# Rompalagate still going strong



## rmw

What has happened to MSF , it's still going strong at AT 

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1693943&page=5&highlight=monster


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## TVCJohn

They have too much time on their hands at AT. Still surprised people think dead deer can't have droopy ears. With all the pics of droopy-ear'ed bucks that have been posted since then, you'd think folks would give it up.


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## swampbuck

The last sentance of that thread says it all........

"The only thing we know for sure is that EVERYONE who has seen or inspected the buck, and that includes a game warden, 3 official scorers and a nationaly known and respected outdoor writer, ALL say it's real, and EVERYONE who says it's fake has never seen, touched or inspected the buck. That is a fact, everything else is just speculation. That says more than anything else presented by anyone thus far."


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## ART

swampbuck said:


> The last sentance of that thread says it all........
> 
> "The only thing we know for sure is that EVERYONE who has seen or inspected the buck, and that includes a game warden, 3 official scorers and a nationaly known and respected outdoor writer, ALL say it's real, and EVERYONE who says it's fake has never seen, touched or inspected the buck. That is a fact, everything else is just speculation. That says more than anything else presented by anyone thus far."


Doesn't matter what anybody thinks about the buck-for world record qualification it has to be submitted for inspection.


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## Uncle Boopoo

The thing is, as far as I understand, most of the guys that "inspected" the rack have prior affiliations to Mitch. Meaning they were possibly somewhat bias. 

Here's something I have wondered. When a guy shoots a buck with a broken rack and has it repaired by a taxi, does it not look real? I've never been in that situation so I honestly don't know.

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


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## jimmyo17

its real man trust me :lol:


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## Uncle Boopoo

I really like this post from AT and I agree...



> I have no idea if the buck is real, but I love the story and everytime it comes up, I can't help but be pulled in because it is so compelling to think that one of these two things happened: either the guy shot a world record and won't let anyone get their hands on it, or the guy tried to pull a fast one on the entire deer hunting world and got caught. I honestly do not know which it is, and it seems there is enough evidence on either side to make a compelling case.


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## old graybeard

One thing is for sure, it's a world record story that will live on forever


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## swampbuck

Uncle Boopoo said:


> The thing is, as far as I understand, most of the guys that "inspected" the rack have prior affiliations to Mitch. Meaning they were possibly somewhat bias.
> 
> Here's something I have wondered. When a guy shoots a buck with a broken rack and has it repaired by a taxi, does it not look real? I've never been in that situation so I honestly don't know.
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


I have seen complete reproductions of big racks that a layman would have a hard time picking out.

I do not believe that 3 expierienced scorers and a C.O would put their reputation on the line for a fake. I know one of the scorers personally, He is (now semi-retied) a scorer for B&C, P&Y, and CBM with decades of expierience. He initially scored it the day it was killed and intact and again when it was panel scored (3 scorers together) after the rack was cut off. Our group of hunters discussed that deer, photo's, etc. with him extensively, when the controversy was still fresh.

He is 100% confident that it is real and that Rompolas actions after the kill were not surprising.


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## millbs

Dang it, I got sucked back in!! Even checked out his web site!
He has shot a few bucks with their antlers growing straight out to the sides....strange.


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## Scott K

From the rompolagate website:


> On the Mitch Rompola buck the distance between burrs comes out to 4 ¾, a full 1 ½ greater than any buck in the Legendary collection. That would mean that the skull on the Rompola buck was almost 50% wider than any previous world record buck.


This seems to me the most problematical question. is there a legitimate explanation for this?


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## fairfax1

I've said before there is a broad and fascinating story to be woven around this Rompola phenomena. Much bigger than simply another trite 'big buck' tale ......from the culture of deer hunting, the subset of interests that attach to that-----antlers, taxidermy, equipment, deer farms, the universe of commerce & government that revolves around deer, etc.

In the hands of a an exceptional non-fiction writer, a John McPhee comes foremost to mind, even Jon Krakauer ----- it could be a story that every hunter -_deer_ hunters and others - would snap up. And, I think in the hands of authors of that caliber it could have a very wide appeal.

I even sent clippings of the story to McPhee once with hopes it would spark something for him.....to no avail.

Back in the day, when this story was white-hot I recalled an end-of-year ranking by the Detroit Free Press of the stories of that year that generated the most hits on their website, the #1 story -----by a huge huge margin over crime, world news, the economy, sports, disasters, etc. ---- was the Rompola buck story. 

I thought that was a unique indicator of the potential of this story to fascinate.


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## Drop Tine

Scott K said:


> From the rompolagate website:This seems to me the most problematical question. is there a legitimate explanation for this?


 Yeah. The buck had genes that grew burrs 4 3/4" apart.


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## 223369

What is it about Michigan? I mean we get hammered by everyone; the lions are good, but...., the redwings 21 home game win streak....., tigers great offseason and made the post season... The media gives it a little bleep and moves on because its Michigan. We are the rust belt, its cold and theres nothing to do, no jobs... and on and on. It seems that Michingan can't even have a good deer herd or quality deer herd now. Until this yr Michigan had the biggest eight point ever harvested correct. The last i checked with Woods and Water there were a few 200" bucks harvested this last yr. Thats the feeling I get when i read this stuff on AT, Michigan can't be a big buck state. I'm not saying its real or not, I'll probably never know. But why can't it be real, and why not in Michigan. Just my .02c


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## clackercraft

Excellent post 23369 I couldn't agree more. Rompola has killed many large bucks this is not his first. How many of them were fake? As far as I know none of them, I believe he killed the world record buck and it was here in michigan.


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## Uncle Boopoo

All good points guys! It's nice to be able to discuss this topic without people getting out of hand.

Something else Iv'e wondered: If a regular Joe shoots a world record, FREE RANGE, deer on his own; wouldn't most guys expect something in the story to be a lie, ESPECIALLY the location? Who would want hoards of hunters invading the surrounding area where their buck was shot?

I'd also think an animal with a 3 foot wide rack would have to spend a considerable about of time in more open areas. It would be pretty hard for the deer to manuver through very dense areas that humans tend to avoid. So how did this deer do it without being seen by another hunter/human? Has anyone come forward with pics or even a sighting of the animal while it was alive?


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## old graybeard

Mitch had a picture of it alive and well the year before he killed it and had it in his shirt pocket at the Lansing deer show, I saw it and it sure looked real.


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## jimmyo17

Sbooy claims he got the picture and thats why they are on google. Maybe he can chime in.


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## sbooy42

jimmyo17 said:


> Sbooy claims he got the picture and thats why they are on google. Maybe he can chime in.


oh jimmy!!! :lol:


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## Trophy Specialist

Uncle Boopoo said:


> The thing is, as far as I understand, most of the guys that "inspected" the rack have prior affiliations to Mitch. Meaning they were possibly somewhat bias.
> 
> Here's something I have wondered. When a guy shoots a buck with a broken rack and has it repaired by a taxi, does it not look real? I've never been in that situation so I honestly don't know.
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


A skilled taxidermist can repair antlers to the extent that the repairs could not be detected by an untrained eye. I did about a dozen repairs in the last few months and in all cases, you would not be able to tell they were fixed unless you really knew what to look for. In the case of Rompola's buck, what convinced me the antlers were a fraud was the photos taken of the rack at different dates. I could see that there were distinctive changes to the coloration of the rack where he made some tweaks to it. Rompola is a taxidermist and I believe that he modified a real rack to come up with his claimed new record. It was only when he realized that the rack would really be scrutinized that he withdrew his claims that it was a new record.


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## Pinefarm

So, has anyone seen other Grand Traverse deer with antler characteristics remotely close those that the guy pictured shot, which are all very similar, as if from a small gene pool. Didn't the guys family own a deer pen in Missouri or was that never established as true?


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## Pinefarm

bucko12pt said:


> Ok, let's assume the rack isn't real and there is a big coverup conspiracy.
> 
> Do you think the rack is real and came from somewhere else, or do you think it's fake? If it's fake, I can assure you that Mitch didn't construct
> it because his skill as a taxidermist are terrible at best. So, if he didn't construct it one or more other persons did I would assume, or explain where it came from.
> 
> So we have 1 CO, 3 CBM, B&C and P&Y measurers involved, plus Mitch and 1 or more taxidermists. That makes 6-7 people involved in keeping this conspiracy quiet for 13 years now.
> 
> What do you think the odds of that happening are? People can't keep a murder quiet that long, let alone a deer conspiracy.
> 
> If the rack isn't real then it came from somwhere, let's hear some theory's as to where it came from, how it was attached to the body
> for picture taking, etc.


I don't think people believe it's "fake fake" like made from resin or plastic. I think most believe that it's a pen deer.


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## bucko12pt

Pinefarm said:


> So, has anyone seen other Grand Traverse deer with antler characteristics remotely close those that the guy pictured shot, which are all very similar, as if from a small gene pool. Didn't the guys family own a deer pen in Missouri or was that never established as true?


Not true.


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## bucko12pt

Pinefarm said:


> I don't think people believe it's "fake fake" like made from resin or plastic. I think most believe that it's a pen deer.


So people think I guy that works as a janitor in a condo unit, has never had a decent job in his life, other than one he screwed up, doesn't really work all fall, could afford to purchase a world record deer from someone's pen, when a straw of semen from a deer like that goes for $ 5-10K?

How ridiculous an argument is that?


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## Pinefarm

Nobody would purchase a known deer. Any small deer farmer, and there's some 1300 small pens in Michigan alone, would want to grow the bucks and tell nobody, then allow someone to shoot it, sign up for sponsors, do shows and join in on the cash in.

In legal terms, it's called conspiracy to commit fraud. It happens every day and is actually quite a common crime.


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## Trophy Specialist

bucko12pt said:


> Ok, let's assume the rack isn't real and there is a big coverup conspiracy.
> 
> Do you think the rack is real and came from somewhere else, or do you think it's fake? If it's fake, I can assure you that Mitch didn't construct
> it because his skill as a taxidermist are terrible at best. So, if he didn't construct it one or more other persons did I would assume, or explain where it came from.
> 
> So we have 1 CO, 3 CBM, B&C and P&Y measurers involved, plus Mitch and 1 or more taxidermists. That makes 6-7 people involved in keeping this conspiracy quiet for 13 years now.
> 
> What do you think the odds of that happening are? People can't keep a murder quiet that long, let alone a deer conspiracy.
> 
> If the rack isn't real then it came from somwhere, let's hear some theory's as to where it came from, how it was attached to the body
> for picture taking, etc.


My theory is that it is a fake rack of Rompola's creation. It's possible that parts of it might be real antler too with some fake enhancements.

Just because Rompola is not good at doing deer head mounts does not mean that his is not good at tweaking antlers. There are a lot of aspects of taxidermy that I have little skills at, yet I can certainly fix up a broken rack well. I also suck at fly fishing, but I'm a pretty good walleye fisherman..... 

Someone else said before that Rompola shunned publicity. That one is so ridiculous that it's actually silly. Before Rompolagate he used to travel around doing hunting seminars and he was featured in lots of magazine articles too. If memory serves me right, he even wrote some articles too. As soon as he killed the big buck he called in the press big time and couldn't wait to get his story in magazines, and on TV and radio. He lined up sponsors right away too, so there goes that theroy that he didn't want to profit from the deer. Even after Rompolagate, he has a website with sponsors and he's still making money off that buck. Can someone offer an explanation of why someone who doen't want publicity or money would have a webite like his?


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## wintrrun

Trophy Specialist said:


> Can someone offer an explanation of why someone who doen't want publicity or money would have a webite like his?


 
It's a good question and i am sure there has and will be miles of debate on just that alone.
One things for sure. Its all about the bone.:evilsmile


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## Lugian

Pinefarm said:


> So, has anyone seen other Grand Traverse deer with antler characteristics remotely close those that the guy pictured shot, which are all very similar, as if from a small gene pool. Didn't the guys family own a deer pen in Missouri or was that never established as true?


Yes, I've seen deer with those characteristics. In fact, I have a picture of a hunter with a buck that is an exact replica only 5 years younger and obviously smaller. I wouldn't share that picture with anyone ever because its not my deer.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Lugian

Pinefarm said:


> Nobody would purchase a known deer. Any small deer farmer, and there's some 1300 small pens in Michigan alone, would want to grow the bucks and tell nobody, then allow someone to shoot it, sign up for sponsors, do shows and join in on the cash in.
> 
> In legal terms, it's called conspiracy to commit fraud. It happens every day and is actually quite a common crime.


That's pretty good, this HAS to be exactly how it happened. I bet these guys are somehow behind the Kennedy assisination too.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Pinefarm

I think many seem to forget that the guy had to sign a legally binding contract to basically never mention the deer again, in order to avoid a lawsuit. 

TRAVERSE CITY - 
Mitch Rompola is still bucking the system.
This time around, he has put it into writing.
Rompola, the Traverse City bow hunter who claims to have bagged a world-record buck near his home on Nov. 13, 1998 but has never had it scored by official record keepers, has signed a contract with Arkansas County Seed Co. promising not to pursue official recognition of the buck as the world's largest.

