Help! Adirondack Monster!

[sampotter]

Ok, now that I have your attention....

 

 

 

Hello all- I am slowly trying to track down the current whereabouts of the huge buck that Paulina Brandreth and Reuben Cary teamed up on back in 1910 or so on my family property. This is the buck seen in the iconic photo below with Reuben Cary holding it. The 2nd picture is of a family friend, taken by the caretaker in the 1960's or so.  The setting was on the family land as well. That 2nd picture was sent to me several months ago by the grandson of the family friend after he received some old photos from the caretaker's descendant. At the time neither of us connected the dots that the mount was actually THE buck, and he speculated at 1st that it was a different deer. Because the camera angles are different, it took me up until a few days ago, while looking at those vintage photos and daydreaming, that the deer were one and the same. After pointing out some key characteristics, my Dad and the grandson both agreed, but that now leaves the burning question, where is it now?

I had always believed the rack had gone to the American Museum of Natural History because of a passage in a book written by Robert Wegner called Deer and Deer Hunting III. In a chapter devoted to Paulina Brandreth, Wegner mentioned a comment made by Roy Chapman Andrews  (naturalist, adventurer, explorer, Director of the American Museum of Natural History, possible inspiration for "Indiana Jones" character, and friend of Paulina's) while examining the rack for possible inclusion into the American Museum of Natural History that the rack was the thickest or heaviest he had ever seen on a whitetailed deer. I always interpreted this to mean that the deer did indeed go to the museum, but because Andrews died in 1960 and the rack was photographed on our land during the same time period, this was evidently not the case.

 

It would be really neat to find this deer again as it is by far the biggest to come out of our property and an absolute monster for the Adirondacks. For all I know it could be hanging in a dingy bar in Anytown, NY. Come to think of it, there is a big deer in Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse, but I don't really remember what it looked like. The huge brow tines and distinctive main beams should make this deer very recognizable. So, if you think you may have seen it, please let me know!

[moog5050]

Good luck. Hope you find it.

[TreeGuy]

Double barrel shotgun in first pic ? Good luck hunting for the buck !!

[PREDATE]

It took me only a few glances to tell that those 2 pics depict the same rack.

I absolutely love old photos. I've always believed I was born 100 years too late(83')

[sampotter]

Double barrel shotgun in first pic ? Good luck hunting for the buck !!

 

It sure appears that way. I believe the buck was downed with 00 buckshot at very close range as he came looking for a fight.

 

 

It took me only a few glances to tell that those 2 pics depict the same rack.

I absolutely love old photos. I've always believed I was born 100 years too late(83')

 

I grew up only ever having seen the 1st pic. I never imagined that rack had those unbelievable main beams, so when the 2nd picture was sent to me with the suggestion that it was another big buck from the same area I didn't give it a 2nd thought.

[PREDATE]

It's kinda cool seeing the 2nd pic from 50 years later and knowing that deer came from that very area. I hope you can find it and get a "coming home 2014" pic

[sampotter]

It's kinda cool seeing the 2nd pic from 50 years later and knowing that deer came from that very area. I hope you can find it and get a "coming home 2014" pic

 

 

Me too!

[132 eight pointer]

My grandfather hunted small and big game with a side by side Lefever 12 ga. double. He used slugs for deer though. I hope you find that mount.

[PREDATE]

My grandfather hunted small and big game with a side by side Lefever 12 ga. double. He used slugs for deer though.

He most likely could only run one slug at a time. My grandpas LeFevers each had 2 different choke sizes, one side was full and the other was modified. Damn good rabbit/grouse gun!

[TreeGuy]

" you don't need 2 slugs to kill a deer " lol

[jjb4900]

a little off subject, but last months NY Outdoor News had a photo from the past submitted by a guy who bought it at an antique shop and he had no info on it, it was taken in East Islip on Long Island......I have the same photo on my wall with a couple relatives in it and know the full story, so don't be surprised if someone knows the whereabouts of that deer.

[martin]

I will have to check my pictures. I was at the museum in july. Awesome place to visit. I am sure its there.

[ants]

Awesome !!!    I love seeing old hunting photos like that..Makes your imagination go wild..Good luck..

[chiefbkt]

Great story.  I saved the pictures on my phone so I'll check every time I see an old buck on a wall!

[sampotter]

Thanks for the help!