We've all got one. This pic is from 2016 I saw him at the end of last season so I'm pretty sure he's still alive. (No it's not the one in the front) zoom in and look to the right. My own personal ghost.



Let's see your ghost...

2015 He showed up a couple of times in late Aug, then right before archery season opened and then the day before general season opened. Then disappeared.



Starting in June he was on TC cam at one feeder weekly if not daily all summer till last week of August. At that point he was either poached or someone else cranked up a feeder in his core area. He was never seen again nor did I hear he was shot.

They don't get old being dumb do they

We had 2 last year. Both were shot by neighbors before rifle opener... One bow opener and one youth weekend. Took a month to find out.

Some do or we would never kill an old one.

This is true

Are you sure it’s the same deer? One in the first pic out of focus in the background looks considerably wider

This guy showed up on camera the first year I got on my lease. I had good pics of him from August through September with almost no signs in October. My buddy next to me got one pic of him I think opening weekend of rifle season then disappeared. No signs of him the next season and then my buddy found his sheds from the next year and he was a 10pt. No one that I know of had any pics of him that year.

Sparta that has to be a Mule deer in the back isn't it? Jeez...

The deer in my pics? 100% sure it is the same buck. He had small kickers on his G2s and a bump G4 on the one side the first year in those pics. The second year he did not have those kickers but was now a 6x5 typical. His browtines were the exact same shape and size. Throw in the fact he ran with the same buck 2 years in a row all summer and it is 100% the same buck. The buck he ran with those 2 yrs was alone all last summer. Now this year has a new buddy that is a double mainbeam buck that is shorter tined and younger that 11 pt.

That buck posted in the OP by Sparta is at least 24+" wide.
You will notice that he is feeder shy which speaks for his size and age.
Never depend on a camera to tell you the full truth, and nothing but the truth.
When I first started using cameras, I would get all wound up and excited only to have my hopes and dreams dashed as the season opened and went on to a close, without ever seeing the bucks I had seen before the season on camera.
Cameras are a nice tool, but now I'd hardly ever use them. I've been on my place long enough to know what there, and if one shows up that I haven't seen, it just makes the hunt that much better.

Was a 13-pt in 2015, then a typical 12 in 2016 with matching split G-2s. Passed him in 2016 thinking he was too young, stupid decision. He was just smaller bodied. Still hurts.


Showed up on cam last year in mid Nov, nearly a mile from his normal core area. Never seen again, makes me think he went roaming and got popped by a neighbor. Dang.

Hope I don't have anything to add to this post. We have been watching a typical 12 for the past several years, this year he will be on the menu if he presents himself. Since we have been watching him he has been a 9, 11, and a 12 for the past two years.

That's exactly what my FIL said. I sure would like to opportunity to spot check him on the ground.

I get your point on the cams. I've been using them less and less over the last few years. In fact, I just set mine up last weekend for the first time since opening rifle last year. I'm not sure what is out there for opening bow this year and I'm really excited to see what is going to show.

Exactly. First buck looks to be 22" or so.

Never mind. Just realized next pics were ranchmans.

Made the same mistake. Thought ranchmans were OP’s

That’s pretty much where I am in a nutshell.

I’ve had a couple of “ghosts” also. Saw one of them - once. Never killed as far as I know. Given their size, I’m pretty certain I would know.

Had this big boy show up last year, only to disappear at the beginning of season.
Hopefully no East Texas poachers got him.

The taste different? or just being humane?

I killed a "ghost" last year. Had four years of nocturnal game cam picks of him. Never a daylight photo. Until last season when I opened up a protein feeder in September. He was there the next day eating protein in the morning. But that was the only daylight photo of him, ever. No one had ever seen the deer in person. Until December 30th, 2017 when he stepped out into a sendero 200 yards away with three minutes of legal shooting light left. Stay after those ghosts. You just may get a surprise like I did!

The one that haunts me was a 29" inside, 17 point high 170's buck we got a few trail cams of when he was 4 1/2. Never saw the deer again. Both of these deer were in an 1,800 acre high-fenced pasture. They don't all live to be old men. I suspect the wide deer died of post rut mortality, or some other malady.

Adding some photos of my 'ghosts'.

This is the only daylight photo of Ghost #1. Ever. Oct. 22, 2017.


Ghost #1 Dec. 30, 2017. He FINALLY made a mistake at 7 1/2.



The 'Ghost' that continues to haunt. These photos were taken around Oct. 20, 2015. I called him 4 1/2 then. Haven't seen him since. But I have both sheds from '15. He's been on the hit list since last year. I think he's long since dead. But who knows?




These deer are on an 1,800 ac. high-fenced ranch. Just answering the first question ahead of time

Fouzman: Both of those are awesome but that last buck is an absolute haus!!!

Thank you. Sure wish he'd show up.