Pennsylvania Game News - December 2018 - 7

The Dec. 26 trail-cam photo proved the buck
now dubbed "Big Ten" made it through another
firearms season, and the shed antler the author
found in spring showed he'd lived even longer.

It provided quite a lift to the start of
archery season. But October passed without anyone I know seeing the buck I now
called "Big Ten," though he repeatedly
posed for photos after hunting hours.
When the November rut set in, I was
rewarded for my patience, and for passing
up several smaller bucks.
Big Ten never came within shooting
range, but what a show he provided! I saw
him seven times in four sittings, usually
chasing or shadowing his lady friends.
My last encounter of the season was
incredible.
He walked in alone, scenting each
trail he crossed. Stopping 55 yards to my
right, he stood for a bit, testing the wind
and surveying the area in every direction.
I did my best to "wish" him my way,
but he chose to angle away from me.
A few grunts, then several bleats, sent
his way had absolutely no effect.
My last resort - a stout snort-wheeze
- stopped him in his tracks.
Big Ten turned and stared intently in
my direction for a few seconds, puffing
himself up like a proud gobbler. He thoroughly thrashed a young white pine, and
again glared my way, then pawed up the
ground beside the tattered tree, scanned
the woods once more and resumed his
original course.
A second snort-wheeze sent him into
another frenzy, as he lit into the next pine,
tore up more turf, and again stared in
search of his challenger.
Finally, he shook his antlers, gave
another intense look, then swaggered
DECEMBER 2018

away without looking back, even when
challenged again.
It was a display unlike any I've witnessed in 49 years of hunting.
Firearms season passed with no sightings of Big Ten.
Wondering again if he somehow survived those two weeks of hunting pressure, I placed cameras in the area.
Pulling the memory cards during a January muzzleloader hunt, I was surprised
to find photos of several different bucks.
Then, a blurred, but impressive-looking image appeared, followed by a perfect
broadside pose of the Big Ten on Dec. 26.
"He's alive!" I immediately texted my
son Neil, who lives near State College.
He knew immediately what it meant.
Then, on a spring shed hunt, I discovered Big Ten's left antler in an open field.
What a thrill to hold it and relive the
memories of the story so far, knowing a
new chapter awaited me come fall.

LEFT WANTING MORE

Through September 2017, I'd gotten
no pictures of what I already was prepared
to call "Bigger Ten."
I worried that he'd altered his movements or met his demise on the highway.
But early in archery season, a friend
described an impressive buck with a
4-inch drop tine he'd seen while spotting
in the area. Encouraged, I spent lots of
time on stand and passed on several legal
bucks.
But there was no news on Bigger Ten.
Finally, he appeared on camera as he
walked past one of my stands on Oct. 30,
shortly after sunset. The curly drop-tine
and six typical points on his right side
gave him a 5-by-7 rack.
7

Pennsylvania Game News - December 2018

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