Arkansas County Seed Co., which produces a deer-baiting product and has a promotional deal with current record-holder Milo Hanson of Canada, instigated the contract.
"We lost money because of Rompola's claims," John W. Butler, president of Arkansas County Seed Co., said on Wednesday. "We kept waiting for him to get it scored, but he refused to make it official. We couldn't sit around and wait any longer for that to happen.
"We had to do something."

According to Butler, work on the contract - which prevents Rompola from having his buck officially scored unless another hunter breaks Hanson's record - began in May, and Rompola signed it in November in the presence of Traverse City attorney David Stowe.
Stowe said he could not comment on the contract. Rompola, 51, has an unlisted number and refuses to speak to the media.

Butler said Rompola's willingness to sign the contact "speaks for itself." In exchange for Rompola's signature, Arkansas County Seed Co. agreed not to subpoena Rompola's rack and have it measured and x-rayed.
"We talked about going to court, but if you've ever been to court you don't want to go back," Butler said. "This was a better way for everyone."
Hanson, 54, said Wednesday he is still surprised that Rompola agreed to the deal.

"I never would have signed it," Hanson said from his home in Biggar, Saskatchewan. "If he signed it, then something is terribly wrong.
"The average hunter would say, 'Go to heck.' The fact that he didn't say that is very strange."

Ken Kreh, a friend of Rompola's who owns a company in Manton that manufacturers synthetic deer scent, said Rompola's reasoning is simple.
"He wasn't interested in getting involved with the rigmarole," Kreh said, referring to Rompola's past disagreements with the Boone & Crockett Club, the official record-keeper of trophy animals in North America. "The politics in the organization is something Mitch became fed up with years ago.
"This is his way of severing ties with those people," Kreh added. "He knows he's taken the largest, and that's all that matters to him. It's his way of thumbing his nose."

Shortly after Rompola shot the buck in 1998, he said it dressed out at 263 pounds and had an estimated field weight of 300 pounds. The buck scored 218 5/8 points on the Boone & Crockett scale, Rompola said, easily beating Hanson, who dropped a buck in 1993 that measured 213 1/8.

According to Rompola, a Michigan scorer for Boone & Crockett measured the buck and confirmed it was a record-setter. But Rompola never submitted the measurements to the Boone & Crockett Panel.
By doing so, Rompola is missing out on a substantial amount of promotional money.

Prior to Rompola's claims, Hanson said he earned up to $1,000 a day traveling the country and appearing at outdoor shows.
He also sold prints of his deer for $189. But sales screeched to a halt when Rampola made his announcement.

Hanson hopes the contract will put an end to the controversy, which, he suggests, may be the real reason Rompola signed it.
"I guess he's looking for closure, and this gave him the opportunity," Hanson said. "I sure don't know how else to explain it."

Kreh said Rompola stands by his story, contract or no contract.
"Mitch doesn't want to cause Milo Hanson or anyone else any problems. That's why he signed it," he said. "It has nothing to do with whether or not the buck is real."


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## Lugian

If anybody has any interest in Mitch's story, read Richard Smith's "Great Michigan Deer Tails 3". It talks about the buck specifically and there is a portion of it that has a letter that Mitch wrote to a "detractor" way before the big one was killed. Unlike most of the chatter on this forum, Richard Smith, a respected Michigan author, actual INTERVIEWED the guy.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## TVCJohn

SlapchopKid said:


> Great post.


Yup....I'd love to see the cam pics and mounts that the quiet guys are keeping low key or not bragging about.


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## wintrrun

TVCJohn said:


> Yup....I'd love to see the cam pics and mounts that the quiet guys are keeping low key or not bragging about.


 
You'll never see it happen in Michigan.


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## Hackman

Mitch should not get any ink a decade later, period. He could let it be inspected. There are machines that can detect flaws, X-ray, MRI, etc or whatever. He had the nerve to make a video. And where ever he shot it like there shouldn't be deer running around like that. Wide, strieght rack. What, he hunts a five mile square fenced in area. Come on forget it Mitch you fake SOB


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## bucko12pt

Trophy Specialist said:


> My theory is that it is a fake rack of Rompola's creation. It's possible that parts of it might be real antler too with some fake enhancements.
> 
> Just because Rompola is not good at doing deer head mounts does not mean that his is not good at tweaking antlers. There are a lot of aspects of taxidermy that I have little skills at, yet I can certainly fix up a broken rack well. I also suck at fly fishing, but I'm a pretty good walleye fisherman.....
> 
> Someone else said before that Rompola shunned publicity. That one is so ridiculous that it's actually silly. Before Rompolagate he used to travel around doing hunting seminars and he was featured in lots of magazine articles too. If memory serves me right, he even wrote some articles too. As soon as he killed the big buck he called in the press big time and couldn't wait to get his story in magazines, and on TV and radio. He lined up sponsors right away too, so there goes that theroy that he didn't want to profit from the deer. Even after Rompolagate, he has a website with sponsors and he's still making money off that buck. Can someone offer an explanation of why someone who doen't want publicity or money would have a webite like his?


No way did he made the rack, maybe somebody else, but not Mitch. 
His talents are basically non existent in the taxidermy area. His work
is pretty bad. 

No one will ever convince me there are 5-6 people involved in this 
conspiracy and it has stayed quiet for 13 years?

I think the doubters that are calling Lee Holbrook, Gary Berger, Al Brown and Bill Bailey frauds and cheaters should call them up tell 
them that. After all, if it's good enough to do on the internet it should be good enough to do on the phone.

Anyone want phone numbers?


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## Michihunter

Give it a year or two and we'll be breaking records on a yearly basis. With all the crave for antlers you can bet someones already developing a steroid or growth hormone specifically for antlers. On that I'd bank the rest of my lifetime earnings.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## IceDaddy

Michihunter said:


> Give it a year or two and we'll be breaking records on a yearly basis. With all the crave for antlers you can bet someones already developing a steroid or growth hormone specifically for antlers. On that I'd bank the rest of my lifetime earnings.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I already saw a show " Bill Warren" outdoors where they showed a captive buck with a rack so big, he could hardly hold his head up. In fact the ranch owner said once he starts to shed his velvet, he cuts the rack off, wouldn't want his prize Sperm bank to risk injury to his neck. That thing was ridiculous, looked like a freak of nature. Now why on earth do people want to see a 3' high by 4' long rat colored animal with a rack so large he can hardly hold his head up running through the woods? Oh yeah so they can post pictures on Facebook. ( Look at me I am a Stud, equivalent to John Holmes type of stud):lol:


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## TVCJohn

wintrrun said:


> You'll never see it happen in Michigan.


 
We can only hope the hold outs, recluses, sandbaggers and quiet types will one day show their racks or pics they have hidden away.


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## Hammer62

Drop Tine said:


> *Some of us don't need to show a buck off, or get pats on the back from friends and others to somehow "prove" our worth. Maybe you do, I don't know. But it apparent that Mitch does not need that type of reinforcement to prove to himself he is a good hunter.*
> 
> *Wrong again. DNA can be extracted from skeletal remains from dinosaurs thousands of years old. The DNA would still be present in the skull plate and the antlers. *
> 
> *Completely unrelated to anything having to do with hunting. You can maybe tell something about a persons character by these things, but unless you know the details, they're worthless. Maybe the fraud you say he was found guilty of (IF it's even true) was something like tossing mail out of his car window because he was too tired to deliver that day. Who knows? Lets see details of the fraud and sex charges. i just googled both of those, and after the first 25 pages of google, found no substantial proof that these things even happened. Just guys like us talking about it.*
> 
> 
> 
> *Both of these fit the same argument IMO. Rompola is a guy that obviously shys away from the limelight. Some of his closest friends have even called him a recluse. Just because he does things that none of us would do does not mean that this deer is fake. Let's assume that he is a recluse for the sake of argument. He is tracking this deer for years and finally shoots it. he's fired up as all get out. Takes videos, drives it around to a couple of friends, calls in three highly respected scorers that he knows to score it, and then when news of this thing start to break, he realizes that he is now the center of the hunting world. Media from all around the world want his interviews and pictures. Hunting companies want his endorsement. There are now valicious rumors flying all around about his past discretions. And now, even lawyers are getting involved, threating lawsuits. At that time, a recluse would do ANYTHING just to get it over with - even if it means that others now won't believe him. He knows it's true, so that's good enough for him. I could easily see all the above happening to a guy like that. And you know - he's probably happier right now than he ever would be if the buck was proven to be true. Just because he does things different, does not make this deer a fake.*


All excellent points, I'd love for it to be real, and shut everyone up about Illinois, Ohio etc. It'd be neat for the World Record to come from our great state of Michigan, so everyone else could use *US *as a measuring stick. We'll probably never know, but I for one believe in Mitch, as a great Whitetail hunter and thats enough for me. I'd like to think that everytime I go out that maybe, just maybe that our state has the potential of producing the greatest deer of all time. Maybe he did or maybe he didn't, the legend is enough for me, to know that the possibility is there, and thats enough for me. He hasn't formely come forward and said he did... so be it. I have seen some tremendous deer in my lifetime in our state, to know, that one day the biggest will come from the most unexpexted place anyone would imagine. I for one would be honored to hunt with the man, the legend Mitch Rompola.


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## SlapchopKid

TVCJohn said:


> We can only hope the hold outs, recluses, sandbaggers and quiet types will one day show their racks or pics they have hidden away.


 
Yup, but it wouldn't bother me either way.

There is this thing called being humble. And about 3% of michigans hunting population have that, from what I can tell.


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## Michihunter

bentduck said:


> Yup, I mis-spelled Pedaphile...you got me good on that one. :yikes: Now you are on record defending one while ripping me for bad spelling.
> 
> do you really want to continue down this road...I may be forced to ask you what you do in your spare time...I am beginning to worry about some of you guys


Relax BD. I was merely trying to bring some levity to the topic. You have to admit that even though it was a mistake it took on a pretty nice alternative meaning.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## bentduck

wintrrun said:


> Don't care if he was usfws game warden or a NP cop.
> An LEO is an LEO and I don't see where they would risk their credibility all on a deer conspiracy, period.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Oh my God...you have been pulling our chain this whole time...good one!!!


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## bentduck

Michihunter said:


> Relax BD. I was merely trying to bring some levity to the topic. You have to admit that even though it was a mistake it took on a pretty nice alternative meaning.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


LOL?..Yeah, I kind of Tee'd that one up for you. I actually caught the spelling much later and could not get back in to fix it. I was hoping nobody would notice...thanks a lot:lol:


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## bentduck

wintrrun said:


> Don't care if he was usfws game warden or a NP cop.
> An LEO is an LEO and I don't see where they would risk their credibility all on a deer conspiracy, period.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I can't help it...What level of Expertise did this tribal CO have that would lead you to believe he is an expert on a fake rack? we all know the deer was real...Was the Indian CO carrying around a portable XRay machine?


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## swampbuck

bentduck said:


> You can't prove a negative but he can STILL prove it is real by having it XRayed. Obviously, the rack is cobbled together beneath the surface....you really can't be that stupid right?
> 
> Remember, back in the day, Calderone ended up offering Mitch $20,000 and so did the Michigan Big Game Hunters Association....$40,000 total for him just to set everyone straight and clear his name and reputation. Clearly the buck was real eh sport :lol:


You should just give it up.......It was $10,000 from each, $20,000 total


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## TVCJohn

bentduck said:


> *I hate petaphiles and he and his business partner are convicted petaphiles.* I don't care for people who committ fraud with our tax dollars and Mitch is guilty of that too. Anyone who would do such unspeakable things against children have NO CREDIBILITY... I don't like liars and cheaters and if you don't think Rompola is guilty of both, you are simply a fool. He brought all the attention on to himself, videotaped the recovery, did interviews, made phony claims, hired a publicist, retained an attorney and was ready to cash in. Unfortunately for him, he did not realize you can't claim a world record without proof...including X Ray.:yikes:
> 
> You will never see that particular faked rack again...Duh


 
I don't know the guy but I was curious about your charge he and his partner (Kreh??) are convicted pedophiles. If so they would have to be registered on the MSP Public Sex Offender Registry. That is public information that anyone can look up. Below is the link if anyone wants to do a search.

http://www.mipsor.state.mi.us/

There is indeed a Kreh listed. 

There is not a Rompola listed in the state of Michigan for any sex-related conviction. If he or anyone else had a sex-related conviction in another state, I believe they would have to register here too should they move here.

Unless you have some other proof, your charge that he is a convicted pedophile or convicted of any other sex-related crime, at least in Michigan, is false.


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## fairfax1

TVCJ, above, offers: _"Unless you have some other proof, your charge that he is a convicted pedophile or convicted of any other sex-related crime, at least in Michigan, is false."[/FONT]_

False? Uh-oh. We've taken a bad turn here.

Without convincing proof from the poster who charged pedophilia......then his assertion, at minimum, is irresponsible......and likely libelous.

