stcif Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 I've been reading how several people in the forums here have lost deer and how that makes them feel. I have been hunting since I was 16 and am currently hunting in my 23rd. season. I to know that feeling of losing a deer. I've lost two in 23 years. One I know was harvested by another hunter, the other was a 4 point buck I never found. This is the main reason for my post - Two years ago I was hunting in an area of state land in western Madison County, NY. It was the second week of shotgun season (end of November) and I found a very large dead buck. It had an arrow in it and was dead for at least a couple weeks. Back legs were eaten, eyes rotted/eaten, insect activity etc.. I called the DEC and obtained permission to keep the head and antlers as I innocently acquired the deer. This deer to me is a deer of a lifetime. I figured I would try to figure out who shot this deer and then give him/her the antlers. I have the arrow (it was still in the deer) so I know the arrow brand, length, shaft size, and if it's carbon, aluminum, or wood. I obviously know the fletching colors and brand, type and weight of the broadhead. If someone out there shot a buck in this area and can describe the area and arrow I will give the antlers to them in a heartbeat. I know of no other way to find out who the hunter was. I truly love to look at these antlers but I obviously didn't harvest it, so it doesn't mean as much to me as it would to the person who shot it. If I shot that deer I would still be in the woods looking for it!! Hopefull someone out there reads this and can point me in the right direction to the rightful owner. I know the chances are slim. I have spoken to numerous hunters in that specific area and nobody mentions losing a big deer. Who knows. I am careful as to what I say as I don't want someone to lay claim to this deer if it wasn't theirs. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 I actually hunt in Madison County. I hunt near Hamilton (where I grew up) and North Brookfield. The deer is not mine but good luck with your search. I doubt you will ever find the person who shot that buck. Which piece of state land did you find the buck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stcif Posted September 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 Near Erieville, it is the Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area. I also hunt Brookfield and the day I found this deer was my first time hunting Tio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcs3344 Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 i would love to see the rack of this deer, would you post pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 Near Erieville, it is the Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area. I also hunt Brookfield and the day I found this deer was my first time hunting Tio. Ah yes, I know where that is. I used to go through there all of the time. My grandparents lived in DeRuyter. That is a HUGE piece of State land and it IS full of monster bucks if you are willing to do the walking. I too would like to see that rack if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Born4it Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 That's pretty classy of you to look for the hunter who downed him! Good luck! Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 That is very cool that you are trying to do such a thing..........MOST would not... To make a long story short.....Years ago my dad shot a good buck but we was not able to recover because of other reasons:rolleyes:....Someone else later found the buck but was not willing to IMO do the right thing. We did finally one day get the antlers but it cost us:mad: So for you to do what you are wanting to do is IMO GREAT!! Good luck in your search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazylegz70 Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 Lets see, if its as nice as you say it is....I am going for a lottery shot and saying...Easton Aluminum with a fixed muzzy broadhead....75 grain of course.... I am from Illinois and I shot that deer on state property here....I dont know how it got all the way to New York, but wow I'm sure glad you found it.... :} Just playin', that is very commendable to give someone there deer back like that. I honestly never thought about what I would do if I were in that situation....hmmmm...VERY NICE POST Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stcif Posted September 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 Actually I made that whole story up!! Thanks for reading. Just kidding. I will post pics of the rack tonight. I have to figure out how to do it. I will only be able to post pics of the rack, but when I found it I took pics of the rack with head. Those I took with a 35 mm. Tonight I will use my digital. I'm not all that concerned with telling where I found this as it is a big piece of land, with many hunters to begin with. There are big deer on all pieces of state land. You just have to be willing to hunt hard. A little luck helps to.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stcif Posted September 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 I love the replies. You guys really made me laugh. I even think this is a trophy in Illinois. Just my opinion. This is the biggest deer I have ever seen in the wild. I saw one big eight pointer years ago. I threw three Remington copper solids at him, which didn't really have any effect. Probably went three feet over his back! Unfortunately for that deer he ran straight to one of my partners who dropped him with one shot. I found this deer because I saw an odd color off in the distance. I looked through my binocs and saw it was an arrow sticking in the ground. I walked about 60 yards over to it and then jumped when I saw the deer lying there on the ground, arrow still in it. I thought it was alive at first. Anyways, here are the pics. It has a busted brow tine. The rack isn't all that wide, about 15 inches, but is tall. Longest G 2 is about 9 inches. Rack has some stickers to. When I looked him over real good his hooves were really worn. Maybe he was from Illinois! You are a little off on the arrow though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stcif Posted September 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 My pics are not loading. I must be doing something wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stcif Posted September 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 I see what I am doing wrong. The file sizes are to big. I'll do this again. O.K. This stinks. I just re-did them and they are still too big..