reminds me of a guy who frequently posts on a local forum. He would always trash the guys posting their good deer and sharing the story, saying they were just saying look at me and that the real mature buck hunters just sit in the back of the room and don't feel the need to show off their kills. Ironically, when that guy finally got a decent buck on public land, he was posting pictures within hours! Oddly enough, he also worked as a state game warden at one time. Very similar to EF but cant be the same guy. This guy is named Billy and lives in LA. He is also obsessed with Mitch's story.
Given the choice between knowing the truth behind this buck or resurrecting the participation of the author of HDYLMK, I go for the latter.
That was great t-roy, thanks.
Potential. My kids cam last year Illinois
t-roy brings two miss-understood, yet undeniable legends together. Both forever talked about but neither ever really recognized for their amazing feats. I wonder if Mitch used special swamp tracking spiders for scouting out monster bucks?
'Sounds to Me that David A fell for his own Self Fulfilling Prophecy. He raced ahead, chose a desired end result, then began backing up , rearranging thoughts to point to the desired result."
What specifically are you talking about? I'm just interested in the truth which is what motivates me in trying to solve a mystery. Otherwise, I could care less.
"You must follow the facts unbiased, with no pre guess as it will bias you."
I agree. But the facts in this case largely argue against the buck being legit. The only "facts" that give me serious pause are the several individuals who saw the rack up close and claim it was legit. But we don't know much about this such as were these individuals friends of Mitch, and so forth. So yes I would want to interview these persons to ascertain what really happened. There can be a huge gap between what we have read and what really happened, so one should reserve some doubt here as well.
"David, dictate? You really pulled that one out of your arse. Sounds like you have underlying Home issues. I don’t know where you’ve been but FYI this topic here is like beating the dead horses grave at this point, and yes admin has locked them if that doesn’t tell you something then by all means keep worrying about who is dictating you."
I just wonder why some people complain about a topic that has fascinated deer and bowhunters for many years. Just don't click on the thread if you hate to read about it or aren't interested. That's why all the topics don't automatically open. You have a choice, you are in control...
I believe it was real but I suspect it was a city buck. There used to be two poachers here on bowsite that hunted inside a large city near where I live. They shot some monsters but usually rattled them in after dark near a wooded golf course or inside a restricted public area after dark.
Jason, take a look at this poached "potential WR" 8 pt....from Michigan!
http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119104
Must. Stop. Clicking. On. Threads. With. "Rompola". In. Title.
That 8pt was poached in Goodhue County, Minnesota....not Michigan. But I'm sure the soil is poor there. :-)
I wish we could make Bowsite "Rompola proof". :-)
Many threads are like a gun laying on a table....nothing happens until you walk by and choose to pick (open) it up.
I read another really good article about the Rompola buck...
In last months issue of Who Gives a F#$* Magazine...
Finally! With absolutely no logical reasoning presented I think Mr. Schmidt can claim he has the last word on my dad's deer. All of those that don't believe it is legit can now just reference this article to prove they are right! Mr. Schmidt says so!
Mike, is that one of those magazines you have to hide under the mattress, or maybe I'm thinking of something else :)
Kevin, so where is this deer now? I’m kind of surprised you don’t come out with any proof since all these guys are calling your dad a liar. I for one can in fact believe it’s the real deal. Do you have a pic of his game room?
Spike,
I don't come on here to prove anything. After 20 years you either believe it is legit or not. That doesn't matter to us. However, when someone writes/publishes or makes a statement on a podcast or whatever that is totally absurd I am going to call them out on it. All of the evidence has been put out there. What? Do you need an x-ray? Show me an x-ray from any officially measured and entered world class animal. Why is that the standard of proof for my dad when he never even wanted to officially enter it? He shot a 220 class gross typical Whitetail. And that is the truth!
Wow, I thought this thread was going to be a "how to" covering in the field photography of deer kills to alleviate the droopy ears with maybe bailing wire or duct tape. Everyone could use some advice to "Rompola Proof" their photos.
JL, that buck that was poached was not to far from where I live. Droopy ears will always get you every time.
I knew Mitch quite well. I cannot comment as to the genetics of the deer or where it was killed. I don't really care. I do however, believe Mitch killed the deer and it was just as it appears. All I can say is, it must be a slow day at D&DH for Mike to bring this back up. I would have thought he would have written something about crossbows or airbows or using drones to scout.
Its been so long its mute to me, i could care less about trophy class bucks... some guys buy corvettes, build enormous houses they will never actually visit all the rooms in ... a guy shooting a deer is least on my list of important things in my life. Mitchs name will always be remembered... for what? We'll never really lnow.
we have not had a rompola thread in a long time. back when that was going on vowed that if I ever killed a REALLY big deer any kind of state record or anything......I'm not telling anyone.