This thread is venturing onto very problematic ground. 

I would suggest to the management & the mods here that if the poster who alleges a pedophile conviction cannot offer convincing proof of his assertion then that post to the thread should be deleted.

I hope the whole thread won't be locked or deleted as it is interesting & entertaining............but charges that edge towards libel are beyond the pale.


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## METTLEFISH

fairfax1 said:


> TVCJ, above, offers: _"Unless you have some other proof, your charge that he is a convicted pedophile or convicted of any other sex-related crime, at least in Michigan, is false."[/FONT]_
> 
> False? Uh-oh. We've taken a bad turn here.
> 
> Without convincing proof from the poster who charged pedophilia......then his assertion, at minimum, is irresponsible......and likely libelous.
> 
> This thread is venturing onto very problematic ground.
> 
> I would suggest to the management & the mods here that if the poster who alleges a pedophile conviction cannot offer convincing proof of his assertion then that post to the thread should be deleted.
> 
> I hope the whole thread won't be locked or deleted as it is interesting & entertaining............but charges that edge towards libel are beyond the pale.



!...


----------



## Dr. Steelhead

bentduck said:


> You can't prove a negative but he can STILL prove it is real by having it XRayed. Obviously, the rack is cobbled together beneath the surface....you really can't be that stupid right?
> 
> Remember, back in the day, Calderone ended up offering Mitch $20,000 and so did the Michigan Big Game Hunters Association....$40,000 total for him just to set everyone straight and clear his name and reputation. Clearly the buck was real eh sport :lol:


Didn't Calderone get busted and have his records removed from the books?. Not much of an argument if you are using someone with his credibility.


----------



## Liver and Onions

bucko12pt said:


> You should do some more research on Larry Huffman and you will find
> like Calderone, he had an axe to grind with Mitch.
> 
> I don't think money means much to Mitch. Witness his job, home, vehicle he drives, etc.. He'd rather hunt than have a secure job and money in the bank.


Hmmm. And what better way to silence those critics than to accept the $10,000 challenge from Calderone and to have the rack x-rayed ? Well, maybe not if the x-ray proves that he is a liar. 
My memory about the mail fraud charges is that Rompola stole food stamps from a mailbox. Sure sounds like a guy who doesn't need $10,000. :lol:
Regarding the sex charges, again from my memory, he had a camera attached to his shoe and was taking pictures up ladies legs who were wearing dresses. Pretty bad, but not enough to get his name on any sex offender registery.
Clearly you admire this man's actions, I don't. I believe this says something about both you and me.

L & O


----------



## wintrrun

Bentduck,
How much dope do you actually smoke in a day?
Conspiracies. Pedophiles. Etc... Etc...
Obviously you use this to pass the time between pizza orders.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Trophy Specialist

bucko12pt said:


> Sorry, missed your reply to my post.
> 
> So you're saying he constructed, what a dozen or so different racks, went out and shot a dozen or so forkhorns, mounted the racks, just so he could post pictures on his website?
> 
> Do you really believe that?
> 
> I would think even the biggest of doubters would have a hard time arguing with a strainght face, that is what happened. :lol::lol:
> 
> Lot's of people take pictures at the kill site of deer without kill tags, in fact I would say most. That fits right up there with the droopy ear argument.


I don't know what to believe with Rompola. There are more than one possibilities on how he could have pulled off a fake rack con job and if he did it once, then why not multiple times. A couple of those post Rompolagate deer/racks look very suspicious. Were any of those deer inspected closely by someone looking for fake characteristics? 

I'll tell you what, call your buddy Mitch up and ask him if it would be OK for you to bring me over to his house so I can inspect his trophies. Since I suspect that the big one is destroyed, I won't even bring that one up with him. I bet though that he wouldn't even let me look closely at the rest of his collection. Consider yourself challenged. 

And as for the missing kill tags, the law is pretty clear about how a deer must be tagged and that tag must remain no the animal. You can't legally take a tag off to take photos. People that do that are braking a game law plain and simple. When I see photos of an entire deer that obviously does not have a kill tag on it, it casts a lot of suspension on the legality of the kill. So why are the kill tags illigally misssing on some of his dead deer in his photos?


----------



## bentduck

TVCJohn said:


> I don't know the guy but I was curious about your charge he and his partner (Kreh??) are convicted pedophiles. If so they would have to be registered on the MSP Public Sex Offender Registry. That is public information that anyone can look up. Below is the link if anyone wants to do a search.
> 
> http://www.mipsor.state.mi.us/
> 
> There is indeed a Kreh listed.
> 
> There is not a Rompola listed in the state of Michigan for any sex-related conviction. If he or anyone else had a sex-related conviction in another state, I believe they would have to register here too should they move here.
> 
> Unless you have some other proof, your charge that he is a convicte
> 
> pedophile or convicted of any other sex-related crime, at least in Michigan, is false.


You are right that Rompola does not show up on that registry but that is because apparently his actions were so far off the radar screen, perhaps nobody considered his action even a remote possibility. Rompola got caught developing an elaborate video taping device and using it on adult and minor girls according to the police report. He literally videotaped up her dress at a festival in Traverse City, MI. But you have to determine in your own judgement if he qualifies as a sexual predator for that...In my mind it is a slam dunk and my guess is the law has changed since this happened.

Rompola was chased by police, was arrested and confessed to the entire episode.The tape was confiscated and retained by police. I have a copy of the police report and it can not be disputed. I can't answer how someone pissing in public ends up on the list while Rompola doesn't but not all laws are perfect and that does not change the face that he is a sexual predator. What Kreh did was so bad, I don't even want to discuss it here...most folks here know the nature of his crime.


----------



## Liver and Onions

bentduck said:


> ........ I have a copy of the police report and it can not be disputed. ...........


Can you share that with us ? My memory of that event was that he took photos up an adult ladies legs with the camera strapped to his shoe and not a minor girl. I believe my memory comes from that Woods-n-Water article from '99 which I no longer have or maybe the article in Deer and Deer Hunting magazine.

L & O


----------



## bentduck

Liver and Onions said:


> Can you share that with us ? My memory of that event was that he took photos up an adult ladies legs with the camera strapped to his shoe and not a minor girl. I believe my memory comes from that Woods-n-Water article from '99 which I no longer have or maybe the article in Deer and Deer Hunting magazine.
> 
> L & O


Traverse City Police Report #94-0001885

File Class 5300

Reporting Officer George Preston #239

The report is seven pages long so I can't explain the whole thing here but he had the video recorder in a leather bag and was used to videotape both adult women AND children's genital area and legs. He was charged, arrested and lodged in jail for disorderly, obscene conduct, resisting arrest and obstructing. 

A sex motivated crime report was also submitted according to the report I have. This guy is a slime ball...look it up if you want too but why anyone want's to defend him is beyond me....At one point the reporting officer says " It was obvious that Rompola had a unique and professional set up where upon he could observe and videotape underneath girls dresses" This guy was a real pro with the camera...hard to believe he had so much time to become the greatest hunter of all time too. the report has pages upon pages of tid bits like this...you guys should read it instead of bashing the messenger. In my opinion he is one sick SOB...


----------



## hypox

All I know is Mitch pulled off exactly what he wanted to do. Real or not, people are still talking about him (and that deer) 13 years later. Impressive.


----------



## bentduck

hypox said:


> All I know is Mitch pulled off exactly what he wanted to do. Real or not, people are still talking about him (and that deer) 13 years later. Impressive.


The real story is not Rompola...It is the fact that so many uniformed kool aid drinkers would defend this guy as if their life depended on it. The deer is gone, the rack has disappeared forever and Rompola has been proven to be a sick, fake, lying cheating nut job. the story 13 years later is that people still believe in him no matter what he has done in his life:yikes: Let's start singing the praises of Charles Manson next...I think he at least left the children alone.


----------



## hunting man

Calderone has a replica of the Rompola buck on display at his museum.


----------



## Scott K

bentduck said:


> The real story is not Rompola...It is the fact that so many stupid, uniformed kool aid drinkers would defend this guy as if their life depended on it. The deer is gone, the rack has disappeared forever and Rompola has been proven to be a sick, fake, lying cheating nut job. the story 13 years later is that people still believe in him no matter what he has done in his life:yikes: Let's start singing the praises of Charles Manson next...I think he at least left the children alone.


I agree with the substance of what you say but not the way you are saying it. Please quit calling people stupid.


----------



## bentduck

Scott K said:


> I agree with the substance of what you say but not the way you are saying it. Please quit calling people stupid.


Ok, Anyone who believes Rompola and his buck are legit are brilliant.


----------



## Scott K

bentduck said:


> Ok, Anyone who believes Rompola and his buck are legit are brilliant.


Whatever dude. When you get banned don't say nobody warned you.


----------



## bentduck

Scott K said:


> Whatever dude. When you get banned don't say nobody warned you.


Dude? 

Seriously Scott, are you saying there are no stupid people in the world? is it better to say ignorant? I have lurked and posted on this forum for years and I have heard a LOT worse that the word stupid :yikes: I might get banned for saying STUPID?? 

Rompola defenders are NOT SMART :lol:


----------



## bucko12pt

wintrrun said:


> Don't care if he was usfws game warden or a NP cop.
> An LEO is an LEO and I don't see where they would risk their credibility all on a deer conspiracy, period.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Agreed. Some of the doubters don't look at him that way, more of a rent-a-cop to them.


----------



## bentduck

fairfax1 said:


> TVCJ, above, offers: _"Unless you have some other proof, your charge that he is a convicted pedophile or convicted of any other sex-related crime, at least in Michigan, is false."[/FONT]_
> 
> False? Uh-oh. We've taken a bad turn here.
> 
> Without convincing proof from the poster who charged pedophilia......then his assertion, at minimum, is irresponsible......and likely libelous.
> 
> This thread is venturing onto very problematic ground.
> 
> I would suggest to the management & the mods here that if the poster who alleges a pedophile conviction cannot offer convincing proof of his assertion then that post to the thread should be deleted.
> 
> I hope the whole thread won't be locked or deleted as it is interesting & entertaining............but charges that edge towards libel are beyond the pale.





it's only a problem for you because you are apparently not too bright (I did not say stupid) or are such a Rompola groupie you are blind. Read the police report and then tell us all why he is not a sexual predator OK...Until then, go play with yourself or whatever it is you do during the day while the world is passing you by...Maybe Judge Judy or The View is on...


----------



## Michihunter

Trophy Specialist said:


> I don't know what to believe with Rompola. There are more than one possibilities on how he could have pulled off a fake rack con job and if he did it once, then why not multiple times. A couple of those post Rompolagate deer/racks look very suspicious. Were any of those deer inspected closely by someone looking for fake characteristics?
> 
> I'll tell you what, call your buddy Mitch up and ask him if it would be OK for you to bring me over to his house so I can inspect his trophies. Since I suspect that the big one is destroyed, I won't even bring that one up with him. I bet though that he wouldn't even let me look closely at the rest of his collection. Consider yourself challenged.
> 
> And as for the missing kill tags, the law is pretty clear about how a deer must be tagged and that tag must remain no the animal.


 Its also clear that there are several ways to tag a deer. Can you see every area of the deers legs in the pics to make that allegation?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## METTLEFISH

I'm smart enough to say I'm smart enough to know he was not charged with any crime regarding "the'' Deer. Is he perverted?... the laws are the laws and they have not been changed for him! Had he taken Pics. of a juvenile he would of been charged PERIOD, unless there was another conspiracy at work regarding Mr.Rompola. I may of missed something along the way, but was he or was he not charged?, many reports are made, only some get prosecuted! All those record book Deer and none have been removed, clearly the powers that be in those organizations would demand his records be removed from the books!


----------



## Lugian

bentduck said:


> it's only a problem for you because you are apparently not too bright (I did not say stupid) or are such a Rompola groupie you are blind. Read the police report and then tell us all why he is not a sexual predator OK...Until then, go play with yourself or whatever it is you do during the day while the world is passing you by...Maybe Judge Judy or The View is on...


Can you do yourself a favor and tell your parents its your naptime? Even if you had a decent point about something(which you don't) you come off looking like a 12 year old. Show us some pics of all your 160 inch too while you're at it.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## bucko12pt

Liver and Onions said:


> Hmmm. And what better way to silence those critics than to accept the $10,000 challenge from Calderone and to have the rack x-rayed ? Well, maybe not if the x-ray proves that he is a liar.
> My memory about the mail fraud charges is that Rompola stole food stamps from a mailbox. Sure sounds like a guy who doesn't need $10,000. :lol:
> Regarding the sex charges, again from my memory, he had a camera attached to his shoe and was taking pictures up ladies legs who were wearing dresses. Pretty bad, but not enough to get his name on any sex offender registery.
> Clearly you admire this man's actions, I don't. I believe this says something about both you and me.
> 
> L & O


You better re-read my posts L&O, I agreed with Bentduck that the guy is a scumbag for his past actions. Incidentally, he wasn't convicted for stealing food stamps, so I'd be careful of your post in that regard.

