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February 23, 2009
A Crying Shame - 17
Like most other hunters, monster whitetails have always fascinated me with their gargantuan sized racks and secretive lifestyle. Top-heavy bucks that have lived long enough to grow some serious headgear are really a separate breed of deer. You can bet the farm that a buck with a rocking chair fitted on its head knows how to move through the woods like a ghostly shadow. In my opinion, after years of escaping intense hunting pressure, a lot of Boone & Crockett caliber bucks probably end up dying of old age. Unfortunately, some of these legendary bruisers never get tagged by a lucky hunter, but are found dead from rut-related injuries, vehicle collisions or disease. Last September, Ricky Weatherford stumbled upon a buck that will probably be haunting his dreams for the rest of his life. At the end of September, Weatherford was on an early-season hunt in Christian County Kentucky. While easing along an old field edge, the hunter spotted the white glowing tips of a whitetail rack just above the high grass and overgrown weeds. At first glance, the hunter thought he had discovered a giant shed from last spring and immediately starting thinking about where to hang a treestand. However, when Weatherford parted the weeds, he made a shocking discovery. It was the biggest rack he had ever seen, but his heart plummeted when he realized the rack was still attached to the buck’s skull. Amazingly, the buck sported 34 scorable points with multiple drop-tines and unbelievable mass. This legendary whitetail would end up scoring 221 2/8, which is a depressing thought for any deer hunter. The actual cause of death was undetermined, but the buck was found near water and many feel this amazing deer had fell victim to the notorious Blue Tongue disease. In recent years, there have been several outbreaks of this heartbreaking disease across several states like Kentucky. It’s a crying shame that a buck of this caliber won’t be making rubs on trees the size of telephone poles or chasing and breeding does throughout the November rut next season. On the bright side, the buck has probably left behind some good genetics on this farm in Christian County for years to come. Consequently, Weatherford has already been offered $5,000 for the buck’s rack, but he just couldn’t let it go for that price.
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Comments (17)
For a long time i use to think that no matter where you hunted the locals always had a story about some massive buck. These bucks seemed to be overworked imaginatios or greatly exagerated. This train of thought was changed in just a few seconds,after 40years of whitetail hunting along the western counties of kentucky.These great bucks are'nt uncommon , but rather uncanny. Here lied this great buck in the snow, no longer a ghost but a dream answered.Now whenever I enter the woods I hold the conviction that another great ghost is here with me,and with persevrance and a positive additude I"ll once again lay claim to the trophy hunters prize.
6phunter,
Great comment and I strongly agree with your conviction. I used to think that only states like Iowa or Illinois held monsters like the one in this article. I've taken some great bucks in the mountain country of southeastern KY, but recently there have been some giants popping up in my neck of the woods. I hope the deer hunting around here continues to get better, because it makes being in the woods even more magical during the fall. Good luck next fall and I hope at least one of us runs into a buck like the one pictured above.
Travis Faulkner
For 5000 dollars, I would easily let it go. Sheds aren't that special to me, and that money could buy me some more gear or even go to some more land.
In every county theres always a big buck thats roaming around.
I see these ghost every night in my dreams, hopefully one day it will become a reality......
Dirty
Dirty,
It's good to hear from you buddy. Can you get over the size of this stud's rack? I know it's hard to tell from the picture, but the hunter told me the buck had seven drop tines. I just wish a hunter would have dropped this bruiser during season instead of a disease like blue tongue taking him out. However, you know this bad boy has to have a few sons running around that same area! I would love to run into a buck like that!
Travis Faulkner
Man that was a big buck, it's a shame someone didn't get it, but that just shows that there are large bucks out there.
Great write up Travis. It is a shame this giant fell the way he did. I am sure he probably lived a lengthy life as king in his neck of the woods.
Man, that is heartbreaking. However, it is good to know that this breed of deer are around here and not just in ones imagination. I would love to know the lifestyle of this caliber of deer. I wounder if that is retirement age and if the doe just come to them. That would explain why you never see them in the woods. Great article Travis.
Man, that is heartbreaking. However, it is good to know that this breed of deer are around here and not just in ones imagination. I would love to know the lifestyle of this caliber of deer. I wounder if that is retirement age and if the doe just come to them. That would explain why you never see them in the woods. Great article Travis.
What a shame. We had a bad outbreak 2 years ago. I found at least 5 dead deer in the creek behind my moms.