Kevin.... does the mount still exist ?? I recall hearing it was lost in a fire.
If I killed a giant, I would negotiate the package for article, replicas, etc. I would invite official record holders to x-ray, measure, take core sample of antler, see gut pile GPS coordinates, pray over, etc, to their heart's content. Just how I roll. If I stand on the rooftops yelling, I am happy to back up my exaltations using any reasonable method to satisfy the majority of the skeptics. Your mileage may vary.
From: BIG BEAR 18-Jun-18 Kevin.... does the mount still exist ?? I recall hearing it was lost in a fire. ***The friggin mount is right on the wall in his Dad's house along with a bunch of other world class heads his Dad has killed over the years starting when he was a kid in MO. That "lost in a fire" was just another bunch of BS put out by the naysayers, of which there appear to many on this website! As far as posts saying there is reason to believe the rack is not legit, that is pure BS because none saying that have seen the rack in person. Instead they have come up with "drooping ears" amongst other pure BS to say it's not real or legit. There were plenty of reputable people that had hands on the rack even before it was removed from the dead buck and none had any reason whatsoever to lie about it. This will be my only post on this thread because there appears to be so many people on this site that don't have a clue about this buck and instead just fall back into plain disgusting behavior every time it's brought up.
Bowriter, after re-reading that D&DH article...it does seem odd they (Dan Schmidt...not Mike Schmidt) would bring this up again in the context he did. He seemed to be suggesting there was some type of mass conspiracy with everyone involved. Like you said....could have been a slow day at D&DH. The one thing I would disagree with him is that area is not known for big-racked deer. I live and hunt there. They are not behind every tree, but there are some wide-racked and big-racked deer around. On the last R-thread I posted cam vids of a wide-racked and big racked bucks I got two years ago in that area. They are the exception, not the rule...but they are there.
Never will understand why anyone would lose an ounce of sleep over a deer one way or the other. How does it change your life? If your life revolves around something as meaningless as antlers, you must have a very blessed life.....
Controversy sells magazines! ;-)
"" Wyobowhunter, I hope someday YOU put that buck where he belongs, in the P&Y book, as the greatest typical of all time! ""
That is an interesting angle I never thought of.
Jjs- we already proved that big, old bucks often have drooping ears in the last Rompola thread. I'm sorry you never shot one that big or old.
Thanks for clearing that up Michael..... Here’s a picture from my copy of the 6th edition of Commemorative Bucks of Michigan Big Game Records....His 181.7 which was the biggest typical in Michigan with a bow at the time......
And here’s the page showing Grand Traverse County..... I count Mitch’s name on 9 of the top 35 bucks in that County at the time........(Typical bucks taken with bow or rifle).....
Most every hunter believes there are racks hanging in garages or barns or ate by squirrels that would eclipse the current world record for several antlered animals. Not hard to believe a whitetail of this size was killed.
9 times is pretty impressive, especially for some who shuns the limelight.
Can’t wait for next month’s “Rompolapalooza” thread.
That book is from 2002...... He’s killed a pile more of big bucks since then.....
No doubt he's killed some dandy bucks! My only question that I really can't understand or wrap my head around.......is why turn down $20,000 when all you have to do is have a xray?? That boggles my mind.....if it's real. Have xray, get world record and fame, and now 20k richer plus all the deals that come with that. That's the only thing that tells me it's not real.
All those bucks entered into the record book. All those old interviews and seminars. Sure does not fit the “recluse” story that is fed ad nauseum. I wonder why he would chose to STOP entering bucks at the point where he had allegedly taken not only #1 of Michigan but in the world?
It does not add up; leopards don’t change their spots...
Ef, you are correct that $20k is not a “lot” of money, however it is a nice little sum, especially considering it was nearly twenty years ago. My thought is that if I shot an animal of this magnitude and skeptics offered me $1k to x-ray I would get it done just to shove it up their $**! I’m convinced that someday this deer will have the rest of the story come out concreting it one way or another, but until then I’ll just keep the jury at bay and won’t lose sleep.
All those bucks were entered into Commemorative Bucks of Michigan’s Record Book. I have no idea if he ever entered any into P&Y........
JL, you posted a link contradicting the link that stated the 8 pt. was poached in Michigan. Which link/article to believe? I have no dog in this fight so it's fine with me if the buck actually came from Minnesota. A perfect example of fake news.
