Some bucks never die.
This picture has popped up again on Facebook and some forums and is causing a stir. Ten people have sent it to me in the last few weeks. I must have received this picture at least 100 times over the past 4 years.
When I first posted about this buck back in 2010, the story was it came from Maine or Ontario. That was quickly shot down when a savvy reader said he’d seen it on a website for a high-fence preserve in Wisconsin.
Rumor has it the buck weighed more than 400 pounds…another rumor says it looks so big because its body was bloated by the heat. I cannot confirm those things.
Will this buck ever die? I hope so, but I doubt it.
I have no ill feelings towards hunting or farming, however when someone is farming and claims to be hunting I start to voice my opinion. Animals kept in a 1,000 acre enclosure or a 10 acre enclosure are not free animals or wildlife they are in fact farm animals. Never confuse the two, it will make you look ignorant.
I’ll drink to that Big Daddy.
Dean I can not imagine even the staunchest anti hunter equating Fair Chase with a high fence shoot. Just because someone chooses not to hunt doesn’t mean they are ignorant. An while the majority of non hunters understand the need for sport hunting none I’ve met confuse sport hunting with high fence hunting.
That is not the issue here… the issue I was intending to make with my original post is: While we “fair chase hunters” may look down our noses at a high fenced operation hunter as long as it remains legal they have every right to pursue their happiness unmolested. BDT
Big Daddy, I don’t think you meant to suggest that putting out food plots, and/or minerals would improve deer genetics. And, while I understand your stance that there are similarities in a “fenced in operation” and people purchasing lots of acres with the intent purpose of growing larger antlered deer; I don’t think you’re comparing apples to apples. I think anyone who follows fair chase whitetail hunting realizes that a net 200-215″ typical is at the very top end of a wild, fair chase animal; and also that a 300-330″ (give or take on both typical and non-typical scores suggested) non-typical is about as large of a specimen that can be produced without manipulating genetics. I personally could care a less about killing a deer with “unnatural” antler genetics; nor would I ever in a million years want to pay $20,000 plus to “hunt” inside of someone’s unnatural habitat just to have a buck hanging on my wall that does not even exist in the real, natural world. While I do agree that my opinion should not matter to anyone else, and ultimately, I have no “right” to tell anyone what to do with their money or life I absolutely dislike the whole concept of “farmed whitetail hunting”. I think it’s bad for the sport and the image of Fair Chase Sport Hunting. As always I totally respect you, and your right to say and or agree/disagree with me or anyone else.
As the years pass, I see more and more high fence operations opening. It’s a cost effective way for deer breeders and owners to put their “product” in front a eager customer base willing to spend huge money.
And while you or I may not agree with it and say it’s not “fair chase”, (as BD said) I don’t think the people who pay to kill deer @ these places really care what we may or may not think.
For many, their obsession knows no bounds………
It is not about the meat nor is it about antlers “IT IS About” egos. An if you have the answer on how to manage egos successfully you my friend are the first!
I would get nothing from killing a penned deer but whom am I to suggest someone else should not? Really what is that much different in raising a deer behind fence than farming for deer. One buys their genetics to begin with while the other creates a gene pool. One has a fenced area where the deer cannot escape from the other leases thousands of acres of private land larger than most whitetails home range, then plants food crops with the sole purpose of improving “their genetics” an supplements them with protein pellets and minerals. One puts the profit from his deer farm into his pocket to live on while the other makes a living from “his” herd….I harbor no grudge on Lee & Tiffany an use them as just an example: Hordes of leased up prime farms, minerals, posted signs, multiple “shooters” in any field they hunt in front of their box blinds. And have made oodles of money off “their” deer.
You are probably right, Big Daddy. I’m sure those people could care a less what I say. And, I also get your position about killing deer for meat, etc. But, if it is just going in and killing for meat, why do we need to blow up those racks so much? Why not just have the people come in and shoot an oversized doe? You and I both know the answer to that question: money. Heck, if it’s just about meat, why not just buy a half a beef for $700 and save the $15,000 “trophy fee” for something else?
Dean while I do not personally hunt high fenced operations I would rather see someone doing that than joining the anti hunting crowd. I seriously doubt the “hunter” in a hero shot taken at a high fence operation gives one small rat’s butt what you think of his trophy, his financial situation, nor his tan lines.
My view of high fence is: I’d rather someone kills their own meat…be it livestock in the form of black angus or whitetail, knowing it was living moments before than some mindless drone buying cellophane packaged burger in a grocery store “where no animal was hurt”.
…and, yet more aimless ramblings…
“Johnny Big Bucks and His Hard Earned Big Buck”
“Joe Blow goes out and works hard at finding his genetically enhanced, 5 years, 6 months, 4 days, 7 hours, and 29 minute old brute of a 123 Pointer. He was scheduled for a grueling 2 day hunt in 40 degree temperatures, but was lucky to find this monster after a long, arduous 13-minute hunt out of his heated/air conditioned, fully stocked tower blind. The “guide” put in all the work and knew that the giant preferred the NO. 14 feeder on the back section of the 120-acre enclosure, so the guess work had been taken out for the hunter. This giant ended up scoring 537 7/8″ and is a new “I’m Too Lazy, Nor do I want to get cold, wet, or to have to sit too long. And I definitely don’t want to have to go through all the work to hunt real, fair chase bucks that I have no shot at killing” Scoring System World Record. Check out Joe in his Hero Shot with his brand new hair cut, fresh rent-a-tan (conveniently, freshened up at our lodge…for a mere $200 extra), and brand new custom camp (with the price tags still intect). That genetically altered monster will go good on his “trophy” wall.”
Side Note: Anyone else get a kick out of these people that pay the zillion dollars to go kill these fenced-in, man-made behemoths? I love how they are usually decked out in some fancy “hunting” suit, many times have rent-a-tans, and have their hair done for the photo, etc. That is what hunting is truly all about right there.
No, Hanback, it’s an Indiana buck. I was getting that from Indiana hunters two seasons ago. It was killed in my area too! (Funny thing is we don’t Birch/Hemlock/Spruce (etc.) mixed forest in my area of the world???).LOL!
I do not know the where or when of this picture but I do know a whitetail is capable of weighing 400# on the hoof. I killed one in Pa. that weighed well more than #300 and that was a deer of the mountains, no crops for miles around. So I do not see why a cropland whitetail couldn’t. That’s not to say that I do not think this deer was raised on protein pellets.