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonewolf5347 Posted September 26, 2008 Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 lost deer I been a bow hunter from the late 60's and will say my average was a deer with the bow one every two years not a bad average.I have taken a few up in the Rosco area that scored closed to 140 class .I did one year hit a buck of a lifetime late in Oct: 32 yard shot from my tree stand at around dusk but still legal time to shoot.I could see the shot was a little forward and hit the shoulder plate,the deer did a 180 and limb-ed off the same way he came into the shooting lane.I did not search for that deer that evening thinking in would be better the next morning to start tracking.I was up early and by good hunting Buddie did pick up the blood trail and found the shaft 2016 gamegetters but we did track until entering private property and then we contacted the landowner and explained the deer we hit and would like permission to track him without any bows on are persons if it will be alright:he did say yes and we must of track this guy until noon,lost the blood trail and never found the deer.I did approach the landowner later in the season just about the end of the gun season and asked if any one took the deer during rifle season and his ans: was they did not see the deer . I think over the last 38 years of bow hunting I lost only 2 deer but it happens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stcif Posted September 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 I guess it happens to all of us. My motivation to find the hunter who shot this deer is simple. We all hate the feeling of losing a deer, big or small. The feeling can be worse though when we know it is a large deer. I hope to ease that hunters pain by returning what is his/hers. I got the pics to post this time. The inside spread is about 15 inches but the rack is tall with a lot of character. I'm thinking about contacting the local paper's outdoor writer. By the way the girth of the bases is 5 inches. I'm thinking 4 1/2 years old. Maybe not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted September 26, 2008 Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 Nice Buck...Trust me if that was a deer that I shot and lost I would have rented the tracking dogs, dropped printed leaflets over the center of town, enlisted the local boy scout troop, and stolen a bus from the senior care center full of residents for a "field trip" just to look for him. In other words...That's not any Buck I shot and lost..or I'd still be out there looking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsterbucks1 Posted September 26, 2008 Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 That is One impressive rack, I am going to have to agree with GW on this one I would be calling every body to help and look. And I would have to say your one heck of a guy Trying to do that for someone. Maybe a suggestion here but if yu don't find the person did you ever think about getting it mounted and either placed at your house or maybe talk to Bass pro and see what they would do for you for a mount like that Espicially if it came from NY. to go with there store's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazylegz70 Posted September 26, 2008 Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 OK, apparently I didnt get the guessing game right the first time....Lets try this combo.... Carbon Express arrows...75 grain eastman broadheads? PM if I win the rack.... OOPS I mean, let me know when I can pick up my deer.....LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Born4it Posted September 26, 2008 Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 Awesome rack! Again, I really hope this works out for you! That would be one sweet story... Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted September 26, 2008 Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 I guess it happens to all of us. My motivation to find the hunter who shot this deer is simple. We all hate the feeling of losing a deer, big or small. The feeling can be worse though when we know it is a large deer. I hope to ease that hunters pain by returning what is his/hers. I got the pics to post this time. The inside spread is about 15 inches but the rack is tall with a lot of character. I'm thinking about contacting the local paper's outdoor writer. By the way the girth of the bases is 5 inches. I'm thinking 4 1/2 years old. Maybe not. I agree with you. I know that area and he has to be 4-1/2. He sure is a dandy buck. Good luck with your search. Maybe we will cross paths one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adjam5 Posted September 27, 2008 Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 Very honorable to look for the killing hunter. Good luck with your quest, and what a rack! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stcif Posted September 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 I did think about mounting this. After I found it I kept it in the garage a couple days deciding what to do. It stunk bad so I decided to just cut the rack off. Then I have been thinking about using another cape to do a mount just out of respect for this deer. I just don't have the $400.00 for a mount right now. The nearest Bass Pro is 1 1/2 hours away but there is a local Gander Mountain. I never asked if they are interested or not. We'll see what happens. I actually thought of putting up a flyer or two in the area I hunt but I am thinking it will attract a lot of people trying to claim what isn't theirs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zambo Posted September 27, 2008 Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 Lets see.... Easton arrows, Thunderhead broadheads, red and white fletching and Mathews bow. I shot him in Minnesota but lost the blood trail somewhere in Ohio. LOL. Good luck in your search You give hunters a good name and a reason to be proud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stcif Posted October 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 The local newspaper sports reporter has agreed to post an article. I will keep you all posted. Thanks for the replies. As for the arrow "guesses", not quite!! Nice try though LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kid Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 thats pretty cool that your doing this,, this reminds me of my dad and the buck he shot when he was younger he was over hunting at my uncles and shot a really nice buck, big main frame ten,, he tracked it for a little bit,, but he had to take a test for one of his college class,,, so he left and went and took the test,, when he came back to find the deer he met two hunters that were loading the buck of a lifetime in the back of their truck,, he still talks about it today,, so for the past three years i've been trying to get him a shot at one big enough to put on the wall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stcif Posted October 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 I figured since I posted this a few weeks ago I would give you all an update. Long story short, the newspaper did the trick and I was able to give the rack back to the deserving hunter who shot the deer. He was happy and I was happy. I knew it was along shot but it worked. Thanks for reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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