The case of a Wisconsin man who attempted to pass off a farm-raised white-tailed deer as a wild deer has attracted attention in mid-June.
After an investigation by Department of Natural Resources’ conservation wardens, Richard Waters, 62, of Markesan admitted he had not shot the massive, non-typical deer during Wisconsin’s hunting season but had purchased its rack and had it mounted by a taxidermist.
Scoring by certified measurers with the Wisconsin Buck and Bear Club and Boone and Crockett Club found the rack would have eclipsed the state record.
However the DNR investigation exposed the truth and Waters was cited for improperly registering the deer.
On June 12, Waters signed a “no contest” plea. As such, he was found guilty of failing to keep accurate records as required or otherwise providing incorrect information. He was required to forfeit the deer head and pay a fine of $544.50.
In addition, his hunting and fishing privileges are revoked for one year.
The DNR is in possession of the deer head, said conservation warden Brad Latza.
Who keeps deer records in Wisconsin and nationally?
In Wisconsin the Wisconsin Buck and Bear Club is the official keeper of big game hunting records. The club was formed in 1965 to provide an in-state measuring program, primarily for deer and black bear.
On the national and international level, prominent record-keeping organizations include the Boone and Crockett Club and the Pope and Young Club.
The Boone and Crockett Club accepts animals taken by firearms and bows, while the Pope and Young Club only keeps records on bow-killed animals.
Many WBBC scorers are also members of and perform scoring panels for Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young.
Have hunters attempted previously to get a farm-raised deer entered in a hunting record book?
Hunters are required to submit a signed affidavit when submitting a deer to be scored by WBBC. It attests the hunter harvested the animal following Wisconsin game laws or regulations and in compliance with fair chase principles.
Mark Miller, WBBC records chairman, said the Waters case was the first time he was aware a person tried to pass off a farm-raised deer as a wild deer to WBBC scorers.
What’s the difference in antlers between wild deer and farm-raised deer?
Wild deer typically have nicks, breaks and rub marks on their antlers, all evidence of the natural process of shedding velvet and competing for dominance with other bucks.
Farm-raised bucks are often separated in late summer or fall to keep the animals from fighting and breaking antlers. They also often have unnaturally large racks due to supplements fed to the animals.
How are deer antlers scored?
Deer are scored by antler inches. An antler point has to be at least 1 inch long to count in the score. The score includes lengths of the antler beams, lengths of antler points, inside and outside spreads and circumference of the beams.
The score is traditionally expressed in eighths of an inch, for example 150 1/8.
What are Wisconsin records for deer antlers?
White-tailed deer are classified as typical (a normal antler configuration) or non-typical (with unusual antlers, often with dozens of points). The scores are listed in net inches of antler.
The WBBC accepts deer in four categories: taken by hunters with gun, bow or crossbow as well as “pick-up,” or deer found dead.
According to WBBC records, the top five Wisconsin non-typical bucks are:
The top five Wisconsin typical bucks are:
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Inside the Wisconsin fraud case: Here’s how deer antlers are scored and state records are determined
Reporting by Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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