Monster Buck; really strange story

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Stinger

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Monster Buck

This is a really strange story.

First of all, why would one OWN a deer?

Secondly, why would another steal it?

Stinger



August 6, 2003 10:29 PM EDT


KNOX, Pa. - The owners of a monster buck named Goliath with some 50 to 60 tips on its antlers believe they have the male deer back nearly four years after it was stolen.

While a representative of a deer farm where a large buck was found a week ago isn't conceding that the animal is the same one, Goliath's owner, Rodney Miller, says he's sure it's his buck.

Deer experts said some massive bucks have sold for more than $500,000.

Four members of the Pennsylvania Deer Farmers Association who were familiar with Goliath came across a massive deer while on a scouting trip last week. They took a photo and contacted Miller, he said.

"I knew from the face of the animal in the picture that it was my deer without even looking at the antlers," Miller said Tuesday at his Wild Bunch Ranch deer farm about 60 miles north of Pittsburgh.

The deer was found at the White Oak Whitetail Deer Farm, about 30 miles west of Miller's ranch. Miller sued Jeffrey Spence, owner of the farm, and obtained a temporary injunction that gave him possession of the deer last Wednesday until it can be determined whether the animal is Goliath.

"It hasn't been established that that is the Millers' deer, first and foremost, and second, if it is the Millers' deer, then it came into (White Oak's) possession in the proper manner," said Troy Harper, Spence's attorney.

Goliath has a tattoo on his ear and a microchip in his tail. Arrangements were being made to have the microchip read.
 
Good lookin critter

most places it's not legal to pen up wildlife. A deer farm? Wonder why? we are over-run with them here, don't need to raise them!
 
There are some property owners here who conduct trophy hunts, they raise bucks like this and purchase sperm just like cattle ranchers. They are trying to get big bucks who mature quickly. Lots of money in trophy hunts these days.

On a side note, one ranch here is going the other way, they have purchased does sired by monster bucks (the does are cheaper). Now the ranch has 25 does and plans to conduct a thinning operation on the ranch to rid it of most native does. Then they will release the does (which in theory will birth twins for at least two years) and 4-5 years latter they hope to have twice the number of "monster bucks".

GinSlinger
 
I fully understand the economics of ranching and game ranching, but that doesn't mean I gotta like what's being done in the name of trophy hunting. It just doesn't seem to me like you wind up with truly wild deer.

I have no problem with the outer boundary fence of a large ranch being deerproof, for a deer can evade and hide in a fairly small area, all things considered. Deerproof fences are mainly to keep other deer out, moreso than the rancher's deer in. Improved pasture attracts like unto a very magnet! :)

But "freeing" the offspring of pen-raised deer just doesn't seem right. :( The other side of the coin is that the school-tax folks don't care if your ranch is or isn't making a profit.

Art
 
Gotta agree with Art, on the issue of whether they're wild.

Baled straw in a field right next to a pen where a guy is raising whitetails this year. He had about a dozen on maybe 2.5-3 acres divided in 2 pens (big rectanlge with divider right down middle). Had a creek running through it, good grass, 2 big trees and a few feeders. They looked healthy and happy, no concerns on that front.
The problem is that in the pen right at the edge of the field, there were 7 deer,a 14 point monster (big rack, big tines on it, BIG deer), a little 4 point, and a few doe with fawns. They were all very partial to laying along the fence right at the edge of the field.
That 14 point was tame as could be. We were driving a big noisy 90 HP diesel tractor past him with a brand new New Holland baler that hadn't worn the paint out out of the gears yet. You could here it pounding from a mile away. Also a straight piped 78' F250 pulling wagons. He rarely stood up when you went past, and if he did he didn't move to daggone far. Didn't matter if you walked past either, he was right there.
I really gotta wonder how you call it hunting, when you take a deer thats not afraid of of people or anything associated with them, and that spent the majority of its life in a 2 acre pen:scrutiny:

Flip side of the coin, is twice now I have been walking out to my back pasture to check a racoon trap and walked right up on deer. 4 adults the first time, and a doe and two fawn this week. Both times I got within 50 yards of them before they even took notice. On the first occasion, I actually waved my arms and whistled at them. One of the doe actually cocked her head sideways and walked a dozen steps towards me!
So even the wild ones aren't necessarily wild anymore.

I'd rather they had every chance to live as normal deer with normal instincts though.
 
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