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July 06, 2011
Trophy Dilemma: What to Do When a Landowner Wants Your Buck - 15
by Mark Kayser
Usually when you take a huge buck, that deer is considered your trophy, no questions asked. You get the mount, the meat and the memories. But as archery shop owner Al Kraus learned, that's not always the case ... A man stopped by Black Hills Archery a week after the general rifle season ended in South Dakota, to tell the owner, Al Kraus, about a monster whitetail buck he missed during the rifle season. The customer described it as “the biggest buck I’ve ever seen.” The comment perked Kraus' interest, but he suggested that the customer try to kill it himself. The man dismissed the idea, saying he was in no position to go hunting. The gentleman was out of work and hard on luck--he recently lost a barn and his bow to a fire. Kraus offered to set him up with a bow so he could go on his hunt, but the customer politely turned down the offer. Instead, he suggested an idea that caught Kraus' full attention. “You should come out and try to kill him with your bow,” said the customer. The two men drove out to the area where the buck was spotted, and decided to set up on a field nearly 700 yards away to wait for the buck to come out to feed. They watched as deer started spilling from nearby timber—a giant buck was among them. Kraus focused his spotting scope on the buck and quickly estimated the score at more than 180 points. The customer was right about the buck. Unfortunately, it spent most of its time on a neighbor's land that didn’t allow hunting. Despite that knowledge, Kraus knocked on the neighbor’s door and introduced himself as a bowhunter who'd like permission to hunt on the property. The landowner was an old trapper and admired Kraus' determination to shoot the buck with a bow. He eventually granted Kraus permission. It took several days before the evening wind was suitable enough to go hunting. He hustled to the ambush site, but the wind was unforgiving near the trees. Kraus relocated to a small corridor between junked machinery and hunkered behind an old windrower. Deer passed by him at 35 yards or less, but the giant was nowhere to be seen. He left at dark, determined to try again. Kraus predicted that if the deer continued on that path, they’d follow along a fence and be within shooting range from a stack of 55-gallon drums he could hide behind. He made the move and drew just before the fawn walked into view, 30 yards away. The fawn looked interested in the bawling cows corralled nearby, and the buck seemed focused on the fawn. With the wind whipping, Kraus compensated for drift and released an arrow from his Mathews Z7 bow. It hit true and the buck bounded less than 40 yards before bedding and expiring in the open field. "Is that a big one?" asked the landowner. Suddenly, Kraus found himself in a pickle. It took days of planning and patience to take down the buck, and he wanted to display his trophy. But he would've never had a chance at this monster without the landowner’s permission. His elated mood was fading fast. Thinking quickly, he told the landowner he’d get a replica made so they both could share the experience. The replica cost Kraus $1,000. Some might find that expensive, but Kraus ended up with another trophy buck on his wall and an invite back to a spectacular whitetail property. What would you have done if you were in Kraus' shoes? |
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Comments (15)
I agree woith Dcast. Taking, talking to or showing the buck to the landowner was beyond stupid.
You got to follow the 3-S'.
Shoot, Shut Up, and Shish Kabob.
Kraus maybe a good hunter, but he certainly is not a good talker, the landowner did not demand the deer , nor did he ask for it, he simply made a statement that the deer would look good on his wall!
Kraus panicked, took what the landowner said the wrong way and did a very good deed, but all he had to have said was it sure would, and just laughed it off, said his thankyou's and goodbye's and left.
David H.
Technically it wasn't right for the land owner to say that,but Kraus came up with an excellent solution.Glad it all worked out.$1,000 is worth hunting grounds for life,if that be the case.
wtg Dcast , you were taught well
btw if you hunt fort knox the game wardens there will look for a way to get your trophy,
forget that ,i'd have offered to let him pay for his own mount,hunting trophies is expensive enuff without adding cost such as this,as KRAUS proved there is always available ground to hunt if you have the perseverance to ask.I'VE hunted over 40 years and never lacked for a place to hunt or asked for another man;s trophy.what will you do when the landowner wants the original head and all the meat?
HMMMMMMM..Thats a tough one,193 inch deer....i hope that happens to me someday & ill let ya know what i do.
I commend him on what he did, but as I was told by many other hunters when I 1st started you NEVER EVER take a huge buck to a property owner or tell anyone where it was taken. Give the property owner some meat a gift card and thank him for allowing you to remove a nice doe and leave it aat that!
