Would you?

[Firebird]

I just ran across this pic in the Talley mfg. blog. I’m wondering how many of you would have shot the freak-and who of you would have passed and kept looking for the big common?
Maybe you have freak pix or stories of your own to share.

 

[PARA45]

I would have shot without hesitation, that would be like not shooting a non-typical deer.

 

[baxterb]

I’m not so much into the freaks, be they antelope or those Buffalo who have been castrated by hyaena and grow the wide horns with no boss. I think horns and antlers are part of an animals overall conformation and a truly mature, proper animal will “look the part.” And I don’t really care about the trophy status as far as inches measured at all. To each his own said the old lady as she kissed the cow...

 

[Tgood1]

boom

 

[Hogpatrol]

Crack, thump.

 

[jduckhunter]

Been there and done that! See if I can dig up some pics.

 

[jacques smith]

No question; I’d have dumped him— I like humps- bumps- and funnies—- probably short of 16 but I’d still have shot him

 

[Uncle Sauce]

No hesitation on my part - in antelope hunting circles some guys go out of their way for antelope freaks. Seen photos of some crazy looking racks but I've never got one myself.

 

[Red Leg]

Absolutely.

The "best" mule deer I have ever seen was while hunting the rut in British Columbia about fifteen years ago (November and a tad chilly). He was ancient with visible ribs, hip points, and low slung belly. His rack was a massive receding 3x3. Who knows how he would have scored (wouldn't even make SCI I am sure), but the bases were as big as my wrist and the mass went the length of the rack with pearling covering most of it. He walked up to within fifty yards of us, and no matter how hard we tried, neither my guide nor I could put a fourth point on either side to make him legal.

 

[Randy F]

Absoposilutely!

 

[BeeMaa]

Yepper, and for 3 reasons.

It’s a good cull to prevent it from happening again.
It’s a story, a story about ethical hunting and the unique trophy.
Horn/antler shape has nothing to do with how they taste.

 

[baxterb]

My understanding is that generally these really odd antler/horn malformations are due to injury or hormonal issues, not necessarily genetics.

 

[BeeMaa]

My understanding is that generally these really odd antler/horn malformations are due to injury or hormonal issues, not necessarily genetics.

That may well be the case.
But I’m still putting my crosshairs on it.

 

[curtism1234]

A big no for me unless its the end of the hunt and I'm in scramble mode or I'm hunting with multiple people and its my turn to shoot. I like symmetry and that's certainly not.

I will also say I'd be concerned with shooting it only to find out he is injured and has a nasty infection. You are left with the option of possible tainted meat or getting caught dragging him to the nearest ditch to pretend nothing happened.

 

[Firebird]

I consider myself a freak man!

 

[fourfive8]

Yup, I gotta stuffed albino coon sitting on the mantle over the farplace. Rot thar nexun the painting of the dogs playing pool!

Seriously though... maybe? That pronghorn is a decent buck, but nothing special. Those abnormalities are usually caused by injuries and not genetics. The elk however is obviously old and may be experiencing hormone issues because of age... mass and character, so fielder's choice I guess

 

[Newboomer]

It would depend on the animal and if it looked interesting enough to me. If it was clearly genetic, then yes, I'd take him to help clean the gene pool. If it was a life threatening injury like a horn or antler poking him or a bum leg, yes again, so he doesn't suffer.

 

[JimP]

It all would depend on what I wanted or was after. If I was after any buck I'd shoot him, but if I was after something better I would hold off.

Way back in 2005 while deer hunting on the Monroe unit in Utah we saw the Spider Bull and at that time he was a shooter, but we even said that he had some very unique antlers with one drop point and that we would quite likely shoot him just for his uniqueness. This was 3 years before he was shot.

 

[R.M.C.]

I love the weird stuff!! Got a couple pie bald deer and a big wild hog missing his whole back leg. Not technically a freak but I think its cool lol

 

[gizmo]

Ooooh he’d been toast! Awesome speed goat.