An Illinois Giant

[Splitear]

My uncle just sent me this photo, he and his grandson Karson found this while shed hunting today. 20 points, one they had been hunting for some time. Edwards County, Illinois. I do miss hunting back home. 

Edited March 13, 2023 by Splitear

[grampy]

What a monster buck! Wish one of them could have put a tag on him. Any idea what did him in?

[Splitear]

He said they found it “bedded” next to a tree. Rough scored at 201. He thinks it’s “old age”. He sent me his last trail cam photos of him, I’m assuming from 2 summers ago  

Edited March 13, 2023 by Splitear

[Dr Juice]

Awesome find. Congrats. 

[crappyice]

Wowza

[phade]

Score can be a hard thing to gauge in photos and social media spirals in the argument phase almost all of the time. Regardless that is one nice buck and I’m sure many a night’s sleep were thinking about running into him the next morning. Dandy.

Edited March 13, 2023 by phade

[Belo]

Old age is a tough one to buy. But maybe an illness that he couldn't have recovered from due to old age would be more believable for me. Also depending on how bad the carcass was you might not see the guy that took a bad untechnical shot after seeing those antlers or even a car hit that didn't kill, but crippled him.

That said, very cool find and always sucks to find a dead head like that too. 

[Splitear]

1 hour ago, phade said:

Score can be a hard thing to gauge in photos and social media spirals in the argument phase Alamo all of the time. Regardless that is one nice buck and I’m sure many a night’s sleep were thinking about running into him the next morning. Dandy.

I take his "rough score" with a grain of salt, and don't think for a minute I'll spend anytime defending what my Uncle Butch taped out in his garage  Like you said, it's a dandy regardless, and that's all that matters, more so that it was found while he was out shed hunting with his grandson. 

[Splitear]

34 minutes ago, Belo said:

Old age is a tough one to buy. But maybe an illness that he couldn't have recovered from due to old age would be more believable for me. Also depending on how bad the carcass was you might not see the guy that took a bad untechnical shot after seeing those antlers or even a car hit that didn't kill, but crippled him.

That said, very cool find and always sucks to find a dead head like that too. 

I agree, I think that "old age" is an easy answer. For all I know the thing was bit by the last rattlesnake left in Southern Illinois  But hey, if he wants to say the thing keeled over after a full life, that's fine by me.

Edited March 13, 2023 by Splitear

[grampy]

3 hours ago, Splitear said:

I agree, I think that "old age" is an easy answer. For all I know the thing was bit by the last rattlesnake left in Southern Illinois  But hey, if he wants to say the thing keeled over after a full life, that's fine by me.

Still lots of copperheads left in Illinois!!!.....  

I'm with ya 100%. Regardless of how he died, he was a great buck that any of us would've been proud to shoot!