12 point non-typical (now w/pics)

DaveH · 10-31-2007, 03:35 PM

OK, he's not a giant, and he's "unsual" looking, but I'm very pleased with him!

Here's what happened . . .

My story acually had it's beginning last friday during a downpour here at my place. I decided that it was the perfect time to take my stand down from one tree and move it to a location 40 yards east to a location I've never used, but I've seen deer in. I was able to find a good tree and hung the stand and cut good shooting lanes (none of which were used) while it poured and I knew that left-over scent wouldn't be a problem.

I started 3 weeks of leave (for rut hunting) on Monday morning when I got off work. It was cold and frosty, but too late to go out for the morning. Yesterday was also cool and frosty, but it was my wife's birthday and I took her out most of the day and we went to my son's place for the evening. Today, they were calling for 70 degrees, but it dawned cool once more and I decided to try the "new" stand.

By 9:30am, I had seen nothing and my 2 or 3 rattling sequences hadn't produced anything, but I was planning on staying another 45 mins to an hour. At 9:35am, I turned and looked to my right and saw a deer moving my way up a trail, but I couldn't see much through the brush. When I finally got a glimpse of his head, I could see the left side of his rack and knew immediately that he was a shooter. I drew the first time when he stepped into a "lane" I had cut. Even though the lane had been clear on Friday when it was raining, there were now some small twiggs and branches in my way and I let down. I drew the second time when he stopped to make a scrape under a dogwood tree. Again, branches obscured a shot and I refused to take a risky shot. Finally, he started walking and walked through a tiny opening which was the last chance I had for a shot. I touched off the release, saw the arrow hit well and heard the re-assuring "crunch" sound. He tore off on the fastest death run I've ever witnessed. For some reason, when he was about 60 yards away, he hung a hard right and started running across my neighbor's pasture and either tried to jump the electric fence or went through it ( he took out two posts). At any rate, when he hit the other side, he crashed and it was over except for me celebrating in my stand!

I didn't realize what he had until I got to him. I've never seen a non-typical around here and I was a little surprized to say the least! Some may not like it, but I think he's got character. He has a perfectly normal left side with four points, but his right side . . . the pictures will do a better job of explaining it. He didn't have any injuries that normally accompany this type of growth. There's 8 points on the right including a "hook" which drops straight down and then curls around and comes up -- see the pics. He was a big boy, but I've spent the day reducing him to edible pieces and he's in bowls in the fridge right now awaiting further processing. I didn't have to worry about the 70 degree weather!

Rickmur is going to post the pics for me since my computer no longer performs this function on here.