Hypothetical question re: trophies and cast antlers

floyd

Well-Known Member
Been wondering for a while now. With the seeming change to the seasons and weather effecting deer, just this year alone, there have been posts of roe bucks casting antlers in June and Fallow as early as October.

Caveat: this is purely hypothetical, has not happened to me or anyone I know, nor do I want to cause a slanging match between pros/clients etc.

What would happen if you were out stalking and encountered a possible trophy/medal buck. Took the shot but when reaching the downed deer discover an antler had cast 'fallen' off?? Shouldn't be a problem with red/sika or CWD, but with the odd roe and fallow known to have cast early and muntjac not having seasons, how would you fare???

Surely the guide hasn't done anything wrong, technically you shot a medal buck. But as a client would you be happy to pay for a one antlered trophy that 'could have been a bronze/silver/gold' if the other antler hadn't fallen off.
 
if it was a trophy animal that i was stalking and only if it was a great stalk would i want the animal as i would not just pop one off or bumping one along the way i want a memourable stalk and to have that animal on the wall it would matter not an anler has fallen off as it will be going into a full mount and i am sure a taxidermist can sort it out , atb wayne
 
It cannot be measured I believe if one antlers has come off so technically not a medal......surely cannot be charged for one!
 
I'm not into hunting medal or trophy heads but if I paid for let's say a gold medal roe buck then I would want that with said medal issued, so when measured if it only achieved silver then in my opinion I have not got what I paid for and would not be happy even though the guide may have been convinced, before the shot, that it was a gold.
In the OP's scenario when viewed in the field prior to shot it should be seen that it only had one antler and could not achieve any medal status, in that case I would be happy to take it as a cull buck (the guide would probably have other ideas - ie leave it for next season) but I wouldn't pay medal head prices
Wingy
 
Yes I read it the same as you stalker .308 in which case it could easily be sorted by a taxidermist in which case I suppose the medal fee would stand.
 
I read it the same , if it was put to the client as a potential gold or potential silver before the shot was taken and an antler was knocked off in the recovery and found or god forbid shot off the tarriff would stand. I would have simpathy with client if antler was lost and agree a suitable lesser rate. I have had a quality red royal snap off a crown tine fighting through a deer fence during a furious 20min scrap in full view of the stalking party. WE all marked the tine down and when the stags paused the shot was well taken but a couple of hours walking the place didnt find the tine. Charged out at full rate with unique story to tell into bargain.
 
SO, if it was a gold/silver prior to shooting, it was shot and one antler fell of, how can it still be a gold if it cannot then be measured? I guess it depends if the price was agreed prior to shooting, that aninal will cost you x amount etc. If the pricing is subject to it being scored and it can then not be scored....
 
SO, if it was a gold/silver prior to shooting, it was shot and one antler fell of, how can it still be a gold if it cannot then be measured? I guess it depends if the price was agreed prior to shooting, that aninal will cost you x amount etc. If the pricing is subject to it being scored and it can then not be scored....
That makes sense stalker 308
Assuming from the OP that the deer had 2 antlers when shot and price agreed prior to shot (who decides what medal it is while still in the field?)
Not something I've ever done or know much about but should it not depend on having a medal and certificate issued?
If you paid for a gold then it only achieved a bronze do you get a refund? Or is it very easy to determine the different grades while still wondering around the field?
 
We dont really have the quality or quantity to do much medal stalking, confining ourselves to mainly representative 6pt bucks but it is relatively easy to assess a head for a client prior to talking the shot and warn him that this may potentially be a bronze or silver that would be charged out at a higher tariff than a representative 6pter. If i have made a call that the buck is potentialy a bronze and wieghing green after boiling out it seems likely it could achieve a good silver the client pays for the original call . If i call a bronze and when it's grassed it's not as good as first guaged the client pays for a representative 6pt buck. It's always better to err on the conservative side and everyone goes home happy . I have only had one 6pt representative buck subesequently make a bronze and the guest posted the mounted trophy with medal and certificate back to us as he already had a number of medal heads.
 
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