Which bring me to the point, what can we really believe about some of the "facts" in this case - on both sides of the controversy. For example, did several bona fide scorers really closely examine the rack and skull plate? A news article claims as much, but that's why I suggested this critical point needs to be rechecked.
There are seemingly valid points on both sides of this, but the indisputable point is Mitch did fold in the end, maybe for his own reasons, but more likely IMO because the rack was a fraud. Regardless, it is not the WR.
TopGun, let's just subtract the "lost in a fire" theory and the droopy ears argument. These are not that relevant, IMO.
If I was investigating the case, I would want to talk to Mitch's scent and bow sponsors at the time because apparently they withdrew their sponsorships. Why? Was there a conversation such as, "Mitch, can you show that rack to me?"..."No? But why not?..."
David, I would think if the individual poached it in Michigan the trial would have been in Michigan. The trial was in Minnesota. JJS above stated it was near where he lives.
why do you keep bringing mitch in the limelight? mitch folded like a banana peel when milo hansen lawyers challenge his buck. mitch has kept quiet you need to also.
I don't know (or care) if it's real or not, but how can you use the argument that he shuns the limelight when prior to the supposed killing of this buck he was giving TV interviews, writing articles, entering deer into registries, and had product sponsorships? If he was this true recluse like we always hear about, we never would of heard of him before or after this buck. Regardless if the buck's real or not that defense makes no sense.
JL, I accept that, and it actually supports my view about the Rompola buck. I posted it to support my friend Jason's view; I think that shows I'm unbiased and interested in the truth vs. justifying my own view.
It also serves as a caution to not totally trust some of the published "facts" concerning the Rompola buck. EF Hutton says we must follow the facts unbiased and I agree entirely with that. But he's wrong to imply I want to be a member of the Mitch bashing club. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Like for many others, the case is just interesting.
I would suggest a "Go fund Me" campaign to buy the mount and have it either verified or debunked. Despite what a few keep saying, everything has a price.
I'd like to see Milo dethroned. Not the buck, but the man. Unless all or some of his bucks were faked, Mitch sounds like a much better deer hunter than Milo based on ability to produce consistent results rather than a lucky win.
But my life won't change either way, so other than occasional, idle curiosity, I don't care. EF claims doubters can't see the truth because they are "biased" by their (already) held belief. I'd say he proves his point by his own insistent assertions.
But I thought it was supposed to be more about the DEER................................................... ;-)
Just to address a couple of statements made here:
First, he didn't "fold" under pressure from Milo. He never intended to enter the deer in the first place due to his own personal reasons which I am not going to go into. So really it wasn't any big deal for him to sign the agreement with Milo.
Second, as far as him being a recluse. It's true that in the 80's and early 90's he put himself out there. He was doing seminars, interviews, etc. Then in 1994 he made some bad personal decisions and paid the price for it. He did withdraw because he was embarrassed and didn't want to be out in the public eye anymore. Sure, he released some stuff to the public when he got this particular deer because he knew people would be interested. But unless you have been in a similar situation you don't have any idea how quickly it gets out of control. So yes he did shut it down as quickly as he could mostly for the sake of my brother and myself. Our family experienced "fake news" long before it became an everyday phrase. From our family owning a deer farm to the rack bring lost in a fire to it being a fake rack all together. All just crazy unsubstantiated rumors.
Not making any judgement on the man Rompala or the story in particular. But, I do have a buddy from College who is a northern WI cedar swamp recluse and ground hunter. His word and assessment is pure gold, as honest as they come. He claims Rompala's story "sounds" absolutely legit, and he himself has seen similar traited bucks on the hoof in deep dark cedar swamps. I know he has a single shed of one very similar (the 30" spread 12 point) that lived within a mile from his northern WI house for at least 8 years, never having been seen during season or by anyone but my recluse buddy. His uncle killed what was at one time the B&C #12 non typical in the U.P. in 1968, under similar circumstances as reported by ROmpala, but on snow and shot with a .35 Rem lever gun. That buck had the same wide rack/drooped ears look, and weigh over #300 dressed on certified scale afterwards. The pick I saw the buck was strewn over an old red jeep hood, head on the ground on one side, tail on the ground on the other. His uncle had the head mounted and left it in a little tavern, a couple years later the bar owner "sold" the head to a Chicago tourist for $800, thinking he had done (Uncle Jerry G) a favor. IN 94 in NC I saw a head in the Dick Idol collection at a deer show that looked identical.
Kevin.... Whatever the personal reasons that your dad had for not wanting to enter the deer happened a long long time ago.....
It obviously still bothers you about all the rumors and untruths about the whole situation.......
