Guard Your Buck Rack & Cape

Posted At : March 2, 2010 10:43 AM | Posted By : Mike Hanback
Related Categories: Big Deer Blog

Matt, aka Flatlander, sent me this guest blog awhile ago:

You spend thousands of dollars every year in preparation for the season on tree stands, food plots, guns, gears, accessories, you burn vacation time, you put in countless hours on stand to make your dreams come true. You shoot a trophy buck and take a few photos of him, knowing that you will have years of enjoyment when it returns from the taxidermist, right?

Well maybe not. We take it for granted that people watch out for our best interests. But my good friend and videographer, Chad Schieler, from Bloomington, IL was one of many to have a set of antlers stolen from a local processing plant one time. There was no attempt from the company to make things right with the bill, or even apologize. This was not an isolated incident; several area whopper bucks vanished into thin air. The company was being investigated by the state conservation police, but they have told the hunters there is little chance the racks will show up.

Lesson learned: Don't let your trophy out of your sight unless you know the person so well you would trust your kids with them. Sadly in this day and age, with the value of a trophy rack and an increase of crime due to the economy, some people are trying to make a "BUCK" any way they can. Look out for yourself and your bucks, no one else will! Mike, please help spread the word so our Brother Woodsmen don't get ripped off. —Thanks, Flatlander

I add right off the bat that most taxidermists and processors are good, reputable people. In my travels I have left racks and capes (some BIG racks) with taxidemmists all over the country; I have 5 bucks out right now. But the people I hunted with vouched for the companies and their credibility—I had references.

Once I got burned, with the old, heavy 9-pointer in the picture. I rattled up and shot that awesome deer 5 years ago and have not seen him since. I didn’t pay a taxidermist any money up front, but that is not the point. That buck was special--it was one of the first deer I shot on TV when I started filming for the Versus network. I keep holding out hope the rack will show up, but I doubt it.

Flatlander is right, do your homework and don’t leave your hard-earned cape/rack (or good meat at a processor) unless you know the person/outfit, or have heard good things and have references, or at least have a good feel about it. Be really careful and cautious if that rack scores 170-plus. At any taxidermy shop you’ll have to put down 50%, that’s just good business. Never pay in full up front.

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Good looking out! I havent seen of anything happening around here like that yet but it sure could be going on. That would
suck to have this happen...my uncle lost one a few years back to a taxidemmist. It was his biggest buck at the time.
# Posted By Scott from MI | 3/2/10 11:39 AM
That's one reason I just cut the antlers off and hang 'em up. Saves a lot of money, too.
# Posted By Rodger | 3/2/10 12:42 PM
Here in Indiana you can leave the carcass with metal tag at the processors and take the rack with you. I'd never personally leave my rack at a processors, or a taxidermist. My processor friends are very trustworthy individuals, but you never know when some scum ball will walk out with a rack that isn't being watched all the time. And, you never know when thieves could break into a place. I'll keep the rack with me until its' time for the taxidermist to do his thing. All he really needs is the cape at first anyway. Mike, I remember that buck in the picture. Wasn't that in Wyoming?
# Posted By Dean Weimer | 3/2/10 1:18 PM
i feel the same way if i shoot a big buck they will never leave my sight till they get home for good having a trusted taxidermist and butcher is great thing but u can never trust the hired help that coem in only for deer season regardless of the great owners.. thats why gun season when u see the crate full of to be cape bucks laying all day it looks easy to just drive away with one of them now im all worried man sry to hear bout that buck hanback wsnt it oklahoma i rember that hunt and u dragging it up that steep hill haha
# Posted By ian in wisconsin | 3/2/10 4:48 PM
I lost a 60" kudu to a croked taxidermist I trusted with my 50% deposit cap and horns..he moved from NJ to Colorado Springs without telling me or any other clients...I hired a lawer and tried to sue him but the laws are set in the crook's favor...I dropped the case after having over $2000 invested into it . Never saw those horns again anywhere but in my pictures.
# Posted By Big daddy | 3/2/10 6:54 PM
Never experienced that, and I hope I never will. Don't expect to because 1) we butcher our own deer, and 2) my taxidermist is also my long time hunting partner and has been in the business in the same location for 30 years. In fact, I just picked up a buck I shot in October and walked out without paying a dime.

