Giant shed found

monstermuleyhunter · Jul 13, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Jul-13-14 AT 06:02PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jul-13-14 AT 05:58?PM (MST)

LAST EDITED ON Jul-13-14 AT 05:56?PM (MST)

LAST EDITED ON Jul-13-14 AT 05:53?PM (MST)

I'm hoping someone has the match to this guy. I know it's a long shot given the age but I thought I'd give this a shot. This single measures 100 4/8" with roughly 15" broken off. It has 12 scorable points. With 23" spread credit this buck would roughly score 254 if other side is similar. It was picked up on a general unit in southern utah. Text me @8014992289 if you have any insight on matching this giant up. I'm guessing 10-12 years old....chime in and give me your ideas on age. It was hung on base of tree.

"I'll see you all this coming fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains!"

YBO · Jul 13, 2014

No picture.

Vanilla · Jul 13, 2014

Wow! What a buck. Great find.

YELUM · Jul 13, 2014

Un Freakin Real. What a find.

Yelum

AZMIGHTYMULIES · Jul 13, 2014

Great find !! with that outside cheater the way it looks, could've been an exceptionally very wide buck !! just goes to show ya , what else is there to be found out there !! Thanks for sharing .

monstermuleyhunter · Jul 13, 2014

If other side has similar extras I estimated 39-41" wide. Frame is 29" giving 3" between bases on head. I found a very similar antler but a third the size with 7 scorable points that I think may be same buck as a youngster. I'm hoping someone recognizes the buck. He may have been harvested and I'd love to see the pics. I'll share a hint to narrow in on area...it's within 75 miles of Richfield. I would be one happy man to get any information. A buck like this especially in a general unit is legendary.

"I'll see you all this coming fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains!"

hogg_65 · Jul 13, 2014

Awesome find. Ill bet that horn has been shed for a lot longer than 10 or 12 years. Ill say 30 or more. And you have to remember there were a lot of big deer in Utah back in those days.Great find congrats.

ridgetops · Jul 13, 2014

I'm guessing that antler could be over 50 years old. My grandpa has a rack out on his barn that has been there for over 50 years and it's in a lot better shape than that antler.

monstermuleyhunter · Jul 13, 2014

50 years? I guess I asked for it. I have horns in my yard that are gone in less than 10. Inside a barn is a bit different than being in the rain and snow year after year (even under a tree). I agree long ago there were a few more toads but trust me those bones are long freaking gone. I have found sets years apart that go from brown to chalk in 6 years.

"I'll see you all this coming fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains!"

monstermuleyhunter · Jul 13, 2014

Also keep in mind the broken tines and extras were broken in battle not eaten or dissolved. Horn looks worse in pic than it is. Maybe I'm dreaming that I'll see the other side but I'll keep holding on to that slim chance!

"I'll see you all this coming fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains!"

Deerdon · Jul 14, 2014

Um......GULP!

2_Point · Jul 14, 2014

It is hung mostly out of the weather, off the ground. It takes 30++ years to grow lichens on an antler so I'd also guess 50+ years old. Nice find.

monstermuleyhunter · Jul 14, 2014

For what its worth I spoke with a taxidermist today (very reputable) that says 99% of horns are gone within 10 years. He laughed about the 50 year old mark. He said for an antler even in a tree its impossible to last more than 15 years. Quite frankly I don't care how old it is I was just hoping to hear comments. Sounds like they can repair side I have and build something similar for other...Not many guys can say they have picked up a horn of that caliber with their entire family in tow..2 year old son on my back and 4 other kids and wife right along side me!

"I'll see you all this coming fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains!"

2_Point · Jul 14, 2014

Well we can laugh at your taxidermist. Lichens don't cover an antler in 15 years. They don't cover it in 25 years. It takes decades for lichens to cover an antler like they are on the one you posted. I have antlers sitting in my flower garden that were chalk when we placed them there over 10 years ago. They get wet and sun and still are all intact.

That is a great find and very neat memories made. Congratulations to you and your family, however old it is.

Cowkiller · Jul 14, 2014

Ask that taxidermist how old he thinks this antler is? I have always been interested in just how old some of the antlers I find might be. I've been around a while and come to some conclusions. Most antlers do turn to chalk very rapidly. Under the right conditons they then can last a very, very long time. I have antlers I threw out in my parents yard when I was a kid. More than thirty years later they look just the same.