His past actions have nothing to do with my argument about the authenticity of the deer. I say the deer is real, others are saying it is a manufactured rack. My whole purpose in defending the deer is I happen to know all the measurers and Bill Bailey. When they tell me the deer was/is real I believe them. I'm a measurer for CBM and you are too and it reflects on both of us if they conspired with Mitch Rompola. I think that says a lot more about you and me then your implication that I somehow am defending Mitch and his past actions.

I'm not. I've know the guy for over 35 years and seen all the dirty deeds he's done and condemn him as much as Bentduck. 

My argument is with the guys that say the thing wasn't real along with another dozen or so big bucks that are posted on his website. Are you a believer in them being fake also?

I've asked several posters here to come up with a scenario that includes 
6 or more guys conspiring for 13 years to cover this up. 

So I'll ask you too, come up with a scenario for us that tells us how the coverup has occured, both for a real deer, if you think it's real and a manufactured rack if it was manufactured, by Mitch, or someone else.

Do you feel confident enough in your abilities as a measurer to know the difference between a rack screwed onto the head of a deer, or a manufactured rack? I certainly think the three measurers and a CO know how to tell.

I don't have any doubt I can tell.


----------



## bucko12pt

Trophy Specialist said:


> I don't know what to believe with Rompola. There are more than one possibilities on how he could have pulled off a fake rack con job and if he did it once, then why not multiple times. A couple of those post Rompolagate deer/racks look very suspicious. Were any of those deer inspected closely by someone looking for fake characteristics?
> 
> I'll tell you what, call your buddy Mitch up and ask him if it would be OK for you to bring me over to his house so I can inspect his trophies. Since I suspect that the big one is destroyed, I won't even bring that one up with him. I bet though that he wouldn't even let me look closely at the rest of his collection. Consider yourself challenged.
> 
> And as for the missing kill tags, the law is pretty clear about how a deer must be tagged and that tag must remain no the animal. You can't legally take a tag off to take photos. People that do that are braking a game law plain and simple. When I see photos of an entire deer that obviously does not have a kill tag on it, it casts a lot of suspension on the legality of the kill. So why are the kill tags illigally misssing on some of his dead deer in his photos?


So you claim the racks are fake, but no scenario, not even one to explain away all the things that would have to be done to pull this off, not only once, but a dozen or more times. I figured as much. Bentduck doesn't have one either.

Do you realize how absurd you sound saying that the man manufactured a dozen, or more, racks, mounted them on deer, dragged them in the woods to take pictures, just to post on his website? :lol:

Obivously you have company because there are others that think this also.

I've know Mitch for a long time. His wife worked for me a long time ago. He's no friend and never has been. I talk to him when I see him.
If your'e interested in seeing his racks, call him up yourself, I have no interest, or reason to do that.

Consider yourself challenged.


----------



## bentduck

METTLEFISH said:


> I'm smart enough to say I'm smart enough to know he was not charged with any crime regarding "the'' Deer. Is he perverted?... the laws are the laws and they have not been changed for him! Had he taken Pics. of a juvenile he would of been charged PERIOD, unless there was another conspiracy at work regarding Mr.Rompola. I may of missed something along the way, but was he or was he not charged?, many reports are made, only some get prosecuted! All those record book Deer and none have been removed, clearly the powers that be in those organizations would demand his records be removed from the books!


Read the police report...He was charged and arrested for videotaping minors genital area's. It is all on the tape just like the retrieval tape he made of THE DEER. THE POLICE ARRESTED HIM. I can't say stupid so explain to me what part of this you don't understand. I listed the police report number...look up all seven pages and tell me where I am wrong....Until then, maybe shut up or something


----------



## METTLEFISH

And what was the outcome of the trial?.... one that exudes...need not say.....


----------



## bucko12pt

If you guys want to continue this thread, I would leave Bentduck alone. He is the reason every Rompola thread gets closed because he continually brings up this stuff about his past.

Most of it is true and I have no respect for the guy either, so just make the assumption that the guy has some real personal issues and seperate that from the deer story.

If you don't do that and continue on only with the deer story, this thread will get shut down shortly like in the past if it continues the way it's going.


----------



## bentduck

Lugian said:


> Can you do yourself a favor and tell your parents its your naptime? Even if you had a decent point about something(which you don't) you come off looking like a 12 year old. Show us some pics of all your 160 inch too while you're at it.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Good one!! I will post some pictures for you of some 180 class bucks and then I will be considered as good as Mitch?? Done!! Did you ever read the police report on your buddy or were you somehow involved with what he was doing? You seem kind of sensitive to his criminal sexual deviancy...Read The REPORT. THE DEER RACK WAS FAKE...get over it :lol:


----------



## Lugian

bentduck said:


> Good one!! I will post some pictures for you of some 180 class bucks and then I will be considered as good as Mitch?? Done!! Did you ever read the police report on your buddy or were you somehow involved with what he was doing? You seem kind of sensitive to his criminal sexual deviancy...Read The REPORT. THE DEER RACK WAS FAKE...get over it :lol:


I'm going to take Bucko's advice instead. This is a pretty good thread minus your posts so I'm not going to help get it shut down. Its been very respectful so far with obvious disagreement.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## METTLEFISH

Awe come on.. anyone can fab up a 216" rack and super glue em on a skull!... sounds like 180 class are even easier!...


----------



## bentduck

bucko12pt said:


> If you guys want to continue this thread, I would leave Bentduck alone. He is the reason every Rompola thread gets closed because he continually brings up this stuff about his past.
> 
> Most of it is true and I have no respect for the guy either, so just make the assumption that the guy has some real personal issues and seperate that from the deer story.
> 
> If you don't do that and continue on only with the deer story, this thread will get shut down shortly like in the past if it continues the way it's going.


I can go along with that...He obviously has some close friends here....the past is all we have to go on but if that is a problem...I give up!


----------



## Trophy Specialist

Michihunter said:


> Its also clear that there are several ways to tag a deer. Can you see every area of the deers legs in the pics to make that allegation?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Yes I can see the whole deer in several photos including the jaw, antlers and legs where the tag must be affixed. In fact, of the photos of Rompola's deer I've looked at recently, only one, the Rompola Buck, has a tag visible on it, which is strange.


----------



## Trophy Specialist

bucko12pt said:


> So you claim the racks are fake, but no scenario, not even one to explain away all the things that would have to be done to pull this off, not only once, but a dozen or more times. I figured as much. Bentduck doesn't have one either.
> 
> Do you realize how absurd you sound saying that the man manufactured a dozen, or more, racks, mounted them on deer, dragged them in the woods to take pictures, just to post on his website? :lol:
> 
> Obivously you have company because there are others that think this also.
> 
> I've know Mitch for a long time. His wife worked for me a long time ago. He's no friend and never has been. I talk to him when I see him.
> If your'e interested in seeing his racks, call him up yourself, I have no interest, or reason to do that.
> 
> Consider yourself challenged.


I can see that you are obviously biased on this issue. You know the people too well that are involved to be objective. 

Do I think that this a a conspiracy?...Not likely..

Do I think he manufactured dozens, or more racks?...I doubt that he has altered dozens of racks, but a few do look suspicious in the photos I've seen.:16suspect 

I have stated on here that I believe that Rompola faked the buck himself, yet you keep saying that I am not offering any scenarios. I think that the people that looked at the deer and the antlers were duped and don't want to admit they were duped because it would make them look unprofessional. There are a bunch of people that have the skills to create fake antlers, yet you just put on blinders and drown yourself in a sea of denial about that reality.

Bucko, Rompola claimed that he killed a monster Missouri buck when he was a teenager and he said that he killed it with a feild point. Do you believe that story?:lol:


----------



## rmw

I honestly never thought posting that link would start all of this , and I never have read so much detail about the guy. He sure is either hated or revered depending on your point of view.

I have a couple of questions 

Everyone talks about his arrest record , was he ever charged or convicted ?
Innocent people get charged and guilty people get off every day but if he was never charged let alone convicted why ? 

Does his personal conduct really have anything to do with the rack being real or not ? 

Has anyone looked at what others had to loose if it had been legitimized?
Someone with limited financial resources can be buffaloed by people with money 

Was the spread what made it a world record ? If not what does the skull plate really matter 

I have a hard time believing that many diff people that saw it and claimed it was legit would lie about it"fooled maybe but not lied" , especially if the guy is the dirt bag everyone is making him out to be , but I also have a hard time understanding why if you were being called a liar you wouldn't come out and let the rack be examined and being the experienced trophy hunter he is wouldn't you dot all the i's and cross all the t's if you shot a deer of this caliber? This is kinda like the MI deer hunting version of who shot JFK and much like JFK it probably will never be settled


----------



## Lugian

Trophy Specialist said:


> I can see that you are obviously biased on this issue. You know the people too well that are involved to be objective.
> 
> Do I think that this a a conspiracy?...Not likely..
> 
> Do I think he manufactured dozens, or more racks?...I doubt that he has altered dozens of racks, but a few do look suspicious in the photos I've seen.:16suspect
> 
> I have stated on here that I believe that Rompola faked the buck himself, yet you keep saying that I am not offering any scenarios. I think that the people that looked at the deer and the antlers were duped and don't want to admit they were duped because it would make them look unprofessional. There are a bunch of people that have the skills to create fake antlers, yet you just put on blinders and drown yourself in a sea of denial about that reality.
> 
> Bucko, Rompola claimed that he killed a monster Missouri buck when he was a teenager and he said that he killed it with a feild point. Do you believe that story?:lol:


So Bucko has blinders on because he actually knows the people who saw the deer and he respects them? You on the other hand are a taxidermist with no conection to Mitch and you have one grainy picture to convince you its fake. This is suppose to convince people you are objective?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## anonymous7242016

Uncle Boopoo said:


> In the recovery video,


Does anybody have a link to that..........I can't find one.


----------



## sbstar

I've got the shortened version with the narration. Haven't been able to find the original.


----------



## swampbuck

Uncle Boopoo said:


> but he actually says "good thing the 2 track isn't too far away", referring to dragging the buck out. To me a secluded area or "protection zone" normally wouldn't be anywhere near a 2 track.
> 
> I also know of many "protection zones" in and around my home in SELP. Most of them are commercial properties and many of them have fences around them. They do grow some nice bucks though.


 Except it is a gated 2 track.


----------



## sbstar

swampbuck said:


> Except it is a gated 2 track.


You his neighbor or hunting partner or something lol?


----------



## Uncle Boopoo

bucksnbows said:


> Does anybody have a link to that..........I can't find one.


 
I cant find ANY of his vids anymore. I watched the recovery vid a few times a year or two ago. The only thing I can find now is a written account of what he says in the video, but no actual footage. I cant find the Michigan Out of Doors episode he was on either, but I was able to find it a couple years ago.


----------



## Uncle Boopoo

Here's the link of Richard P. Smith's account of what takes place in the recovery video. He quotes Mitch from the video several times in this account.

http://marylandwhitetail.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=1093142

Something that sticks out to me is Mitch films an old stand from the stand he shot his buck in. He also goes on to say this buck took the same trail as the 9pt he shot a few years ago. 

Having two permanent stands in the area tells me that he's spent plenty of time in that immediate area. He's invested valuable time and effort into that spot. It's not the typical stick and move approach that you hear from most big buck killers. Rather, it sounds more like the tactics of a regular hunter with a really good spot. This could also explain why many of his bucks look alike.

Furthermore, I think this could suggest he uses some sort of feeding program to draw/hold mature bucks into that area. If there's that many nice bucks running around, there also has to be a quality food source around. Grand Traverse co isn't really known as being a heavy Ag area or for having very rich soil. So what are these giant bucks eating to put all that bone on their head? Is it possible that Mitch uses some sort of growth hormone mixed with his deer feed?


----------



## johnhunter247

This is exactly why you keep your successes to yourself and close friends to enjoy. Whats the point in making your success public. To much negative drawback. I have several nice bucks and never even thought about putting on a public buck pole let alone having them scored. No Thanks. I don't need any ego boost. I don't blame Rompala one bit for the way things went down and hope it remains a mystery. The only one he needs to answer to is himself! I wish I was half the bowhunter he is. He has taken some amazing deer.


----------



## Drop Tine

Wow. Took a weekend away from this thread, and it blows up!! Guess I shouldn't be surprised. I'll sum up the evidence for each camp (the believers, and the non believers) and let every one decide on their own.
*The Believers*
- 3 official scorers have verified the deer is real, and the score is accurate.
- A CO (tribe or otherwise) and "some of the CO's family members" went to Mitchs home after the kill and saw the actual deer. The CO says it's real, no doubt about it.
- Rompola has pics of at least several other deer with the same type of characteristics, lending more credibility to his story.

*The Non Believers*
- grainy pic of "bondo-type material" on skull plate.
- Police reports and/or accusations of other crimes unrelated to his buck.
- The fact that he passed up a lot of money if he had it X-rayed.