Why not clear it with your dad..... write a book to clear the air........ and make a bunch of money off the book and take your dad and brother on an Alaskan moose hunt on all the naysayers’ dimes ??
Hey....I give Kevin credit for posting and being honest.
The book idea for Kevin ain't a bad idea. I'd do stories on all the bucks to date. It seems there is enough material to produce a book. If no book then maybe a series of articles on each one. I would be reluctant to put them in D&DH though....but that is me. I wouldn't do it so much for the money but just to talk about a guy that shoots alot interesting deer and the story behind each deer. If money isn't the issue then just donate it to an outdoors charity like SCI make-a-wish.
Kevin, you sound sincere in your replies, but don't answer certain questions that would be easy to answer. Where is the rack now? Would you be willing to be interviewed here on the bow site by a non hostile interviewer such as Pat L.?
David,
For security reasons we don't disclose the location of the rack. Not sure how that question contributes to the discussion but whatever.
No, I would not be interviewed. Absolutely no point in it.
The question and your answer at least confirms the rack is somewhere and still exists, so thanks for that.
EF Hutton said, "Mitch has no interest in that limelight. If he had a little curiousity of it, it was quickly shut out once all the bs started. Good for him."
That is exactly right. Unless you knew him, you would never understand. He and I were supposed to do a team seminar at some Midwest shows that next year. I never talked to him again. Nice guy, I liked him. For sure, one of the saviest deer hunters I ever talked with. But strange.
Kevin,
Thanks for posting. I hope some day you see fit to make it all known. Incredible deer and awesome that it was from Michigan.
Well... Bowriter did it! I bet ol' Rompola was intimidated by you and all your awards...that's why he disappeared from the limelight! He couldn't hold a candle to you! ;-)
I just get a kick out of all the people that love to beat up a guy that they couldnt keep up with, on any tract of land. He would be a poacher under any circumstances, after he smoked them on their own plot. I am sure he is pretty much like me. I wouldn't give you the time of day, once you started crapping on me. We do exists. We dont care to prove who we are. Certainly not as much as the people (below us) would like to prove how much better they are.
Lever, calm down. It's just a mystery. People who like big bucks and mysteries naturally want to figure out how the facts line up. I don't think they believe it is a "we're better than you" type of thing. Keep in mind most people think we're all the same anyway.
I'm not upset David. I am just stating a generalized fact. Most people who speak the loudest are the people who know the least. The people that know the least, are the simpletons that wish to be seen as the one's who know the most. This goes across the board, on any subject matter.
On this particular matter, the facts all total point to prove that the majority (AS USUAL) are ignorant and attempting (with loudest voice) to prove otherwise. To bring up this matter (after such time has passed) gives importance only to the fact that ignorance is alive and well.
We all know that the vast majority are ignorant and easily lead about by the nose. To prove it once again offers nothing of value, other than to prove that nothing has changed over the span of time.
Well, I recently learned (from a source I respect) Mitch was seeking recognition and presented pics of a buck he claimed was live and a potential world record. According to my source(s), the pics were of a posed buck in the woods and were clearly of a stuffed deer. I'm going to assign a very high probability this occurred in the manner described and that the deer was a fraud that Mitch was trying to portray as potential WR buck. This is new information and really is the deal clincher for me because as I said, the source is highly respected.
This two links also are a fairly persuasive summary even w/o the above incident although I do NOT accept every point (for example the money offer may not have been made directly to Mitch but to a charity). I also consider other points such as the droopy ears as not that relevant. http://www.whitetail.com/rompolagate.html http://www.whitetail.com/rompolagate2.html
However, I'm sure you've seem these and they didn't persuade you, and that's fine. I do retain some doubt myself, regardless. I have nothing against Mitch, it's simply a matter of trying to sort out an interesting mystery.
I have received several PMs, querying why I have been one of the major posters if it's just a mystery. It's simply because I enjoy mysteries and I am tenacious in anything I am interested in. It's a fine mystery for deer hunters; that's nice actually.
The grainy video buck I watched looked like the buck simply laid down, relaxed with the legs straight out, and died.
Y'all in the church of crazy want the grape or the lemon lime Koolaid????
It's WAY simple. Was never entered, never officially panel measured and qualified. No record. He was no "recluse" who didn't care about the score.... that's ridiculous, demonstrably far from it. A great case could be made it was just the opposite, he sought the limelight and notoriety, very actively promoted himself.... and his deer.