Dean, I found your comments interesting. I have never thought about holding on to my rack (for the above reason), but everyone I know leaves their rack at the taxidermist. He has a pile of them waiting to be mounted. I guess if I shot a huge deer and word got out, I might be concerned about his shop getting broken into, but other than that, it never crossed my mind.
# Posted By David in NC | 3/2/10 7:29 PM
I never understood the fascination with a buck that you didn't kill. How often do you see a dead deer lying on the road shoulder with
it's head completely severed off? Sorry to hear about your missing buck. That's aweful. You're right about getting references. Do your homework before you leave for your trip and know who you are going to ask when you get back with your trophy. It probably wouldn't
be a bad idea to have a back up plan in case your first choice has too much work and cannot take on more. It's better to bring the trophy
back home and have it done by a local shop rather than an out of state or country outfit.
# Posted By Paul-NJ | 3/2/10 8:52 PM
The first deer I ever killed was a crummy spike that was less than 100 pounds. I wanted to keep the hyde and the front legs to add to the mount, becasue it was "MY FIRST DEER." They threw away the legs and the hyde, and they offered me a chance to look through a 55 gallon drum full of hydes and legs. I told them to cram it and never took another deer back there. I know it wasn't much, but it ment alot to me. I did get the head and the cape back. Suppose it wan't a total loss.
# Posted By Ike P | 3/2/10 10:35 PM
i have went as far to consider a insurance policy on my mounts, you never know what may happen, i insure my wives ring and extra on my guns, but are your horns replacable, i say not. fire, tornado, theft you never know.. a buddy of mine once asked if everyone was out of house safely in a fire, and you could retrieve two things what would they be ??????????? i think about the amount of time in my life that is consumed by the outdoors, there is no way the memories are replacable..
# Posted By 12inchdrop (DUG KS) | 3/2/10 11:44 PM
Until last year, I never had a deer worth putting on the wall. I'm 44 years old & could not imagine waiting that long to finally get "that" buck only to have it stolen. I have read stories of this happening. I can only hope that karma is a real thing & all parties involved receive their just due!
# Posted By Curt | 3/3/10 1:01 AM
I don't personally know anyone that has experienced this. I do remember though reading in the North American Whitetail a few years back about a kid who shot a giant with a bow. I think it was the same year or the year following Tony Lovsteun(?)'s world record. This kid was 15 or 16 and I think it was one of the biggest ever killed with a bow, at least in his state. They had like a three page article about how they had had a replica made, I think, just in case and how it was a good thing they had because somebody broke into their house and stole the real mount. That always stuck with me because that is just about as sorry as an "outdoorsmen" could get. As far as I know they never got it back and I'm assuming it was someone who knew something about hunting. But that kid did something many of us will never have the oppurtunity to, shot one of the biggest bucks ever, at least in his state. It's something he'll likely never do again and someone, who it meant absolutely nothing to, just walked off with it. And for what? You could never show it off in that area or even really try to sell it. It's just sorry...

Cody
# Posted By Cody | 3/3/10 7:47 PM
I am under the belief that there is no reason for the antlers to remain at the taxi's place for a year to be completed. I always have him saw cape the animal, measure tip to nose etc, and saw off the antlers for me to take home. My taxi is a relative and I trust him completely, but it's the hundreds of other people coming and going at his shop all the time that worry me. Add to that a monster rack that the area folks aren't used to seeing and who knows what could tempt certain individuals. Once the cape and form are ready I bring them in and they are done within a few weeks. We've all heard about these sorts of things - do everything to prevent it, which in the big scheme of things is keeping the rack until the taxi is ready to set your cape and antlers.
# Posted By Sully | 3/7/10 12:39 AM
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