As for the antler in the picture, the tree grew over it. The tree is a pinon pine at least 200 years old. I first found this antler in 2002. I visit it every year. It has not changed at all in 12 years.

monstermuleyhunter · Jul 14, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Jul-14-14 AT 05:07PM (MST)[p]Cowkiller...awesome pic! I'll end age debate right now... I was simply curious of opinions and I got them. I have antlers 30 years old as well but they've been kept out of the weather after found. I do believe the shed I found has serious age but if antlers really can withstand 50 years of snow and rain than why aren't more giants like this turned up? A previous post made the point of Utah having many more giants years ago so where are all the antlers? My dad tells stories of "Monarchs" on the mountain I found this on from 1983...year I was born and was 7 days old sleeping in the tent on the mountain while He shot every round in his clip from his waist he was so excited (so he says). Id love to think that this one I picked was one of those up and maybe the G2 was blown off by his 7mm! Brings it full circle. I hunt for the stories and memories.

"I'll see you all this coming fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains!"

cmbbulldog · Jul 14, 2014

Awesome find. Thanks for sharing.

swbuckmaster · Jul 14, 2014

I have sheds in my yard over 15 years old and there not as worn as that horn.

Im with the other guys saying your taxidermist doesn't know what hes talking about when it comes to sheds.

Why is this site the worst out for browsing with
a phone or posting with a phone?

oneaway · Jul 14, 2014

That's a dandy. This might sound crazy, but you should have a replica made, fix the broken points and put it on a skull. Would be a hell of a conversation piece.

Cowkiller · Jul 14, 2014

Regardless of age that's a fantastic shed. Congrats.

As to as why aren't there more ancient giants found. Most of them have been picked up. Huge deer may have been more common 50 years ago but they were still rare. One of my favorite sayings is "even where there are a lot of giant bucks there ain't very many". People picked up giant sheds when they saw them, even 50 years ago. Now there are armies of shed hunters picking up everything. In spite of all that I still find some huge old relics occasionally. Usually they are very well hidden.

monstermuleyhunter · Jul 14, 2014

Oneaway..... that's exactly what I'm doing. I've contacted Klaus Lebricht and he's going to replicate this buck. It will cost some coin but having my entire family with me during the find makes it even more special. It's neat to think that this could have been one my dad was after. Great conversation piece to share with everyone.

"I'll see you all this coming fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains!"

mntman · Jul 14, 2014

great find!
as far as how long a shed lasts depends on the amount of moisture and animals around that eat them.
In northern MN an antler would not last for 50 years, more like 50 days (joking).
In the desert with little rain and no animals (mice, porcupine etc..) it will last considerably longer.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?

yoteyelper · Jul 15, 2014

Cowkiller that is not a pinyon pine tree, it is a utah juniper, and they can grow really fast, just look at any 20 year old chaining. Im not saying that your tree and horn are not old, but not a pinyon pine. My two cents, the horn is big, congrats on a great find.

oneaway · Jul 15, 2014

Well that's a relief that I'm not crazy. Lol. Post some pics when you get it done. Would like to see the finished product.

trophymuley · Jul 15, 2014

If we want to talk age of antlers. From what I have experienced. The more dense and heavier an antler is, the longer it will last. There's no such thing as a timeframe in which antlers all disintegrate. I found the base of an antler that was on a dry open hill that was about 4 inches long and about 5 inches around. i brought it home wherein my dad gave it to my aunt who works with carbon dating. The antler was from around 1750. That antler had sat there for around 250 years before I picked it up. Besides that. My grandpa hung a deer skull up on a barn in hyrum back in 1940 and it still hangs there without a point missing. Once antlers get past a certain age it all becomes a guess on how old it really is. I wouldn't doubt the antler was picked up by some hunter fifteen or twenty years ago and put on the tree. As a little kid I remember my uncle picking up big deer antlers and putting them in trees all the time. He would always ask the question "why would you want to bring an old bone home."
Here's a few pictures I found that are kinda cool
Fossilized antlers

Check out this stump

"Never argue with an idiot. They will bring you
down to their level and beat you with experience."