Our Upper Pennisula may house "ghosts" like this one but Northern Lower Michigan has entirely too many poachers and flatlanders that refuse to allow some of the smaller bucks to grow. It is disheartening for a hunter like myself who has let many smaller bucks go hoping to someday see a buck like this or even one that would score.
Stop and think about how many great trophy deer were found after season and apparently died of disease or "natural causes" The hole in the horn buck is a good example. If there is anyone out there who doesn't know about him, go to
http://whitetail.com/main.html. That's the deer at the top of the page. I have seen it in person at a traveling exhibit booth a number of years back. It is truly awe-inspiring.
Huntingbabe,
We have a lot of poachers in the mountain country of southeastern Kentucky as well. Spot-lighting, shooting from vehicles, taking bucks out of season, and tagging more deer than allowed. We also There are also hunters who live by the philosophy of "If it's brown it goes down!" We still manage to have some awesome bucks, but imagine how good the hunting would be if all of that other garbage wasn't going on. Most hunters here still do things by the book, but it only takes a few to ruin a hunting area. Good luck with your season next year and I hope you drop a monster. Thanks for the comments.
Travis Faulkner
Bo,
I agree 100% with your comments and that really tells you a lot about the nature of trophy bucks. The majority of these deer live and die under our radar. These bad boys are like ghosts or shadows in the field. In fact, they are really a different breed of whitetail. Some of the biggest bucks I've seen or read about have died from a disease like "Blue Tongue," been hit by a vehicle during the rut, or were found locked up with another buck.
As a hunter, I hate to see a buck of that caliber being taken out like that. I have also seen the Hole in the Horn buck and that rack will blow your mind. I will be shed hunting this next week and I would love to find a pair that is 1/2 that size. I appreciate your comments and look forward to talking more with you on the BBZ.
Travis Faulkner
Outdoor Life
It is a crying shame that this big brut died the way he did and not give a hunter a story of a life time.Down here in Florida are deer just don't have the genitics to grow the mass like that.On rare occassions we do get a few big bucks but they don't have the body size and mass like we would love to see.Also alot of hunters in these parts fill if they don't shoot him somebody else will.This past season alone I let two nice 7 points walk,just to have somebody shoot them ten minutes later(BOTH OF THEM)and to piss me off even more they were shot off of the road by a bone head with no hunting license and know business being in that area to begin with.We all need to Let them walk and Let them grow!
Bullridingbamaboy,
We've got a few of those green horn road warriors down my way in KY too. People watch the hunting shows on TV and dream about huntinge expensive private property that is loaded with monsters, but they don't stop and think about how the property got that way. Big bucks don't simply pop up out of the ground. The deer simply need enough time to reach a mature age. Being selective and a little less trigger happy will go a long way.
As a teenager, I was death in the woods on basket racked bucks, because I didn't know any better. However, learning from my mistakes and being more patient has allowed me to fill a room full of giant bucks. You've got to let the young ones walk. I know it didn't turn out the way you wanted when you let the two smaller bucks go, but it was a chance worth taking. The theory that someone else will shoot it if I don't just isn't true. If that was the case there wouldn't be any bucks left. Good luck this season and I hope you drop the hammer on a super stud buck!
Travis Faulkner
Outdoor Life
Post a Comment (200 characters or less)
For a long time i use to think that no matter where you hunted the locals always had a story about some massive buck. These bucks seemed to be overworked imaginatios or greatly exagerated. This train of thought was changed in just a few seconds,after 40years of whitetail hunting along the western counties of kentucky.These great bucks are'nt uncommon , but rather uncanny. Here lied this great buck in the snow, no longer a ghost but a dream answered.Now whenever I enter the woods I hold the conviction that another great ghost is here with me,and with persevrance and a positive additude I"ll once again lay claim to the trophy hunters prize.
6phunter,
Great comment and I strongly agree with your conviction. I used to think that only states like Iowa or Illinois held monsters like the one in this article. I've taken some great bucks in the mountain country of southeastern KY, but recently there have been some giants popping up in my neck of the woods. I hope the deer hunting around here continues to get better, because it makes being in the woods even more magical during the fall. Good luck next fall and I hope at least one of us runs into a buck like the one pictured above.
Travis Faulkner
In every county theres always a big buck thats roaming around.
I see these ghost every night in my dreams, hopefully one day it will become a reality......