Sorry, but this is cut and dried, to me anyway. Unless the non-believers can offer first hand testimony from people who have seen and handled the actual deer and call it a fake, I'm going to believe Rompola. The reason is simple: He has has people see, handle, and score the deer, and they all say it's real. Not one person has seen the actual deer that says it is a fake. All they have is hear-say and inuendo.


----------



## Drop Tine

bentduck said:


> Yup, I mis-spelled Pedaphile...you got me good on that one. :yikes: Now you are on record defending one while ripping me for bad spelling.


Spelled it wrong again, son.


----------



## itchn2fish

......say what you want about pedophiles........at least they drive slow in school zones........:yikes:


----------



## swampbuck

sbstar said:


> You his neighbor or hunting partner or something lol?


Not hardly....The gate was mentioned in one of the interviews back then. Actually at the time if you took all the bits and pieces of info that was available in interviews,articles,and videos/photos. Along with a topo map, and sat. photos available on line at the time, and a platt book. It narrows it down to one particular spot in Grand Traverse County. It was actually pretty simple for a couple guys used to looking at that kind of stuff. The owner name on the parcel would explode the website, So best not to discuss that.:lol:

Of course its pretty clear that Rompola underestimated the power of technology then.


----------



## Scott K

Drop Tine said:


> Wow. Took a weekend away from this thread, and it blows up!! Guess I shouldn't be surprised. I'll sum up the evidence for each camp (the believers, and the non believers) and let every one decide on their own.
> *The Believers*
> - 3 official scorers have verified the deer is real, and the score is accurate.
> - A CO (tribe or otherwise) and "some of the CO's family members" went to Mitchs home after the kill and saw the actual deer. The CO says it's real, no doubt about it.
> - Rompola has pics of at least several other deer with the same type of characteristics, lending more credibility to his story.
> 
> *The Non Believers*
> - grainy pic of "bondo-type material" on skull plate.
> - Police reports and/or accusations of other crimes unrelated to his buck.
> - The fact that he passed up a lot of money if he had it X-rayed.
> 
> Sorry, but this is cut and dried, to me anyway. Unless the non-believers can offer first hand testimony from people who have seen and handled the actual deer and call it a fake, I'm going to believe Rompola. The reason is simple: He has has people see, handle, and score the deer, and they all say it's real. Not one person has seen the actual deer that says it is a fake. All they have is hear-say and inuendo.


You missed a whole bunch of non believer evidence.


----------



## Dom

Interesting. Forget the non-relative background info and concentrate soley on the deer. I think the deer and rack is real, however there are many strange circumstances. Who knows. I found an interesting short clip, watch at the 7 minute mark. Mark Avery has quite a number of years all over Michigan, why would he say what he does about Mitch? Because he believes him. If that is too hard to believe for some so be it. I find it next to impossible to 'screw' a couple of fabricated antlers on and stand any chance in hexx of it passing any type of scrutiny. Maybe one day we will find out the rest of the story, Waidmannsheil, Dom.


----------



## Uncle Boopoo

Well thanks to another poster, a new idea has sprouted in my mind. What if the animal is 100% real, but was fed growth hormones for an extended period of time. This could also explain why several of his bucks look similar and why he has multiple permanent stands in 1 area. He could have feeding stations and be cutting these animals off before they get there.

Would it be against the rules to register a free range buck that's been fed growth hormones? I honestly don't know, thats why I ask.

Many deer farmers, including David Morris (Tecomate), Legends Ranch, ect... have said; in order to grow VERY large bucks, you need to provide them with YEAR ROUND nutrition. Most areas of NLP cant provide this for a whitetail. This is a big part of the reason why a 130"+ buck is a monster up there (along with age). But even old bucks will only get so big if they have limited nutrition. So how does a buck grow a world class rack in an area with average nutrition, without some sort of supplements?


----------



## IceDaddy

> So how does a buck grow a world class rack in an area with average nutrition, without some sort of supplements?


And not only the Rack, but the deer dressed out at 263lbs which is over 300lbs on the hoof. That is a huge bodied deer for that part of the state.


----------



## swampbuck

I heard he was using BigT's secret super mineral mix.


----------



## bucko12pt

Uncle Boopoo said:


> Well thanks to another poster, a new idea has sprouted in my mind. What if the animal is 100% real, but was fed growth hormones for an extended period of time. This could also explain why several of his bucks look similar and why he has multiple permanent stands in 1 area. He could have feeding stations and be cutting these animals off before they get there.
> 
> Would it be against the rules to register a free range buck that's been fed growth hormones? I honestly don't know, thats why I ask.
> 
> Many deer farmers, including David Morris (Tecomate), Legends Ranch, ect... have said; in order to grow VERY large bucks, you need to provide them with YEAR ROUND nutrition. Most areas of NLP cant provide this for a whitetail. This is a big part of the reason why a 130"+ buck is a monster up there (along with age). But even old bucks will only get so big if they have limited nutrition. So how does a buck grow a world class rack in an area with average nutrition, without some sort of supplements?


 
How does a buck grow a world class rack in the boreal forest of northern Canada, where there is absolutely no agriculture and living exclusively
off browse, not to mention -60 degree temps in the winter?

200" bucks are freaks of nature and can pop up most anywhere.

It isn't like there isn't a precedent in that part of the state. There are 
two bucks over 200" in the record book from Leelanau Co which adjoins Grand Traverse. No one has ever questioned them. The last one recorded, my wife and I saw in a field one night the fall it was killed.

Both were killed accidentally by hunters that didn't know they were there.

What if someone knew bucks like that were around and developed a strategy to kill them?


----------



## Drop Tine

Scott K said:


> You missed a whole bunch of non believer evidence.


 Such as?


----------



## GIDEON

Not long ago someone posted a picture in the trail cam section that has a striking resemblance to the Rompola buck,


----------



## bucko12pt

GIDEON said:


> Not long ago someone posted a picture in the trail cam section that has a striking resemblance to the Rompola buck,


Must be a fake then, because everyone knows the Rompola buck is a fake, what with the droopy ears and unusual color of the rack in all the 
pictures. :evil:


----------



## sbooy42

GIDEON said:


> Not long ago someone posted a picture in the trail cam section that has a striking resemblance to the Rompola buck,


 I was looking at one Jeff Strugis's threads the other day and saw a buck that reminded me of Romploa's buck


----------



## Uncle Boopoo

Bucko, you make good points. What jumps out at me is in the recovery video, not only does he talk about killing another nice buck from that private land spot, but he also shows an old stand he used to hunt from a short distance away. That sounds like the opposite of a guy that scouts miles of land looking for giant bucks and figuring out what tree to kill them from. Makes you wonder how many of his simliar looking, wide bucks he killed from there and if he's doing something to encourage them to be there? 

Now, there's absolutely nothing wrong with any of that as long as he's hunting within the laws. It just doesn't seem to line up with the "super hunter" story that we're often fed when people talk about Mitch.


----------



## Trophy Specialist

Drop Tine said:


> Such as?


Here's an interesting article on the subject. Give it a read and see if you can find some more non-believer stuff to add to your list. 

http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/2010/09/22/trophybucks_naw_aa203rumors/


----------



## bucko12pt

Uncle Boopoo said:


> Bucko, you make good points. What jumps out at me is in the recovery video, not only does he talk about killing another nice buck from that private land spot, but he also shows an old stand he used to hunt from a short distance away. That sounds like the opposite of a guy that scouts miles of land looking for giant bucks and figuring out what tree to kill them from. Makes you wonder how many of his simliar looking, wide bucks he killed from there and if he's doing something to encourage them to be there?
> 
> Now, there's absolutely nothing wrong with any of that as long as he's hunting within the laws. It just doesn't seem to line up with the "super hunter" story that we're often fed when people talk about Mitch.


Could be, that makes as much sense as any of the other theories I've heard. I do believe that he has killed large deer in multiple locations.
Not all of his big racks look the same. Some look like typical deer that could come from anywhere. I have heard that at least one came from Mecosta Co.. 

His nephew told me there was and older couple in the area with a farm and they had a large deer that the guy was unable to kill. He supposedly called Mitch and said he could hunt it, but wanted the deer if it was killed. Mitch later told the man that he had an opportunity to kill an even larger deer than the one the guy had been seeing, but didn't because he didn't have permission. He sis kill the one the man had been hunting.

Stories, perhaps, who knows. I think he has a few honey holes, but I think he gets a lot of tips on big deer. Remember, while you and I and most other deer hunters are doing different things today, he is most likely scouting deer somewhere, today, and tomorrow and the next day.......................................!!

For most guys, me included, they cannot kill deer consistently like he does, but they also have not dedicated their lives to it like he has, so their reasoning is, I can't do that, so it's not possible for anyone else to do it either.


----------



## scottywolverine

interesting that a sponsor on his website is southern cross velvet,.....and the conspiracy continues......


----------



## Liver and Onions

Trophy Specialist said:


> Here's an interesting article on the subject. Give it a read and see if you can find some more non-believer stuff to add to your list.
> 
> http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/2010/09/22/trophybucks_naw_aa203rumors/


Interesting article. Of course a few will continue to believe that Mitch didn't have the rack x-rayed because he didn't need the money. And was that food stamps that he was caught stealing a few months before this happened ?
Prove us doubters all wrong Mitch, if it's a real rack simply let the rack be x-rayed. We all know this isn't going to happen because he has been humiliated enough.

L & O


----------



## GIDEON

Liver and Onions said:


> Interesting article. Of course a few will continue to believe that Mitch didn't have the rack x-rayed because he didn't need the money. And was that food stamps that he was caught stealing a few months before this happened ?
> Prove us doubters all wrong Mitch, if it's a real rack simply let the rack be x-rayed. We all know this isn't going to happen because he has been humiliated enough.
> 
> L & O



:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: Do you really think that he cares what you believe:lol::lol::lol::lol:


----------



## Liver and Onions

GIDEON said:


> :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: Do you really think that he cares what you believe:lol::lol::lol::lol:


No, I'm pretty sure he doesn't care. I'm also pretty sure he doesn't read threads or articles about himself because it would only add to the shame he has put upon himself. What he can claim is that a few gullible people are still eager to kiss his ring.

L & O


----------



## Trophy Specialist

GIDEON said:


> :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: Do you really think that he cares what you believe:lol::lol::lol::lol:


He certainly seemed to care about his reputation before Rompolagate broke when he was hocking products, lining up sponsors, doing seminars, articles.....


----------



## Liver and Onions

Trophy Specialist said:


> Here's an interesting article on the subject. Give it a read and see if you can find some more non-believer stuff to add to your list.
> 
> http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/2010/09/22/trophybucks_naw_aa203rumors/


Anyone who missed this article, go back to post #221 and click on the link provided by TS.

L & O


----------



## Scott K

Drop Tine said:


> Wow. Took a weekend away from this thread, and it blows up!! Guess I shouldn't be surprised. I'll sum up the evidence for each camp (the believers, and the non believers) and let every one decide on their own.
> *The Believers*
> - 3 official scorers have verified the deer is real, and the score is accurate.
> - A CO (tribe or otherwise) and "some of the CO's family members" went to Mitchs home after the kill and saw the actual deer. The CO says it's real, no doubt about it.
> - Rompola has pics of at least several other deer with the same type of characteristics, lending more credibility to his story.
> 
> *The Non Believers*
> - grainy pic of "bondo-type material" on skull plate.
> - Police reports and/or accusations of other crimes unrelated to his buck.
> - The fact that he passed up a lot of money if he had it X-rayed.
> 
> Sorry, but this is cut and dried, to me anyway. Unless the non-believers can offer first hand testimony from people who have seen and handled the actual deer and call it a fake, I'm going to believe Rompola. The reason is simple: He has has people see, handle, and score the deer, and they all say it's real. Not one person has seen the actual deer that says it is a fake. All they have is hear-say and inuendo.





Scott K said:


> You missed a whole bunch of non believer evidence.





Drop Tine said:


> Such as?


From earlier this in this thread:


This is a pretty weak one imo:


> droopy ears


Another that doesn't prove anything:


> most of the guys that "inspected" the rack have prior affiliations to Mitch


This is the strongest item against and something I've never heard even his supporters try to explain:


> On the Mitch Rompola buck the distance between burrs comes out to 4 ¾, a full 1 ½ greater than any buck in the Legendary collection. That would mean that the skull on the Rompola buck was almost 50% wider than any previous world record buck.





> The changing colors on Rompola's rack were to obvious to be chalked up to lighting issues.





> He (Rompolla) _*signed a document *_saying that Milo Hanson holds the record for the largest typical whitetail ever shot.


----------



## thetreestandguy

OK, so I'm not taking a position one way or another on this bizare story. I did, however, meet someone this past summer who's family consistantly shoots big critters and seeks no publicity.