Everything else is a flippin' cult...... you believe the spaceships are coming down to take you to a safe place.... good grief.... ya want to do some real psychoanalyzing of human nature the first step is move away from psycho...... facts are proven things. There is only ONE proven thing in this whole scam. It is NOT a world record. It was never entered. Game, set, match...... go home..... let it go. A person after all these years deserves some peace and quiet with their mistakes.
of course t is not world record. a second grader knows that. look at any listing.............. it is not there. that is not the point.
the point is was it a legit buck and there is far less reason to believe it is than it is not.
some just can't get over the fact that what may be big deal to them is not a big deal to others and different people act differently. there is one guy on this thread who knows and 100 who think. kevin knows and the rest of us are quite simply factually clueless and always have been
as with every one of these threads for 15 years the guy that knows is spending less time and energy trying to change the mind of others than the 200 who think.
Ignorance no doubt on my part, and I can care less about the story, but David my take is folks who saw the rack say it is legit.
If so, then it is bigger than the current WR, correct? I thought racks could be entered from non- hunting sources, i.e. pickups found dead?
The story just does not make much sense. People say they saw the dead deer, and now a story of a stuffed animal?
If it is a new WR based on size, honor the deer, not the hunter. JMO, probably off base as I am sure I am missing something. Thanks.
EF Hutton, even my most severe critic TopGun 30-06 admits the source is very knowledgeable and a great guy, a person he has even hunted with himself so he knows this. He has no rebuttal on this except to say anyone can make a mistake.
Indeed, we also might apply that logic to the persons who examined the rack. According to Larry Huffman's article:
"It was announced that a panel of CBM measurers had officially re-measured Rompola's buck. The three measurers were (1) Gary Berger, (2) Lee Holbrook and (3) Al Brown. These measurers were not assigned this responsibility by CBM. They were hand picked by Mitch Rompola. Len Holbrook admitted that he had been trained by Rompola. Brown also said that Rompola trained him. It is unclear if Rompola trained Gary Berger. Burger stated that he has known Rompola for well over a decade. Rompola video taped the measuring session which meant that he was present throughout. Since these men were students and close friends of Rompola's, you can bet that he plenty of involvement in the actual measuring...the skull plate on Rompola's buck was totally encased in some form of hardened material such as Bondo. It would have been impossible to inspect the skull plate with this material in place...The only way to inspect the skull plate is to have it x-rayed. You cannot inspect it by feel or by normal vision."
This is probably a dumb question but: how much could a buck of that size gain by having the skull altered? Would the alteration be just for the spread credit? Is there also speculation that the tines or beams may have been altered?
All the discussion seems to center on the skull plate and hence the call to x-ray. I realize any alteration would disqualify the buck from official records, but numbers are numbers and bigger is bigger.
For hose calling for that The question isn’t whether the plate is split it was how were the antlers a fixed to the Skull
Old news, who cares,it's fake,a hoax,bow season opens in 3 months,have a great day
"" the skull plate on Rompola's buck was totally encased in some form of hardened material such as Bondo. It would have been impossible to inspect the skull plate with this material in place...The only way to inspect the skull plate is to have it x-rayed. You cannot inspect it by feel or by normal vision." ""
How do you reconcile the above statement from the below D&DH article where the scorers examined the skull plate? Also...I suspect some of those "15 or 20" people/neighbors took their own personal photo's and still have them. Kinda surprised those photo's haven't surfaced yet....although I recall one may have been published in the local paper. I was there at the time and that may have been where I seen it.
""“The rack was very impressive the first time I saw it, and nothing has changed the second time I saw it,” Berger told D&DH in 1999. “I saw the skull plate and how the antlers attach to the skull plate. I’ve seen a lot of skull plates and a lot of horns attached to skull plates. Everything looked real to me, and I know some Michigan DNR people have seen it. A lot of people saw it after he killed it. Many dyed-in-the-wool hunters saw it. I felt it. I inspected it. It’s real.”
Holbrook had been a P&Y and CBM scorer for more than a decade as well, and he echoed Berger’s comments.
“When we scored the buck, it was partially mounted, with the skin cut up through the skull plate so we could inspect it,” he told D&DH at that time. “The rack is real. I touched the skull plate and examined it, and there was no evidence of anything wrong. I’ve seen repaired racks and sheds attached to heads by taxidermists. I’ve seen that many times, and know several taxidermists who are very good at it. On this buck, there’s no evidence of that whatsoever.”
Brown also vouched for the deer’s authenticity.
“I know there is no foul play in this,” he told D&DH, adding that he saw the deer the day after it was killed. “I would like all these critics to see it and analyze it for themselves. There must have been at least 15 to 20 people who had seen that buck at Mitch’s [house] before I even got there. Everything about this deer is on the up and up.” ""
From: David A. 23-Jun-18 EF Hutton, even my most severe critic TopGun 30-06 admits the source is very knowledgeable and a great guy, a person he has even hunted with himself so he knows this. He has no rebuttal on this except to say anyone can make a mistake. Indeed, we also might apply that logic to the persons who examined the rack.
