The following year, in February 2009, I was shed hunting an area about 1-2 miles from where I found the big 5-point sides the year before. Within an hour I found a big 5-point side – 83 ¾”; this was yet again the same big ten that Steve and I had found the prior two years! I had my wife, Headhunter, and Shedslave with me. When we met up, I said, “I bet the other side is on that hill above the food source.” We combed the area looking for the other side with no luck. The last spot we looked was the hill above the food source, and there it was - the match! The other side scores 81 ¾”. I had Earl (Bowdeadly) from Antler Taxidermy mount these sheds, the final score totaling 184”, one of the best typical bucks ever in Maryland.
In February 2010, we looked all over for the big ten sheds for hundreds of hours but with no luck. I found out the buck - the 78” 5-point side I found in 2008 - was killed and scored 187” and got 1st place in the NRA show for best typical buck.
After all that, The big ten simply disappeared. Steve and I are blessed to have such awesome shed antlers from this deer, but not knowing what happened to him will always leave me wondering.
< The author's wife, Tracey, with the Big 10 set shortly after they were found!