This fellow came in to buy stands one day. We get into talking, as is often the case, and it turns out the family has shot many a giant. The conversation takes place for over an hour, full of stunning stories. He's already got poachers/trespassers and doesn't want anyone truly knowing what they shoot year to year or it may get worse. A couple of tales that stood out to illustrate his point-

Each year he and his father find multiple pot gardens on the property (perfect soils for it he said). He used to call the police until one day a helicopter landed right smack dab in the middle of his crops. With no regard for his loss of income they also proceeded to drive all over while destroying the pot he called them for. They now simply brush-hog all the pot they find, no law enforcement is called anymore.

He also said that his aging father hadn't shot a buck in some years, by choice. They all stay connected with headsets and recently his father said that a decent buck was coming in on him. Since he hadn't shot one in a while he decided he'd put this one down. Turned out that "decent" buck scored over 170". I can only imagine what he'd been passing up till the urge came over him to pull the trigger.

A gal at church made mention that she'd never killed a turkey. Being a good guy he invites her over for a spring hunt on the condition that she can't take any pictures of the kill nor can she have anything officially scored should she prove successful. She connects and they did a quick score... it's the new MI record! She's still peeved that he won't let her get it officially scored but being a good Christian she holds true to her word.

The real kicker for me was toward the end. Naturally I'm drooling over all these stories of big bucks being shot and scored at the farm never to see non-family eyeballs again. He's a business owner and I see that he's got a smart phone. Some of these bucks are very recent kills and I assume that like any proud hunter he's got pictures on that phone for me to look at. I ask to look and he shows me a picture of a trophy wall in the house. He doesn't have one darn "hero" picture at all!! They don't take that picture for fear that somehow it will make it out nowadays and even more people will know about his honey hole!

So, I have no idea about this buck in question. I do, however, know someone who's family could give a crap less about letting anyone know about world class deer being shot by them. In fact it's the opposite, this family goes to great lengths to ensure that _*no one*_ knows!

Carry on and play nice fella's.


----------



## skipper34

thetreestandguy said:


> OK, so I'm not taking a position one way or another on this bizare story. I did, however, meet someone this past summer who's family consistantly shoots big critters and seeks no publicity.
> 
> This fellow came in to buy stands one day. We get into talking, as is often the case, and it turns out the family has shot many a giant. The conversation takes place for over an hour, full of stunning stories. He's already got poachers/trespassers and doesn't want anyone truly knowing what they shoot year to year or it may get worse. A couple of tales that stood out to illustrate his point-
> 
> Each year he and his father find multiple pot gardens on the property (perfect soils for it he said). He used to call the police until one day a helicopter landed right smack dab in the middle of his crops. With no regard for his loss of income they also proceeded to drive all over while destroying the pot he called them for. They now simply brush-hog all the pot they find, no law enforcement is called anymore.
> 
> He also said that his aging father hadn't shot a buck in some years, by choice. They all stay connected with headsets and recently his father said that a decent buck was coming in on him. Since he hadn't shot one in a while he decided he'd put this one down. Turned out that "decent" buck scored over 170". I can only imagine what he'd been passing up till the urge came over him to pull the trigger.
> 
> A gal at church made mention that she'd never killed a turkey. Being a good guy he invites her over for a spring hunt on the condition that she can't take any pictures of the kill nor can she have anything officially scored should she prove successful. She connects and they did a quick score... it's the new MI record! She's still peeved that he won't let her get it officially scored but being a good Christian she holds true to her word.
> 
> The real kicker for me was toward the end. Naturally I'm drooling over all these stories of big bucks being shot and scored at the farm never to see non-family eyeballs again. He's a business owner and I see that he's got a smart phone. Some of these bucks are very recent kills and I assume that like any proud hunter he's got pictures on that phone for me to look at. I ask to look and he shows me a picture of a trophy wall in the house. He doesn't have one darn "hero" picture at all!! They don't take that picture for fear that somehow it will make it out nowadays and even more people will know about his honey hole!
> 
> So, I have no idea about this buck in question. I do, however, know someone who's family could give a crap less about letting anyone know about world class deer being shot by them. In fact it's the opposite, this family goes to great lengths to ensure that _*no one*_ knows!
> 
> Carry on and play nice fella's.


I certainly hope that your pantlegs were rolled up for this. Sounds like the BS was piling up pretty high during those discussions.


----------



## Drop Tine

Trophy Specialist said:


> Here's an interesting article on the subject. Give it a read and see if you can find some more non-believer stuff to add to your list.
> 
> http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/2010/09/22/trophybucks_naw_aa203rumors/


Absolutely nothing new in this article. More grainy pics, third party conversations, and hearsay. Again, the pro-Mitch side has eye-witness testimaonials from 3 reputable scorers and a CO (with additional family members) that have seen, held, and inspected the rack for hours, in order to score it. The other side has nothing but rumor and inuendo and a few grainy photos described by third parties. None of us really no if it's real or not, but as an outsider, you can't dispute the evidence for the Pro-Mitch side is 100 times more compelling than the anti-Mitch side.


----------



## sbstar

Drop Tine said:


> Absolutely nothing new in this article. More grainy pics, third party conversations, and hearsay. Again, the pro-Mitch side has eye-witness testimaonials from 3 reputable scorers and a CO (with additional family members) that have seen, held, and inspected the rack for hours, in order to score it. The other side has nothing but rumor and inuendo and a few grainy photos described by third parties. None of us really no if it's real or not, but as an outsider, you can't dispute the evidence for the Pro-Mitch side is 100 times more compelling than the anti-Mitch side.


There was also these guys that watched bigfoot walk around for hours :SHOCKED:

Not trying to be rude, but people see and feel what they want to. I agree that it may seem compelling, but it definately can be disputed.


----------



## Trophy Specialist

Drop Tine said:


> Absolutely nothing new in this article. More grainy pics, third party conversations, and hearsay. Again, the pro-Mitch side has eye-witness testimaonials from 3 reputable scorers and a CO (with additional family members) that have seen, held, and inspected the rack for hours, in order to score it. The other side has nothing but rumor and inuendo and a few grainy photos described by third parties. None of us really no if it's real or not, but as an outsider, you can't dispute the evidence for the Pro-Mitch side is 100 times more compelling than the anti-Mitch side.


OK, using your own criteria for judging evidence, the versions of the stories we've read on here from the reputable scorers and other witnesses are all just hear say too. I haven't seen any of these witnesses post anything on here to make it anything but hearsay. Let's see, the pro-Rompola camp has provided hearsay, rumors, innuendo, third party conversations and not even one grainy photo to really prove anything about Rompola's claims.


----------



## Trophy Specialist

thetreestandguy said:


> OK, so I'm not taking a position one way or another on this bizare story. I did, however, meet someone this past summer who's family consistantly shoots big critters and seeks no publicity.
> 
> This fellow came in to buy stands one day. We get into talking, as is often the case, and it turns out the family has shot many a giant. The conversation takes place for over an hour, full of stunning stories. He's already got poachers/trespassers and doesn't want anyone truly knowing what they shoot year to year or it may get worse. A couple of tales that stood out to illustrate his point-
> 
> Each year he and his father find multiple pot gardens on the property (perfect soils for it he said). He used to call the police until one day a helicopter landed right smack dab in the middle of his crops. With no regard for his loss of income they also proceeded to drive all over while destroying the pot he called them for. They now simply brush-hog all the pot they find, no law enforcement is called anymore.
> 
> He also said that his aging father hadn't shot a buck in some years, by choice. They all stay connected with headsets and recently his father said that a decent buck was coming in on him. Since he hadn't shot one in a while he decided he'd put this one down. Turned out that "decent" buck scored over 170". I can only imagine what he'd been passing up till the urge came over him to pull the trigger.
> 
> A gal at church made mention that she'd never killed a turkey. Being a good guy he invites her over for a spring hunt on the condition that she can't take any pictures of the kill nor can she have anything officially scored should she prove successful. She connects and they did a quick score... it's the new MI record! She's still peeved that he won't let her get it officially scored but being a good Christian she holds true to her word.
> 
> The real kicker for me was toward the end. Naturally I'm drooling over all these stories of big bucks being shot and scored at the farm never to see non-family eyeballs again. He's a business owner and I see that he's got a smart phone. Some of these bucks are very recent kills and I assume that like any proud hunter he's got pictures on that phone for me to look at. I ask to look and he shows me a picture of a trophy wall in the house. He doesn't have one darn "hero" picture at all!! They don't take that picture for fear that somehow it will make it out nowadays and even more people will know about his honey hole!
> 
> So, I have no idea about this buck in question. I do, however, know someone who's family could give a crap less about letting anyone know about world class deer being shot by them. In fact it's the opposite, this family goes to great lengths to ensure that _*no one*_ knows!
> 
> Carry on and play nice fella's.


There are certainly a bunch of people out there that have killed numbers of big bucks but have not publicized them for what ever reason. Being a taxidermist, I know of a half dozen such people myself. However, Rompola was not shy about seeking out publicity. In fact he did about everything he could to maximize his exposure to the public. Before Rompolagate, he entered all his trophies in the record book, did interviews, articles, seminars, TV, videos, lined up sponsors, hocked stuff.... Even after Rompolagate, he is still trying to make money off his alleged hunting successes with a website and sponsors.


----------



## beer and nuts

the treestandguy,

I'm not saying at all you didn't have this conversation and I'm sure your telling the truth, so this is not about you at all. 

BUT, really...shoots the small 170 because he hadn't shot anything in awhile!? Church lady..bangs the MI turkey record on her first hunt, because a church lady hasn't shot a turkey ever...and she can't say anything..christian word!?!? Come'on man, pot gardens every year....black helicopters landing in their fields...not sure they are brush hogging or not, but I'm betting they are harvesting some for their own consumption!!! Once the law comes down hard on a certain location...pot growers than don't come back the next years in the same location!?

He just so happens to wander in your store to buy stands and than starts talking to you-complete stranger-how great the hunting is on his place and that he wants to keep it a secret!?!?!? Come'on man....you can't believe it, can you!?!


----------



## PLUMMER47

Wow sure is alot of jealous haters on here. You know they say the non-believers will all end up in the same place one day. Too bad, so sad they spend all this time knocking a good deer and deer hunting story.:sad:


----------



## sbstar

PLUMMER47 said:


> Wow sure is alot of jealous haters on here. You know they say the non-believers will all end up in the same place one day. Too bad, so sad they spend all this time knocking a good deer and deer hunting story.:sad:


Now don't go twisting that one there chief. Non-believers ending up in the same place that is. But, if we're going to go that way, we're also told to be shrewd as serpents. It is a good hunting story, but to many, it's a good story about a guy who tried to cheat, got called out, and disappeared into the hills. To the others, it's a story about a guy who shot a big buck, tried to profit, then when asked to prove it, became a hero by disappearing into the hills.


----------



## Drop Tine

Trophy Specialist said:


> OK, using your own criteria for judging evidence, the versions of the stories we've read on here from the reputable scorers and other witnesses are all just hear say too. I haven't seen any of these witnesses post anything on here to make it anything but hearsay. Let's see, the pro-Rompola camp has provided hearsay, rumors, innuendo, third party conversations and not even one grainy photo to really prove anything about Rompola's claims.


You're completely wrong. We have many articles where the CO and the three scorers are quoted as having said everything they said about the rack. Thats not hearsay - those are first hand witness accounts - direct quotes taken from those guys. Thats way different (and much more credible) than "I saw a photo at a show from some guy that said it was the Rompola buck taken at such and such a time and theres snow there when at that time there was no snow, blah, blah, blah".................
In other words, I haven't seen one guy quoted as saying anything to the effect of "I saw the rack, and it is clear to me it's fake". Not even a "I saw the rack, and it was very peculiar, and I think it's fake". Every guy that has seen that rack and inspected it and scored it says it is 100% real.


----------



## Drop Tine

Trophy Specialist said:


> He certainly seemed to care about his reputation before Rompolagate broke when he was hocking products, lining up sponsors, doing seminars, articles.....


Are you saying his life before the deer was, or should've been, the same as after? That's absurd. I've never even heard of Rompola until after this deer. I'll bet about 95% of the posters here are the same way. Before the deer, he didn't have people knocking down his door for interviews. Or following him trying to find out where his hunting area is. Or the media trying to interview him. Or deer hunting product sponsors trying to contact him. There were a lot of things different before the deer than after the deer. Your above post is just one example of how.


----------



## Trophy Specialist

Drop Tine said:


> Are you saying his life before the deer was, or should've been, the same as after? That's absurd. *I've never even heard of Rompola until after this deer. I'll bet about 95% of the posters here are the same way. * Before the deer, he didn't have people knocking down his door for interviews. Or following him trying to find out where his hunting area is. Or the media trying to interview him. Or deer hunting product sponsors trying to contact him. There were a lot of things different before the deer than after the deer. Your above post is just one example of how.


Just becuause you had never heard of Rompola before he allegedly shot the Rompolagate buck does not mean that 95% of the people on here had not heard of him. He was actually quite well known well before Rompolagate. I'm going to say this again, before that buck he had done interviews, articles, seminars, videos, TV and had sponsors paying him to hock their products. After that buck, the only place he can sell anything is on a website because he has lost all credibility at any reputable outdoor media outlets.