***I said I was only going to make one post on this thread, but I have to make this one because David A is outright lying in that statement above. He's referring to one of the Wensel brothers as his source and all they saw was a picture to make the claims he's stating. I stated in PM that the brothers are great guys in the "industry", but in no way did I ever say I hunted with either of them. I have hunted with Mike Mitten on a Canadian bear hunt a few years ago and Mike is a close associate of theirs, as most people on this site probably know but I have never met or hunted with the Wensels. It's very interesting that neither brother or Mike have made a single post regarding Mitch's buck. Nope, just naysayers like David A who now has over a dozen posts on this one thread alone who keeps saying he has an open mind. Read his posts and they are all negative with all kinds of reasons the rack isn't legit. That is not a person who has an open mind on this subject by any means! I applaud Kevin for not coming on this site and telling David A and the rest of the negative crowd to stick it where the sun don't shine!
Topgun 30-06 et al, I avoid lies, although I'm imperfect. Lies almost invariably cause more problems down the road. Now I can't quote your PM since they get deleted after a few weeks, but I certainly recall you stating that you hunted bear with Barry and Mitten was never mentioned. Or possibly I misread your PM. I accept you didn't hunt with Barry and Barry himself has told me just now that he hasn't.
As far as being negative in all my posts, rather I've tried to be objective although yes, I believe the Rompolla buck is very likely fraudulent. Read my posts again, I have said I still retain some doubts and stated what my doubts were. I even posted a link about a potential "8 pt. WR" buck from Michigan (later shown to have been from Minnesota) which argued against my own opinion that a WR would not likely come from Michigan!
Now how much more objective can I possibly be that to post a link that argues against my own held opinion???
I also said the story about the 3 scorers did in fact give me some pause. I also stated. Jthe floppy ears argument should be dropped. My friend Jason (Thorton) has posted pictures showing floppy ear bucks (if I recall correctly) as have others in the prior thread. The floppy ear argument is very weak and I acknowledge this.
I also said the argument about the money offer to Mitch was weakened if in fact the offer was made to a charity. Now in fairness, show me a single post by anyone else who believe the rack is real where they admit to multiple points that argue against their own position!!!
As far as Barry (or Gene) entering into a public debate on this topic given the litigious climate we are in, it's unlikely. Barry asked you to call him, however, and you can speak to him mano-a-mano. Check your PMs.
This is a fine and interesting mystery. Don't spoil with too much seriousness and vindictiveness. It's even funny in some ways. Good hunting to all!
I will state again. I never told you I have ever met or hunted with either of the Wensels. I specifically stated that I have hunted bears with Mike. We also fished and camped together that week up in Manitoba when he gave me his autographed book entitled "One With The Wilderness" and it's dated May 2009. Now it appears you're essentially calling me a liar, but left yourself an out that you possibly misread my PM, LOL, when even Barry stated what I told you! I will not call either of the Wensels and I am asking you right here and now to quit sending me PMs and quit calling me out on this or any other thread that is started about Mitch. You actually appear obsessed with Mitch and his deer and I want nothing more to do with you or your BS!
Topgun 30-06 and David Alford going at it... Bou'bound and EF Hutton weighing in...
Bowsite doesn't get any better than this!
Topgun 30-06 I granted you the point re: bear hunt and it is a trivial one. The relevant point is Mitch presented photos of a large buck that was posed in the woods behind a snow bank and the buck evidenced obvious and poorly done taxidermy. In other photos the antlers had been further manipulated, different than the first set. Far from not caring what the world thought, he sought to make an impression and did so with taxidermy manipulation.
EF Hutton, I also have seen the achiever being attacked by the non achiever over and over as well as the tendency to cut down the individual who marches to a different drummer. But nothing is worse than a fakir who steals from bona fide achievers. Well, OK some things are such as....oops, better stop there.
I personally care very little for record book entries and as I've said in other threads, hunting achievements mean zip to the average person. It's all a mental thing amongst hunters. Yes, I like big bucks, but not to the mania oft promoted these days. My interest is simply in solving a deer mystery.
"" The relevant point is Mitch presented photos of a large buck that was posed in the woods behind a snow bank and the buck evidenced obvious and poorly done taxidermy. In other photos the antlers had been further manipulated, different than the first set. Far from not caring what the world thought, he sought to make an impression and did so with taxidermy manipulation. ""
Which particular photo's were these?
