The Bittersweet Bucks

Hello, I am new to this board and thought that I would share a unique find that I came across on my hunting lease during the rut in 2014 in East Texas. It just made the current issue of Texas Trophy Hunters magazine (May/June edition "The Bittersweet Bucks"). I found these two bucks locked together shortly after they had expired. The coyotes and buzzards had begun to work on them. After I obtained permission from a game warden to take possession of them for mounting purposes, unbelievably, my taxidermist was able to mount them the way I found them, using the actual hides and without having to cut their antlers. It's a shame that they suffered the fate that they did, and I only had them mounted as a tribute..........that's why I call them The Bittersweet Bucks. I believe this is a once in a lifetime find and I was wondering if anyone on this forum has ever run across this type of scenario in your hunting experiences?

and

I appreciate the thoughtfulness of your tribute to the warriors.

What a find!

I have not personally come across anything such as this, but there are stories out there about these things. I believe there was a more recent (last couple of years) story from Ohio or somewhere east that two bucks were found in a river after being locked up and they both were dead. Maybe someone else can offer some other stories...

What a job by the taxi though! Great tribute to some fallen warriors

Welcome! Looks like you have a great Easter Texas lease!

Thank you!

Thank you!

Thank you!

Thank you! Its a small lease, but nestled in the right spot of East Texas.........We were very fortunate to stumble upon it.

When I hunted around Zaragoza Mexico years ago I found two locked up dead about that same size.

Man, what a shame to lose those two. Pretty cool that you had them mounted!

That is very cool

Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your find with us.

When I was in the 5th grade in Uvalde, my teacher had a locked double buck corner mount with one buck hung on each wall....it was from bucks they found dead on her ranch....I always thought it was very kool to mount them in the corner on separate walls....if I remember right it was a large typical 12pt and 10pt....they were huge bucks to me..... Very impressive!

'Appreciate you posting your find and mount. No Disney ending for sure for those two poor guys. Great taxidermy work.

Welcome to the forum.

Welcome to the Forum! Cool mount!!

Fitting name for them, great find but a shame they went out that way.

Thanks for sharing, I agree the taxi work is awesome.

Great story and pics. Well played having them mounted.

Great job on all parts!

Cool

Yep, that hopefully is a once in a lifetime find, Great tribute!!

Nice!

You said that you used the same hides from these bucks. It looks like the flies were all over them. Did you take them to the taxidermist that same day? It must have been cold enough to keep the hair from "slipping."

Yes sir.......cold morning. Once I found them, and gained permission to take them, I caped them out to the base of their necks and then they were immediately frozen. I was worried too that the hair would slip, and fortunately it did not. I think from the time they expired until I found them had not been very long.......otherwise, they would have been eaten more than they had been and rigormortis would have already set in.........neither buck was stiff. The same scars on each buck before they were mounted are on the finished product as well which prove that they are indeed the same hides. Probably wouldn't have been salvageable had a couple of more hours had passed.