Not every trophy animal dies honorably; starvation, disease, predators, hit by a car, any number of things can happen between coming of age and appearing through your scope or bow sights. That seems to be the story here.
A lady walking her dog happened across the buck in a field back in early February. There is no apparent cause of death such as a bullet wound or contusions from being struck by a vehicle. The son-in-law of a neighbor green-scored the animal at 247 which potentially makes a new state record for Michigan. Boone and Crockett recognizes such trophy finds as a “pickup” and are eligible for official record status.
The son-in-law has the antlers while waiting for the 60-day drying period. In the meantime, he has his fingers crossed for an offer from Cabela’s!
Check out more photos after the jump.
Thanks to Mark Phillips for sending this in! You can follow Mark on Twitter: @HDX1
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Campfire Stories
found, Michigan, record, whitetail deer
When you’re from Texas, you have big expectations. Those expectations stick with you, even when you venture across the state line. A man’s gotta have standards, after all.
Wesley O’Brien of Lexington, Texas drove 750 miles to Richardson County, Nebraska (as far southeast in the state as one can be) to hunt private property with a buddy who knew the landowner. The sun had not set on the first day of gun season in Nebraska, November 14, before this buck was on the ground. Heck, the truck had not even cooled down when the buck stepped out at 100 yards.
O’Brien’s buck green-scored 281, besting the standing Nebraska record of 279 7/8. That deer, known as “Old Mossy Horns” was taken with a bow 47 years earlier. The Nebraska record for a non-typical firearm deer is 242 5/8 way back in ‘61. The drying period has past though there’s no word yet on the official score of the O’Brien buck quite yet. If you’ve heard anything, please let us know in the comments!
The Lincoln Journal Star reported that due to his economic situation, O’Brien has hired an agent to consider offers for the antlers once they’re mounted.
Until then, check out more photos of the O’Brien Buck after the jump.
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Deer
Nebraska, record, whitetail deer
It took five years to do it, but the state of North Carolina finally confirmed Billy Walkowiak’s 2004 black bear as the 17th largest ever taken in the state.
Billy’s bear had an official weight of 647 pounds and was estimated to be nine years, nine months old. It was shot on a dog hunt in Hyde County, NC, a hotbed for big bears in the state.
The state record is an 880 pound bear taken in 1998 with a shotgun, also on a dog hunt, in Craven County.
Bill had a full-body mount done, check it out after the jump.
As with any records program there are several ties at various weights heavier than his, with a total of 37 bears larger than his.
After the Hunt, Bear
Bear, North Carolina, record
This one made the rounds back in early ‘08 with the subject “Pending new world record from Mexico”. The actual story is that it was shot way back on January 9, 2005 and is indeed an SCI world record, but is #2. More on that in a minute.
This buck was taken by Jason Gisl and scored 221 3/8″ according to SCI standards. It was taken in Hermasillo, Mexico with guide Chad Smith and outfitter Agustin Hurtado. Inside spread was 32 1/8.
Jason’s buck was the world record for eleven months until Rick Lamb took a muley in Sonora, Mexico measuring 222 5/8″.
More photos of Jason’s trophy and the reigning world records after the jump.
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Deer
Mexico, mule deer, record
What happens when a Tarheel enters a white marlin tournament? Broken records, that’s what. Robert Farris of Charlotte, North Carolina took three hours to land this 1,062 pound blue marlin during last week’s White Marlin Tournament in Ocean City, Maryland, breaking the state record set in 1989 by 120 pounds.
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Fishing
blue marlin, dolphin, Maryland, record, tournaments, tuna, wahoo, white marlin
Did you happen to see the report this week about the 11-year old who caught a whopping 9-foot, 193 pound catfish? A Doubletough story for sure as Jessica Wanstall of Sittingbourne, Kent, in the United Kingdom, spent twenty minutes while “my arms turned to jelly” before landing the big fish.
The article states the International Game Fish Association believes it to be a world record for an angler under 16 years of age. Unfortunately a second photo shows Jessica’s father helping his daughter hold the rod, which violates Rule 1 of the Angling Regulations in the IGFA’s International Angling Rules: ”From the time that fish srikes or takes a bait or lure, the angler must hook, fight, and land or boat the fish without the aid of any other person, except as provided in these regulations.” A review of the IGFA’s Junior Angler World Records reveals no exception to this rule. See the photo after the jump.
Check out the account of the catch here. At any rate, congratulations to Jessica on a magnificent catch and good luck to the next angler who may hook into it – after the photo the catfish was released back into the Ebro River of Spain.
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Fishing
record, Spain
Mike Krantz of Wilmington, North Carolina got the spring fishing season off to a great start with a 126-pound amberjack, besting the state record caught in 1973 by 1.5 pounds.
Krantz left Bogue Inlet last Tuesday and headed for the warm waters of the Gulf Stream with his father, Ron Krantz, and friend Andy Duskie. The trio began trolling as they approached the Stream, landing a wahoo and six blackfin tuna. Tiring of the trolling, they decided to drop some jigs over the continental shelf where they quickly hooked up with a 40-pound amberjack. Then the record hit. Read more…
Fishing
amberjack, North Carolina, record, saltwater