JL, these photos were said to have been taken of "another" world record buck some six yrs. before Mitch's "latest" WR buck. They have never been published. You can believe the opinion I paraphrased above or not. I happen to believe my source about this as well as related incidents that I won't go into given the hostile climate of the opposing side. Too bad, it's all very interesting indeed.
That said, I think it's always healthy to have degree of skepticism, not just in this case but in other things as well. OK, I do believe the lunar landing was legit...but still that's just my opinion as are all my posts on this topic.
David A, nothing, I repeat, NOTHING you say will ever matter on this site until you release (no pun intended) the ultimate STAR release to the world so more can benefit than you!
Just think if it was entered as the world record. Would be a name on the list. Instead its not entered and 20 years later he has the hunting forum world ablaze with gossip. Very clever publicist.
Nick, nothing will matter as much as becoming more civil to each other. Even when I was being cursed at in PMs I tried to be civil.
I wonder how many people changed their original view on this after hearing all this crap. One little known fact is that Mitch was gonna be prosecuted for deceptive practices again unless he documented that it was real. That is why he couldn’t take the money offered. He didn’t need any more convictions on his growing rap sheet.
Please, don't stop now...
From: 1boonr 24-Jun-18 I wonder how many people changed their original view on this after hearing all this crap. One little known fact is that Mitch was gonna be prosecuted for deceptive practices again unless he documented that it was real. That is why he couldn’t take the money offered. He didn’t need any more convictions on his growing rap sheet.
***Well, I see another poster with absolutely ridiculous comments, none of which are true, and your "facts" are laughable as well as untrue! These threads get more ridiculous the longer they go and your post is so far off base that it's the dousy of this thread so far, LOL!
Legit or not The Rompola Buck will always be the bar to set for... droopy ears, wide skull plate, position for after kill photos, and last not least, let everyone else do the talking for you, when you could have easily put this to frkn rest!
The guy shoots 180+ deer in Michigan so it’s impossible he bags a 200”. Hmm
Here is an interview with him in his house before he shoots the record buck. Give it a watch and be the judge.
Prosecuted for deceptive practices ????? What in the Sam hell is that ????
After watching that interview their is no way in hell that he would take pride in a bogus buck. He is die hard 100%. If anything the Hanson buck is crap anyone can be in the right place at right time on a deer drive. I’d listen to Rompolas advice way before a deer drivers advice. Not even sure how he can travel around and do seminars with that garbage.
Nick- I've seen David use his STAR method. It's an interesting blend of body mechanics, release, and sighting. He was very accurate and fast with it. I can understand why he would not want to release the system until maybe a patent or copyright could be placed on it.
How many times did he say "record buck" in that video? Sure seems to me like he wanted that record. No doubt a great bow hunter, just wish he didn't have this cloud over his accomplishments. I'd like to sit down with him and talk big bucks if given the chance. I'm sure i could learn a few things
David A. - Ref your earlier mention of the photos of a WR deer approx 6 years previous.....was it one of the bucks on his website? Thanks.
Someone should give him a call or just go visit him. All the info is online as to how to reach him in traverse city
That is a legit deer and buck hunter it seems
From: Bou'bound 24-Jun-18 Someone should give him a call or just go visit him. All the info is online as to how to reach him in traverse city That is a legit deer and buck hunter it seems
***I may just try to stay in touch with Kevin to see if he might be able to get his Dad to let me have a quick visit while I'm up at my place not too far east of TC for our deer season this fall! It would be the highlight of my 65 years of hunting if I could work something like that out.
Milo? Was that the name? Anyway... I have been reading this thread and I have seen a truck load of people asking why he didnt enter his buck. Aside from my belief that he is much like myself and tired quickly of the haters and such...
Milo Hanson. Why hasn;t anyone mentioned that million dollar lawsuit that Milo threatened to sue Rompola for, if he were to seek title? It's not a secret or a wive stale, in regard to the threat of lawsuit and obvious ensuing court battle.
I always felt that I wouldn't have bothered on a number of counts (had I been Rompola) considering the cost (cant afford) and the fact that I would already be miffed by the whole thing.
Why hasn't anyone brought this up? Claiming fake news perhaps? Too many people jamming fingers in their ears and screaming at those like me that can see the obvious?
Thats pretty much how I see it. I haven't been on a bowhunting site in over a decade and here I am today, seeing a crap show that existed back when I was actually watching forums. Same people (in essences) pointing to nothing and ignoring everything.
