I don’t normally cover a lot of stories featuring big deer with impressive headgear, usually leaving that subject in the capable hands of good pal and Internet compadre Mike Hanback over at his Big Buck Blog.
But the story about the
unique buck found dead of natural causes earlier this month in Houston County,
Minn. bears posting.
The triple drop tine buck of Houston County, Minn. was something of a legend among hunters and residents in and around Caledonia for many years. TD (as he was affectionately known) is no more, discovered by Matt Semling on his Yucatan Valley farm Feb. 7.
(Click photo for larger view)
Greg Schieber has a great piece appearing in the Caledonia Argus newspaper detailing a lot of the history of the celebrity buck that was estimated to be 8 1/2 years old when it succumbed to the rigors of age and old man winter.
Local residents noticed TD first formed a single drop tine at the age of 3 1/2. At 5 1/2 years old he grew a second drop tine and finally, at the age of 7 1/2 a third, making him a stand out not only for his age and size, but for his unique set of antlers. The rack scored 181 inches on the Boone and Crockett scoring charts.
When Semling, an avid bowhunter, moved to his property three years ago, it wasn't long before he was introduced to TD.
“I moved into the valley and one of the first days I moved into my home I got the opportunity to see triple drop tine. He was a double drop tine at that time but was still kind of impressive.”
“Any day out of the summer, starting right away in June when I was on my way home from work, I would always know when he was in my food plot because there would be between five and fifteen vehicles pulled over on the road,” said Semling. “He’d show himself all the time when not being hunted.”
Semling is having the deer mounted and is considering having replica racks made for other hunters who have shown interest.
“I don’t have any problem with people making replicas. I’m not the only one that hunted him nor the only one that really enjoyed having him around the area,” he said.
I did read that story in the Argus! What a talented young man Greg is! By the way, it is not Coon Rapids but near Caledonia, MN or Houston, MN
Posted by: Jill Hahn | 02/27/2009 at 07:11 AM
Thanks, Jill! I have corrected and updated the posting to reflect that.
Posted by: J.R Absher | 02/27/2009 at 09:34 AM