----------



## Trophy Specialist

Drop Tine said:


> You're completely wrong. We have many articles where the CO and the three scorers are quoted as having said everything they said about the rack. Thats not hearsay - those are first hand witness accounts - direct quotes taken from those guys. Thats way different (and much more credible) than "I saw a photo at a show from some guy that said it was the Rompola buck taken at such and such a time and theres snow there when at that time there was no snow, blah, blah, blah".................
> In other words, I haven't seen one guy quoted as saying anything to the effect of "I saw the rack, and it is clear to me it's fake". Not even a "I saw the rack, and it was very peculiar, and I think it's fake". Every guy that has seen that rack and inspected it and scored it says it is 100% real.


I'll try to make this simple for you. Here's the definition of "hearsay": Unverified information heard or received from another.

If someone comes on here and says that they actually saw the deer or skull plate, then that would not be hearsay. If someone posts a quote on here from an article written by someone else, then that is considered as hearsay because it is both heard from and received from another. Now if some of the people that actually saw the deer would want to come forward and post their story on here, then that would be great as long as they are willing to answer some questions too.


----------



## jdub

Trophy Specialist said:


> I'll try to make this simple for you. Here's the definition of "hearsay": Unverified information heard or received from another.
> 
> If someone comes on here and says that they actually saw the deer or skull plate, then that would not be hearsay. If someone posts a quote on here from an article written by someone else, then that is considered as hearsay because it is both heard from and received from another. Now if some of the people that actually saw the deer would want to come forward and post their story on here, then that would be great as long as they are willing to answer some questions too.



You are incorrect. If you post a "quote" from someone that was published, that is not hearsay. That is what is called being "on the record".


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## MI-Dan

I guess I'll weight in. I think he tried to fake it and got caught and things got out of hand and he can't bring himself to admit it.  Nothing else makes any sense. 

He has to be an attention whore, because he's the only one that can settle it, yet he keeps it going.


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## Trophy Specialist

jdub said:


> You are incorrect. If you post a "quote" from someone that was published, that is not hearsay. That is what is called being "on the record".


Actually you are wrong.

Since you can't understand a simple definition, then think of it like a court of law and what would be admissible as testimony. You would not be allowed to testify that what you read in a newspaper quote was fact. A judge wouldn't even allow the person that wrote the quote in the paper to testify about the interview. In order for the information quoted in the article to be admissible in court, then the person quoted would have to testify. 

I've had writers "quote" me before when I know damn well that I never said what they wrote.

I'll say it again, all I've seen from the pro-Rompola people is hearsay, rumors, innuendo, third party conversations and not even one grainy photo to really prove anything about Rompola's claims.


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## bucko12pt

Trophy Specialist said:


> Just becuause you had never heard of Rompola before he allegedly shot the Rompolagate buck does not mean that 95% of the people on here had not heard of him. He was actually quite well known well before Rompolagate. I'm going to say this again, before that buck he had done interviews, articles, seminars, videos, TV and had sponsors paying him to hock their products. After that buck, the only place he can sell anything is on a website because he has lost all credibility at any reputable outdoor media outlets.


He did a seminar a few times at the Lansing show. Not aware of any others that he has done. 

Can you point us to the interviews, videos, articles, and sponsors, other than Kevin Kreh? 

Another question for you. Do you think the state record buck is fake?
Literally thousands of people have seen that buck, plus many others he has killed/faked??? Seems someone seeing it would have, at least an inkling, it was fake.............................considering this buck, as the others, were more of his poor quality taxidermy work.


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## jdub

By technical definition, I stand corrected and I apologize. To me, hearsay would mean "my brothers, uncle's accountant told him" I would not consider reading someone's quote in a publication hearsay and I assume most others are thinking along the same track. 



Trophy Specialist said:


> Actually you are wrong.
> 
> Since you can't understand a simple definition, then think of it like a court of law and what would be admissible as testimony. You would not be allowed to testify that what you read in a newspaper quote was fact. A judge wouldn't even allow the person that wrote the quote in the paper to testify about the interview. In order for the information quoted in the article to be admissible in court, then the person quoted would have to testify.
> 
> I've had writers "quote" me before when I know damn well that I never said what they wrote.
> 
> I'll say it again, all I've seen from the pro-Rompola people is hearsay, rumors, innuendo, third party conversations and not even one grainy photo to really prove anything about Rompola's claims.


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## Trophy Specialist

bucko12pt said:


> He did a seminar a few times at the Lansing show. Not aware of any others that he has done.
> 
> Can you point us to the interviews, videos, articles, and sponsors, other than Kevin Kreh?
> 
> Another question for you. Do you think the state record buck is fake?
> Literally thousands of people have seen that buck, plus many others he has killed/faked??? Seems someone seeing it would have, at least an inkling, it was fake.............................considering this buck, as the others, were more of his poor quality taxidermy work.


I saw him myself at the Outdooramma (I think it was back in the late 1990s) and I interviewed him there. I never did use any of that material in any of my articles though. I remember his at the Deer Spectacular too. If you're looking for proof like a link for something, then you are likely SOL on that one. I wrote hundres of articles before Rompolagate and I probably couldn't even find any them on the internet either. I'm sure though that the proof is out there somewhere if you care to look for it. However, I'm sure that there are others out there with decent memories that remember him in the media too. As for sponsors, I remember Custom Shooting Systems being one of them, but there were others too. 

As for the state record (and others) bucks that Rompola allegedly killed, I have no idea whether it is fake or real. The rack would have to be examined by unbiased experts in antler repair and synthetic antler taxidermy, X-rayed, and Rompola would have to pass a lie detector test before I'd be certain of anything.


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## Diggdug

I remember reading about him and seeing an interview with him years before he shot the fake world record. He was out there trying to make a name for himself. I also know guys who saw the photo's of the buck before he supposidly shot it and they said the photo's were obviously fake. And these guys know deer believe me...


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## bucko12pt

Diggdug said:


> I remember reading about him and seeing an interview with him years before he shot the fake world record. He was out there trying to make a name for himself. I also know guys who saw the photo's of the buck before he supposidly shot it and they said the photo's were obviously fake. And these guys know deer believe me...


So four guys that handled the rack and thousands of other racks while doing their duties as measurers for CBM, B&C, P&Y, plus a CO, say it's real, but some guy's that saw a picture of it say it was a fake. 

So you can take that to the bank!!

End of story!! :lol::lol:


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## Kennybks

Digging through some boxes, I found my W&W edition with Mitch's buck on the cover. I am willing to sell this non-forged, original (not compiled from other magazines, etc... ) actual authenticated W&W magazine.:evil:

I'm glad to see that Mitch is still hunting and showing pictures of his bucks. I also have several magazine and newspaper articles from years prior to the buck in question.

Well, anyway, I felt it was going to be controversial enough to hang onto it... but then I've got 20 years of American Hunter and 30 years of ODL magazines too! LOL time to make a burn pile...


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## Liver and Onions

bucko12pt said:


> ............................
> ..................
> End of story!! :lol::lol:


The story could've ended years ago when those 2 guys called Mitch's bluff and offered him the $20,000 to have it x-rayed. Instead he shut his mouth about that deer and hid or destroyed the rack.
My understanding is that $10,000 is still offered anytime that Mitch wants show up with the rack, have it x-rayed and prove it's the real thing. 
Gee, I wonder why he doesn't take the money ? 
P.T Barnum has been proven right again.

L & O


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## hjbigrapids

Enough is enough...... too many people try to destroy others because they are not capable of doing the things that others do. 

Let go of it. It really amounts to nothing in the time fabric. No one will remember in a few years, but some will remember that they had their 15 minutes..........


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## bucko12pt

Liver and Onions said:


> The story could've ended years ago when those 2 guys called Mitch's bluff and offered him the $20,000 to have it x-rayed. Instead he shut his mouth about that deer and hid or destroyed the rack.
> My understanding is that $10,000 is still offered anytime that Mitch wants show up with the rack, have it x-rayed and prove it's the real thing.
> Gee, I wonder why he doesn't take the money ?
> P.T Barnum has been proven right again.
> 
> L & O


Says he of so little faith in his fellow measurers!!

If I believed in something strongly enough, I couldn't be bought for $ 10K, or even $ 20K, but you seem to be implying that you and your principles could be bought for those amounts. 

So be it L&O. 

Incidentally, you are wrong about the welfare checks also, guess again.


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## sbstar

bucko12pt said:


> Says he of so little faith in his fellow measurers!!
> 
> If I believed in something strongly enough, I couldn't be bought for $ 10K, or even $ 20K, but you seem to be implying that you and your principles could be bought for those amounts.
> 
> So be it L&O.
> 
> Incidentally, you are wrong about the welfare checks also, guess again.


What principles are involved in not proving your telling the truth? If its simply his dislike of the organizations there is still no reason not to prove its real, doing that doesn't force him to enter it.


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## MarkSend

Bucko, the Traverse City Record Eagle did run a story about him and there was if one recalls correctly something about getting food stamps in a rather illegal manner. As for the rest all he has to do is
get the damn rack x-rayed or what ever and that should clear up most doubts. After all he doesn`t have to take the money.


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## cohojack

On behalf of everyone who dreams of getting a big BUCK someday ,,,mitch Who???????????


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## Sasquatch Lives

Hunters are such suckers for tall tales.


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## wintrrun

Sasquatch Lives said:


> Hunters are such suckers for tall tales.


 
and drama caused by whether or not a deer's rack was real.

Its sad when a bunch of trophy hunters get together and argue, bicker and carry on like a group of trophy wives.:lol::lol:


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## hunterrep

wintrrun said:


> and drama caused by whether or not a deer's rack was real.
> 
> Its sad when a bunch of trophy hunters get together and argue, bicker and carry on like a group of trophy wives.:lol::lol:


It seems as though your opinion has been voiced quite often in this thread. Are you coming out of the closet and calling yourself a trophy hunter or a trophy wife. :lol::lol:


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## bucko12pt

MarkSend said:


> Bucko, the Traverse City Record Eagle did run a story about him and there was if one recalls correctly something about getting food stamps in a rather illegal manner. As for the rest all he has to do is
> get the damn rack x-rayed or what ever and that should clear up most doubts. After all he doesn`t have to take the money.


You should be able to find that in the RE archives if you know it was printed by them.......................... Not that I would trust anything they printed anyway. 

Please post it when you find it.

That is not what he was accused of back in the 70's when he got the felony. His wife was working for me at the time, so I know most of the details. He was accused/convicted of removing mail from the Acme Post Office. He did not convert any of it to my knowledge. If you have "evidence" from the RE that he did convert any of it , then post it up.

As far as I know, they found all the mail he had taken, like 35 large bags of it. His reason for taking it, too lazy to sort it, I guess.


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## bucko12pt

sbstar said:


> What principles are involved in not proving your telling the truth? If its simply his dislike of the organizations there is still no reason not to prove its real, doing that doesn't force him to enter it.


Do you understand how the whole the Calderone situation fits in to all of this? I don't think Mitch would have taken a million dollars from Calderone, let alone $ 10K because of their past history.


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## sbstar

bucko12pt said:


> Do you understand how the whole the Calderone situation fits in to all of this? I don't think Mitch would have taken a million dollars from Calderone, let alone $ 10K because of their past history.


I've heard...still doesn't explain why he won't prove the deer is real. He doesn't have to take any money or enter it anywhere, he can prove it's real and still stick it to em. In fact taking their legs out by doing that would be the best way.


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## KJC

Famous or notorious? Fame only lasts 15 minutes. Notorioty lasts forever. It's been over 13 years. Who cares? Let it go. If it's real, congratulations Mitch. Nice buck. If it's fake, at least he's not trying to profit from it.


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## bucko12pt

sbstar said:


> I've heard...still doesn't explain why he won't prove the deer is real. He doesn't have to take any money or enter it anywhere, he can prove it's real and still stick it to em. In fact taking their legs out by doing that would be the best way.


I don't disagree with you. He's done a lot of things that haven't made sense to you and me. That's why people are still talking about him and the deer 13 years later.


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## Drop Tine

bucko12pt said:


> So four guys that handled the rack and thousands of other racks while doing their duties as measurers for CBM, B&C, P&Y, plus a CO, say it's real, but some guy's that saw a picture of it say it was a fake.
> 
> So you can take that to the bank!!
> 
> End of story!! :lol::lol:


This is the bottom line for me. And Trophy Specialist, you are correct about the definition of hearsay. I apologize. However, in this circumstance, barring a trial, it is at least "on the record" as another poster pointed out. I don't think the quotes from the three scorers and the CO that say it is real are made up because they all corroberate their assertion that it's real in more than a couple of articles.


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## Tracker83

Ever since this discussion started I've been analyzing pictures of other bucks, and I've found another that is clearly a fabrication:










Notice how the alleged "hunter" is holding the alleged buck's head back so that we can't see where the rack is attached to the skull. This is clearly 100% deception.

This same "hunter" posts another picture of the same "buck" which only supports that this is a fabrication:










Notice the difference in the coloration of the antlers. There was clearly an attempt to re-color the antlers after the first picture was taken.