I think I'd have stuttered a little for one. I definitely am greatful for opportunities to hunt private land, but would be shocked by the request to put a mount that they didn't take on the wall. I'm not trophy oriented, maybe due to lake of ability and access, but I can't wrap my head around hanging another's trophy on my wall.
I think Kraus did the best thing he could, under the circumstances. Although, he might have considered having the replica made for himself and giving the entire animal and mounted head to the landowner.
In the future, I suspect that Kraus won't be stopping by the landowner's house to show off the buck, though!
A replica is a good compromise.
That was a tough call by the hunter, But $1000 is worth a farm to hunt on for life, unless the land owner does this again.
I agree I would have given the landowner the deer. If I had the money I would have offered the same as this guy getting a replica made for either him or me. I would be a little sad to give the buck away but it would still be worth it. And being respectful to the landowner only opens up more oppurtunity for more hunting!
Just knowing you got to take a once in a lifetime animal and do the real work for it would be all the reward I would need.
It was a good deal. I'm sure $1000 is less than the property taxes would be if you owned the property.
Had it been me I would have gladly given the buck to the landowner. Would not have been the first time.
later,
charlie
Probably done the same. 190" are few and far between and doing that may have got him a new farm to hunt on. Although he might have to do the same for every big one he shoots on the farm. It's a tough decision.
Post a Comment (200 characters or less)
I commend him on what he did, but as I was told by many other hunters when I 1st started you NEVER EVER take a huge buck to a property owner or tell anyone where it was taken. Give the property owner some meat a gift card and thank him for allowing you to remove a nice doe and leave it aat that!
forget that ,i'd have offered to let him pay for his own mount,hunting trophies is expensive enuff without adding cost such as this,as KRAUS proved there is always available ground to hunt if you have the perseverance to ask.I'VE hunted over 40 years and never lacked for a place to hunt or asked for another man;s trophy.what will you do when the landowner wants the original head and all the meat?
I agree woith Dcast. Taking, talking to or showing the buck to the landowner was beyond stupid.
You got to follow the 3-S'.
Shoot, Shut Up, and Shish Kabob.
Probably done the same. 190" are few and far between and doing that may have got him a new farm to hunt on. Although he might have to do the same for every big one he shoots on the farm. It's a tough decision.
It was a good deal. I'm sure $1000 is less than the property taxes would be if you owned the property.
Had it been me I would have gladly given the buck to the landowner. Would not have been the first time.
later,
charlie
I think I'd have stuttered a little for one. I definitely am greatful for opportunities to hunt private land, but would be shocked by the request to put a mount that they didn't take on the wall. I'm not trophy oriented, maybe due to lake of ability and access, but I can't wrap my head around hanging another's trophy on my wall.
btw if you hunt fort knox the game wardens there will look for a way to get your trophy,
wtg Dcast , you were taught well
Technically it wasn't right for the land owner to say that,but Kraus came up with an excellent solution.Glad it all worked out.$1,000 is worth hunting grounds for life,if that be the case.
Kraus maybe a good hunter, but he certainly is not a good talker, the landowner did not demand the deer , nor did he ask for it, he simply made a statement that the deer would look good on his wall!
Kraus panicked, took what the landowner said the wrong way and did a very good deed, but all he had to have said was it sure would, and just laughed it off, said his thankyou's and goodbye's and left.
David H.
I agree I would have given the landowner the deer. If I had the money I would have offered the same as this guy getting a replica made for either him or me. I would be a little sad to give the buck away but it would still be worth it. And being respectful to the landowner only opens up more oppurtunity for more hunting!
Just knowing you got to take a once in a lifetime animal and do the real work for it would be all the reward I would need.
A replica is a good compromise.
I think Kraus did the best thing he could, under the circumstances. Although, he might have considered having the replica made for himself and giving the entire animal and mounted head to the landowner.
In the future, I suspect that Kraus won't be stopping by the landowner's house to show off the buck, though!
HMMMMMMM..Thats a tough one,193 inch deer....i hope that happens to me someday & ill let ya know what i do.
That was a tough call by the hunter, But $1000 is worth a farm to hunt on for life, unless the land owner does this again.
Post a Comment (200 characters or less)