Stolen Trophy!!!

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piercfh

New member
I've heard of hunters having their trophies stolen or hunters buying trophies to claim for their own, and now I have a first hand account to share.

Last friday I took a good friend hunting who hadn't had much luck this year. I put him in a good spot where I had seen alot of bucks lately and he pulled off a shot on a nice 9pt. I had the buck on trail cameras and was hoping to kill him with my bow, but my friend was very excited and I was glad it went to him. The buck had a 19 inch inside spread and was the biggest deer he had ever killed.

After recovering the buck we ate supper and headed to the processor. I would normally cape my own deer, but he wanted to have the processor do it. He also called a taxidermist friend and told him he'd be in soon with the caped out head. We went back to pick up the cape and were looking forward to seeing the taxidermist, but the processor couldn't find the buck. They said it was probably still being caped out and to come back tomorrow. They called that night and said it was nowhere to be found and had to have been stolen from their cooler. This is a very credible processor, and my friend has a lot of trust in them and their word.

Heres a picture of the deer if anyone in the alabama area happens to see it at a taxidermist. All the local ones have been informed and are keeping an eye out. Let me know if you have any information even though it may be a shot in the dark. piercfh@auburn.edu 334-201-0823 thanks.

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I have to agree there are some lousy people out there. My friend doesn't blame the processor, and he said they are just as upset as he is. They determined someone walked into the processor (their backyard) and drug the deer off.
 
If they take it to a taxidermist, won't they have to have a tag attached? When I drop mine off (not that common of an event...:o). They cut off the tag that is taped to the rack and compare the info on it to my license.

Maybe not all are that careful, but they do have a legal responsibility to make sure it wasn't poached.

Of course the flaw is if they actually had a tag and replaced yours...

They would have to be pretty bold to take it to a taxidermist, but they were obviously bold enough to steal it out of someones backyard...
 
thats realy low-life if sombody steels a trophy... :mad:
thats like steel someons foto-album...

that guy who sole it are probetly to incmpitent to kill one for him self...
i would feel embareced if i would buy one, and even more if i would steel one...

i hope you get it back...
 
Have you notified the news media? That's how those guys got caught that shot the deer out of Mr. Newells yard in Montgomery several years ago were caught. I would think a story with the photo you posted would be clipped and kept in taxidermists shops all over Al. I'll sure keep it in mind in Elmore Co.
 
I would be pissed.Especially being his biggest yet. I shot my biggest Dec31 here in N alabama. It had a 20in spread and is the first deer im having mounted.I would be IRATE if it came up gone.

Did the whole deer get taken or was it already caped out? At my processor it would almost have to be an employee.
 
"If they take it to a taxidermist, won't they have to have a tag attached? When I drop mine off (not that common of an event...). They cut off the tag that is taped to the rack and compare the info on it to my license."

There are no tags in Alabama that I am aware of. Two deer per day IIRC. That is too bad that someone would do that. I also second the idea of copies of that picture to bring to taxidermists.
 
It use to be a buck a day til this year and now you can harvest 3 bucks total for the season. One of the 3 has to have at least 4pts on one side. When you get your license your supposed to fill out the tag on it before you move the deer.Nothing is attached to the deer.

If you get caught with the buck and the tag isnt filled on your license you are in trouble. My processor has a sign stating you need ID but ive never had them ask me for it.

At this point it's really hard to enforce the new law. If your transporting one for someone you are supposed to have all their info including date/time/ name/ location etc.
 
A trophy is a very personal thing, anyone with a sense of pride and honor would have no interest in claiming someone else's...

A darn shame.. I really hope you guys recover it!
 
i know a guy who's cousin killed a 170" whitetail with a 24" spread in the early 80's. exact same thing happened at the locker. about 5 years ago (approx. 20 years later) my friend got a phone call from a guy who said he had a deer rack that he thought was his. he put him in touch with his cousin and the rack was returned to the rightful owner. the guy claimed it wasn't him that took it, but knew the guy who did and after hearing the story convinced him to give it back. probably doesn't make you or your friend feel any better, but there is always a chance.
 
They are pretty picky about documentation here in Oregon. My buddy and I always write out a "transport tag" with all the info on it if we have to transport for the other. I got checked a couple of years ago taking 2 deer (mine and his) to his house to cut up. They even have an official form in the regs, but as long as you got the all the info and a signature, I think you are good to go.
 
I just saw another thread on an archery forum where the guys bow kill was stolen from his taxidermist. It was like 150 class. His taxidermist also offered a reward.
 
Similar situation with the former world record Jim Jordan buck.....shot it in 1914 and left the rack with a taxidermist. A year later he checks in with the taxidermist and discovers he'd moved and the rack is gone. Disappears for over 50 years and shows up at a garage sale for $3. Jordan died at 86 short of receiving recognition from B&C by two months.

Hopefully you won't have to wait 50 years like Jim Jordan.

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read a similiar thing about a close to world record non typical. The guy had it hanging in his back yard and somebody went in at night and sawed off the head.

Taxedermist a few states away read the article (think it was in outdoor life or fur fish and game) and compared photo in the mag to a rack he was doing for some rich guy and it was the same buck. Rich guy admitted to police that he had bought the rack from some folks off the net. Don't know if they ever tracked the guys down, but the guy got the rack back at least.

Did have a guy try to claim my kill once. I shot it with a bow during the rifle season (bow and rifle run the same time in SD). Tracked the sucker about 500 yards and a couple hours and find this guy gutting in. He claimed he killed it and I said funny there is no bullet wound (he had a rifle and rifle permit). No bullet fragments either. He was without words but still said he killed it. I said fine then lets explain it to the guy that owns the land that you are trespassing on. He said he had permission and I said that was interesting since my family owned the land and I was the only person who had permission to hunt the land. At that point he gets antsy and I was worrying he might try something stupid so I made darn sure he saw the colt detective snubby holster on my belt. he eventually helped to finsh field dressing and then helped to drag the deer back to my truck. At that point I said he could finish hunting, and told him some good spots , but where to not hunt (near the cows and also where I was rifle hunting :p ).

Anyway, guy never came back to hunt those areas. Never saw him again.

Hope you get the guys that took the deer.

JOE
 
so I made darn sure he saw the colt detective snubby holster on my belt.
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Not a bad idea,
Minnesota law states no firearms, even CCP's are not recognized by MN DNR! during Archery Deer.
 
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