Dirty
Dirty,
It's good to hear from you buddy. Can you get over the size of this stud's rack? I know it's hard to tell from the picture, but the hunter told me the buck had seven drop tines. I just wish a hunter would have dropped this bruiser during season instead of a disease like blue tongue taking him out. However, you know this bad boy has to have a few sons running around that same area! I would love to run into a buck like that!
Travis Faulkner
Man that was a big buck, it's a shame someone didn't get it, but that just shows that there are large bucks out there.
Great write up Travis. It is a shame this giant fell the way he did. I am sure he probably lived a lengthy life as king in his neck of the woods.
Man, that is heartbreaking. However, it is good to know that this breed of deer are around here and not just in ones imagination. I would love to know the lifestyle of this caliber of deer. I wounder if that is retirement age and if the doe just come to them. That would explain why you never see them in the woods. Great article Travis.
Man, that is heartbreaking. However, it is good to know that this breed of deer are around here and not just in ones imagination. I would love to know the lifestyle of this caliber of deer. I wounder if that is retirement age and if the doe just come to them. That would explain why you never see them in the woods. Great article Travis.
What a shame. We had a bad outbreak 2 years ago. I found at least 5 dead deer in the creek behind my moms.
Our Upper Pennisula may house "ghosts" like this one but Northern Lower Michigan has entirely too many poachers and flatlanders that refuse to allow some of the smaller bucks to grow. It is disheartening for a hunter like myself who has let many smaller bucks go hoping to someday see a buck like this or even one that would score.
Stop and think about how many great trophy deer were found after season and apparently died of disease or "natural causes" The hole in the horn buck is a good example. If there is anyone out there who doesn't know about him, go to
http://whitetail.com/main.html. That's the deer at the top of the page. I have seen it in person at a traveling exhibit booth a number of years back. It is truly awe-inspiring.
Huntingbabe,
We have a lot of poachers in the mountain country of southeastern Kentucky as well. Spot-lighting, shooting from vehicles, taking bucks out of season, and tagging more deer than allowed. We also There are also hunters who live by the philosophy of "If it's brown it goes down!" We still manage to have some awesome bucks, but imagine how good the hunting would be if all of that other garbage wasn't going on. Most hunters here still do things by the book, but it only takes a few to ruin a hunting area. Good luck with your season next year and I hope you drop a monster. Thanks for the comments.
Travis Faulkner
Bo,
I agree 100% with your comments and that really tells you a lot about the nature of trophy bucks. The majority of these deer live and die under our radar. These bad boys are like ghosts or shadows in the field. In fact, they are really a different breed of whitetail. Some of the biggest bucks I've seen or read about have died from a disease like "Blue Tongue," been hit by a vehicle during the rut, or were found locked up with another buck.
As a hunter, I hate to see a buck of that caliber being taken out like that. I have also seen the Hole in the Horn buck and that rack will blow your mind. I will be shed hunting this next week and I would love to find a pair that is 1/2 that size. I appreciate your comments and look forward to talking more with you on the BBZ.
Travis Faulkner
Outdoor Life
It is a crying shame that this big brut died the way he did and not give a hunter a story of a life time.Down here in Florida are deer just don't have the genitics to grow the mass like that.On rare occassions we do get a few big bucks but they don't have the body size and mass like we would love to see.Also alot of hunters in these parts fill if they don't shoot him somebody else will.This past season alone I let two nice 7 points walk,just to have somebody shoot them ten minutes later(BOTH OF THEM)and to piss me off even more they were shot off of the road by a bone head with no hunting license and know business being in that area to begin with.We all need to Let them walk and Let them grow!
Bullridingbamaboy,
We've got a few of those green horn road warriors down my way in KY too. People watch the hunting shows on TV and dream about huntinge expensive private property that is loaded with monsters, but they don't stop and think about how the property got that way. Big bucks don't simply pop up out of the ground. The deer simply need enough time to reach a mature age. Being selective and a little less trigger happy will go a long way.
As a teenager, I was death in the woods on basket racked bucks, because I didn't know any better. However, learning from my mistakes and being more patient has allowed me to fill a room full of giant bucks. You've got to let the young ones walk. I know it didn't turn out the way you wanted when you let the two smaller bucks go, but it was a chance worth taking. The theory that someone else will shoot it if I don't just isn't true. If that was the case there wouldn't be any bucks left. Good luck this season and I hope you drop the hammer on a super stud buck!
Travis Faulkner
Outdoor Life
For 5000 dollars, I would easily let it go. Sheds aren't that special to me, and that money could buy me some more gear or even go to some more land.
Post a Comment (200 characters or less)