Finally, the alleged "hunter" shows off another buck:










Notice the droopy ears! Clearly this "hunter" has a long history of fabricating his "trophys", and then promoting himself to the public in an effort to sell his services.

These "trophys" are 100% fraud until the racks are examined by unbiased experts in antler repair and synthetic antler taxidermy, X-rayed, and the "hunter" passes a lie detector test.


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## Trophy Specialist

Tracker83 said:


> Ever since this discussion started I've been analyzing pictures of other bucks, and I've found another that is clearly a fabrication:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Notice how the alleged "hunter" is holding the alleged buck's head back so that we can't see where the rack is attached to the skull. This is clearly 100% deception.
> 
> This same "hunter" posts another picture of the same "buck" which only supports that this is a fabrication:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Notice the difference in the coloration of the antlers. There was clearly an attempt to re-color the antlers after the first picture was taken.
> 
> Finally, the alleged "hunter" shows off another buck:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Notice the droopy ears! Clearly this "hunter" has a long history of fabricating his "trophys", and then promoting himself to the public in an effort to sell his services.
> 
> These "trophys" are 100% fraud until the racks are examined by unbiased experts in antler repair and synthetic antler taxidermy, X-rayed, and the "hunter" passes a lie detector test.


Damn, you caught me.

Actually the one on the bottom is a fake. A tine somehow got busted off during the transportation process, so I had to repair the rack. The big difference between Rompola and I though is that I will point out my fake racks and take pride in the repairs. And if someone wants to X-ray my antlers, then they are welcome to do so. I have never entered any of my deer in the record book and have no plans on entering any in the future, with the exception of a rack I own that my Grandfather took in Manistee County that is among the largest taken there.


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## gander08

Dang! I have never seen a thread go over 10,000 hits! I just had to keep it going...lol. I vote fake...there's no other reason he won't get it x-rayed.


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## Whitetail Freak

I wonder if the rack will appear after Rompola passes.


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## MarkSend

Will agree with you Bucko about the Record Eagle. One has to go to the library to go back that far back so some day when one has a ton of time on my hands I might look it up. Anyway you confirmed some of the story, that he worked at the post office where the food stamps were taken.


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## Bloodrunner

MarkSend said:


> Bucko, the Traverse City Record Eagle did run a story about him and there was if one recalls correctly something about getting food stamps in a rather illegal manner. As for the rest all he has to do is
> get the damn rack x-rayed or what ever and that should clear up most doubts. After all he doesn`t have to take the money.


You know what? Im tired of you people


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## ih772

Bloodrunner said:


> You know what? Im tired of you people


Nobody cares....:lol:


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## ART

hjbigrapids said:


> Enough is enough...... too many people try to destroy others because they are not capable of doing the things that others do.


If you want the world record, you have to prove it's the world record- nothing new here.
rompola is being dishonest, all he was doing is promoting a fraud.


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## Bloodrunner

ART said:


> If you want the world record, you have to prove it's the world record- nothing new here.
> rompola is being dishonest, all he was doing is promoting a fraud.


The guy Killed the Deer, it was Big.


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## bucko12pt

ART said:


> If you want the world record, you have to prove it's the world record- nothing new here.
> rompola is being dishonest, all he was doing is promoting a fraud.


So, sounds like you have proof and the true story. Care to let the rest of us in on what the real story is, or are you one of Calderone's Jackson Co slappy' stirring the pot??


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## ART

bucko12pt said:


> So, sounds like you have proof and the true story. Care to let the rest of us in on what the real story is, or are you one of Calderone's Jackson Co slappy' stirring the pot??


You guys don't get it. Nobody has proof, and rompola is unwilling to PROVE the authenticity of the animal.
You people just want to hand him a world record on his word, and the observations of people who can't see if it's fake. I don't have proof its a fake, and you don't have proof it's real.
If it's real, and a potential record, one would have it tested. He won't, therefore that bars the rack from entry.
Whatever his motive is for not having it tested we may never know- but my opinion is he can't-it'll be proven a fake.
Balls in his court.


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## ART

Bloodrunner said:


> The guy Killed the Deer, it was Big.


There you go-you have spoken... we have proof it's real, you are an authority on antlers and you possess an xray machine, and therefore I must believe you.
What was I thinking???


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## TVCJohn

Some wide-racked deer...disregard any droopy ears you may see.:lol:

Stated as #1 for Wisconson for inside spread and #4 nationwide 30-5/8".


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## bioactive

Sasquatch Lives said:


> The width between the burrs and the unnatural angle the antlers come out of the head is highly suspicious to me. To be more than 1" wider than any other buck in existence is statistically nearly impossible. You are talking about hundreds of megabucks either shot or found. I don't accept this buck as real until it is proven to be so. Where is it now? Did it disappear?


Again, you have no evidence that he is 1 inch wider than any other buck in existence. It is just a guy said who has an ax to grind. he showed no data whatsoever.


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## bioactive

TVCJohn said:


> Some wide-racked deer...disregard any droopy ears you may see.:lol:


Isn't it hilarious:lol:. Somehow the droopy ears of the Rompola buck are unique droopy ears.

And does anyone really believe the burr distance on a couple of those deer is not within an inch of the Rompola buck? Look at the 4th and 6th ones down.

Deer antlers come in all kinds of arrays.

It is truly amazing the lengths people will go to to find fault. 

Again, I do not know if the Rompola buck is real or not, but none of the so called evidence presented here against it has any validity, nor does it make sense if you simply look at many other examples of whitetails. Those of you that believe that no other buck has "ever" been within 1 inch of the Rompola buck burr to burr need to seriously reconsider the source of your evidence.


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## bioactive

Scott K said:


> The secretariat heart vs. average heart and the tall guy vs short guy isn't an apples to apples analogy. Compare the tall guy to the second tallest guy or compare secretariat's heart vs. second largest heart and then we are making a fair comparison.


I agree with this. However, what you have to consider, is the extreme bias of the guy who wrote the article and said he had never seen a buck with a burr to burr measurement of greater than 3 1/4 inches. That is absurd at face value. Just as it is absurd for him to say the color was changed by looking at two different pictures, and that the skull plate had been replaced because the ears are droopy. These statements are all absurd to the extreme.

I'll bet just an informal measure of bucks our members have on their walls would find ones with burr to burr measurements greater than 3 1/4 inches. Just look at some of the pictures TVC shows.

By the way, the worlds record tallest man (8 feet 3 inches) is 32% taller than the 97th percentile of men (6 feet 3 inches--US). http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/325064.html


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## solohunter

The DNR has DNA from deer herds in e very county in mich thru road kills, this is to and would prevent a NLP TB deer from being turned in as a Sw deer causing alot of concern, this would also prevent an Ohio penned deer from being passed off as a NW mich deer if DNA was provided  Yawn,,,,,, easy fix.


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## Sasquatch Lives

QDMAMAN said:


> So, you're claiming to have witnessed the distance between the burrs of every other buck in existance?:16suspect
> 
> What is the "statistical probability" of a typical whitetail netting over 210", based on all of the other whitetails none to exist?


 
Of course not. The distance is so outrageously different you can even tell by looking with the bare eye. Look up the stats. Compare the pics. Of course, the other bucks I've looked at had actual skull plates, not a bondoed mystery plate. :lol: 

Why fake a non-record buck? Any buck over 170" is a freak of nature. None of the others close to the record have similarly wide burr spans, even the Hanson record? Come on, its absurd. You're in denial.


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## Bloodrunner

We have been watching Mitch whack monster bucks for the last 30some years.

Here is a couple that look to be related to the record buck.

http://www.rompolawhitetails.com/gallery/?album=3


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## FISHMANMARK

bioactive said:


> I'll bet just an informal measure of bucks our members have on their walls would find ones with burr to burr measurements greater than 3 1/4 inches. Just look at some of the pictures TVC shows.


 
I'm curious as to what is considered "normal"? Last night, I measured a 5pt with a 17 1/2 inside spread, between the spurs was 2 7/8".


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## F.Marx

FISHMANMARK said:


> I'm curious as to what is considered "normal"? Last night, I measured a 5pt with a 17 1/2 inside spread, between the spurs was 2 7/8".


Well put FISH......here's a real brain teaser for ya, would you consider a potential world-record to be "normal"?

"Science is simply common sense at its best."


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## Diggdug

bucko12pt said:


> Are you embarassed to tell us who it is? Must be a lousy author!! :evil:


OK, I'll come clean. Gene Wensel. His books were ahead of their time. And I promiss he has way more trophy's than most, Mitch Included. "One Mans Whitetail", "Hunting Rutting Whitetails", and "Come November" are all must have's.


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## QDMAMAN

Diggdug said:


> I I also know guys *who saw the photo's* of the buck before he supposidly shot it and they said the photo's were obviously fake. And these guys know deer believe me...


 


Diggdug said:


> OK, I'll come clean. Gene Wensel. His books were ahead of their time. And I promiss he has way more trophy's than most, Mitch Included. "One Mans Whitetail", "Hunting Rutting Whitetails", and "Come November" are all must have's.


Nothing against Gene Wensel, I like the guy, but making a firm determination from a photograph as to wether or not a buck is the real deal, raises flags with a guy's credibility.
I'm not saying it's real or it isn't, but I have issues with those that are convinced it's fake based on rumor, inuendo, and never having seen it first hand. As far as I'm concerned the reputable CBM scorers that claimed it's authenticity will do...for now.
How many book bucks does Gene have BTW?


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## Bloodrunner

bioactive said:


> I agree with this. However, what you have to consider, is the extreme bias of the guy who wrote the article and said he had never seen a buck with a burr to burr measurement of greater than 3 1/4 inches. That is absurd at face value. Just as it is absurd for him to say the color was changed by looking at two different pictures, and that the skull plate had been replaced because the ears are droopy. These statements are all absurd to the extreme.
> 
> I'll bet just an informal measure of bucks our members have on their walls would find ones with burr to burr measurements greater than 3 1/4 inches. Just look at some of the pictures TVC shows.
> 
> By the way, the worlds record tallest man (8 feet 3 inches) is 32% taller than the 97th percentile of men (6 feet 3 inches--US). http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/325064.html


 
Yep, I just measured one of my deer, came in at 3 3/4" between burrs, and he is only an 11 point that grossed 142"

That guy just has a hard-on for Mitch, 

Look at some of those deer in Mitch's photo album, some have the same shape as the record deer.


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## TVCJohn

Bloodrunner said:


> Yep, I just measured one of my deer, came in at 3 3/4" between burrs, and he is only an 11 point that grossed 142"
> 
> That guy just has a hard-on for Mitch,
> 
> *Look at some of those deer in Mitch's photo album, some have the same shape as the record deer.*


I shot an decent 8 pt in 2010 and in 2011 I shot another smaller 8 pt (1 broken brow tine). Both came from the same tree stand in the same tree and they both came in from the same direction on the same trail. Both racks look like they came from the same mold except one is smaller than the other. I'm thinking the genetics in that area are producing similiar looking racks.....no surprise really but I can understand someone's racks looking similiar if they hunt the same area thru the years.


----------



## Bloodrunner

TVCJohn said:


> I shot an decent 8 pt in 2010 and in 2011 I shot another smaller 8 pt (1 broken brow tine). Both came from the same tree stand in the same tree and they both came in from the same direction on the same trail. Both racks look like they came from the same mold except one is smaller than the other. I'm thinking the genetics in that area are producing similiar looking racks.....no surprise really but I can understand someone's racks looking similiar if they hunt the same area thru the years.


 
Yeah, a buck that lives to say 5 1/2 years could service plenty of does, and have many offspring runnin around


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## anonymous7242016

Bloodrunner said:


> Yeah, a buck that lives to say 5 1/2 years could service plenty of does, and have many offspring runnin around


 .........and especially in an area where anterless permits are limited.


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## bioactive

Bloodrunner said:


> Yep, I just measured one of my deer, came in at 3 3/4" between burrs, and he is only an 11 point that grossed 142"
> .


Impossible bloodrunner. No deer in the history of the world has ever come within and inch of the imaginary number that some guy made up who has never actually measured Mtich's deer:lol:
:lol:.


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## hypox

I have a 3 3/4" as well. My deer is only 134" with an 18 3/4" inside spread.

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


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## Bloodrunner

Cant believe that guy said 3 1/4 is as big as it gets? Does he only score Florida deer?


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## swampbuck

I heard on Mike Avery's radio show this morning, He has a video interview he did with Rompola prior to the big buck, supposed to show his trophy room and a trip to the wood's to show Avery some of his techniques

Avery said he is going to put it on his facebook page.


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## Bloodrunner

swampbuck said:


> I heard on Mike Avery's radio show this morning, He has a video interview he did with Rompola prior to the big buck, supposed to show his trophy room and a trip to the wood's to show Avery some of his techniques
> 
> Avery said he is going to put it on his facebook page.


Just be cool and knock on his door? Thats what I did.


----------

