Massive 6pt match set sheds

[wooly]

Here we go folks! Got so many pics these are in no particular order. When I went to grab my cam today to move it, I did a little hike around because of all the sign in there. Just about 100 yds from my cam I spotted the first one. I knew a buck this size was gonna kick off the other side close so I looked for the next hour and found nothing. I hung a ribbon to mark the 1'st location so I could find the site again before heading out.Was thinking maybe it got dragged off or chewed to smithereens......but then I found the match 50 yds away from the first in the dense pricker thicket.

I've never found anything like these.

They are massive!!!

A few quick numbers

20" main beam left antler

18" beam right antler

6 1/4" brow tine right antler

9 1/2 " g2 left antler

Bases - I know this is not 100% accurate because I don't know where I'm supposed to take that measurement BUT......between 7 1/2" and 8".

I'm telling you guys these things belong in a freak show!!

They are an old set with very little damage.

I can't believe this is what I have to start the season with......everything else is gonna seem so....well.....small,lol. 8-)

Anyhow- random shots.

[jasons75]

Sweet! Nice find.

[5.9cummins]

Those got to be last years - go find this years.

[wooly]

They are an old set with very little damage.

Yes they are last years. I said that already.

[wooly]

Oh I know what you mean now. :

No, these are not last years finds. I picked these up today 12/23/2010.

Last years antlers, this years find.

[5.9cummins]

What camera you shooting? I see the nikon strap.

What lens are you using?

[wooly]

What camera you shooting? I see the nikon strap.

What lens are you using?

I carry 2 cameras most of the time.

My main cam for wildlife photography is A Nikon D-3000 (10.2 MP).

Lens is a Nikon DX-AF-S Nikkor55-200mm1:4-5.6G ED VR. Also have a 18-55mm of the same I need to start carrying for close range ATL's with a little wider view.

For general snapshots I just have a Kodak Easyshare C-183(14MP) point and shoot that I keep in my pocket. I don't remember off hand which shots were with what cam. :-\

[First-light]

Merry Christmas!

[sampotter]

Nice job finding them barley peeking out of the snow.

[Doc]

On picture number 4, the antler on the left has a little tiny knob on the end of one of the tines. I have a 9-point with that sort of deformity on the end of two tines, and I have seen it on other racks. It's almost like something was constricting the growth of the tine at that point. Anybody know what causes that?

Doc

[nyantler]

Some think it is made by a warble fly, which is the fly that lays its eggs in deer antler during velvet... but there is usually a hole associated with that occurrence from where the fly exits when it hatches... many times the type of mark that you see here is from hitting the tip on something solid while still in velvet causing the tip to compress slightly and leaving that little bulb when the antler hardens. Although bucks are extrememly protective of their antlers during the growing period they occasionally bump them causing small deformations... you could actually bend the antlers by hand while they are growing and form them any way you like if you could get the buck to hold still long enough to do it   The owner of the most photographed buck ever actually bent the bucks tips in slightly so he could recognized the buck among some similar looking bucks in his herd. The buck's name was "BIG JIM" and if you look up some of his photos by Charlie Alshiemer you'll notice the tip bent in.

Below is the only pic I could find of big jim (on the right) but you can see the bent in tip on the right g2

[Geno C]

cool find!