If I shot one with that huge a body, the first thing I'd be looking for would be a scale to weigh it! The rack is very nice, but pales in comparison to the giant body and you would think that a verified weight would be something everyone would want to know.

Unless he felt that the tape measure yeilded a significantly higher weight than a scale would have . . .

I also agree that it would be highly unusual for the deer to be bloated and smelly after that short a time period--esp in November and in a draw.