I can see why we are where we are as a society. Not like the old days, where the cream rose to the top. Now-a-days, we (as a group) scrape the chaff off the bottom and celebrate the chaff while pointing fingers at the cream and claiming it is sour.
Just shameful.
One of the things I've always wondered, and these threads clearly present it, is why do so many people want the deer to be real and a WR?
So much revisionist history and conjecture here. Rompola is painted as a purist/recluse who would not want the noteriety of the world record, yet in reality, he was very much involved in the Michigan record books, had very public battles with Craig Calderon dueling for state records, and was very involved when P&Y had their biannual convention in Traverse City. He also had big time sponsors lined up. Scent Lok, Hawgs Limited Synthetic Scents, and CSS compound bows off the top of my head. Heck, CSS had the artwork of Mitch killing that buck finished before He killed it to release the “Swampmaster” signature Rompola bow. Seems like an awful lot of pre work to CASH IN from someone “not interested” in world records.
Does TBM have family in Ohio??
""One of the things I've always wondered, and these threads clearly present it, is why do so many people want the deer to be real and a WR? ""
I guess that would/could be said for folks who have the opposite viewpoint.
IMO....until proven otherwise I tend to think it is legit. That leads to another thought...why even bother with B&C and P&Y? If it is legit and a legit harvest....ya don't need those two groups other than for them to say it's legit and give their stamp of approval as their WR. One can say it is the biggest legit buck ever harvested (so far) without being a BC/PY WR which would be a true statement. In fact it would probably bring more interest by not going thru the BC/PY....as we can attest. You're pretty much cutting them out of the picture. At least that is a thought to chew on.
Buck Fever Synthetics at that time.
Jl, I didn't see his website, but if the website had pics of bucks he harvested vs. a supposedly live giant buck behind a snow bank, the answer would be "no".
My source said the the buck was in "live position" posed behind a snowbank (to cover tracks?) and that Mitch was clearly trying to make an impression. The photos were said to be good enough to see stitching in the mount, poorly done ears and face. The antlers were not similar to his "WR buck" and there was a 6 year time difference. One antler was said to have been chocolate colored, the other bleached indicating a strong possibility the antlers used were sheds from two different deer. It was also mentioned the compound bow company that sponsored Mitch requested some big buck pics and thereafter Mitch submitted pics of another big antlered deer but yet with a skinny does head and face. Real or transgender?
Despite the argument Mitch was too proud or so individualistic he would never get antlers x-rayed, I just doubt that. At some point I think anyone innocent would do it and then shove the x-rays in the doubter's faces. For me this case is pretty much closed. It's too bad, Mitch didn't just get some fame and perhaps reward by writing a good book on deer hunting strategies.
Good hunting to all and keep 'em sharp!
Funniest thing I've seen all century.
Embry's post was the best and timed perfectly! I needed that laugh tonight, thanks.
Embry's post was the best and timed perfectly! I needed that laugh tonight, thanks.
That EF Hutton guy is one smart SOB! Maybe someday I can be like him- nope never mind. Not a chance
Top gun..... For what it’s worth you stated that the friggin mount is right on the wall at Mitch’s house...... But Kevin said for security reasons they don’t disclose the location of the mount..... You probably won’t get to see it if you visit Mitch......
Also..... you stated that Mitch was going to be prosecuted for deceptive practices..... I’ve never heard of such a crime in Michigan..... and I’ve been a cop here for 24 years...... Maybe you are thinking that there was a threat of a civil lawsuit..........
Kevin said his dad was not pressured by Milo.... because he had no intention of entering the buck.... so it was no big deal for him to sign the agreement.....
From: BIG BEAR 25-Jun-18 Top gun..... For what it’s worth you stated that the friggin mount is right on the wall at Mitch’s house...... But Kevin said for security reasons they don’t disclose the location of the mount..... You probably won’t get to see it if you visit Mitch...... Also..... you stated that Mitch was going to be prosecuted for deceptive practices..... I’ve never heard of such a crime in Michigan..... and I’ve been a cop here for 24 years...... Maybe you are thinking that there was a threat of a civil lawsuit.......... Kevin said his dad was not pressured by Milo.... because he had no intention of entering the buck.... so it was no big deal for him to sign the agreement.....
***You need to read closer as to who said what, as what you said I stated was a quote by 1boonr in my post, not my words, and I essentially said in that post that started with ***that he was nuts because none of what he stated was true!
And THIS is why I only shoot small bucks!
If, by accident, I happen to shoot a World Record, Imma just say my name is Embry.
Hey, did you hear about the big buck that that MItch Rompola guy killed?
My bad Topgun..... Your reposting of guys entire comments got me confused.... my apologies.....
