Illinois Hunter Tags a 30-Pointer…Doe!

Say you are out for a morning on the deer stand. You’re looking for a decent buck, but your scouting revealed that the best you can hope for is an 8-pointer. Suddenly you catch a glimpse of antler moving through the brush. You start breathing heavier and deeper as the deer steps into a partial clearing because, as you start evaluating the head, you realize there’s more antler and points than you have ever seen. They're everywhere!

That’s pretty much the story Richard Lomas had concerning his Mt. Erie, Ill., deer hunt on December 2. Lomas knocked down the deer and went to retrieve his once-in-a-lifetime prize when he got his second surprise of the morning—his 30-point buck was actually a 30-point doe!

Lomas has since become something of a local celebrity with his doe. Bass Pro Shops has reputedly offered him $50,000 for the head, and there are others seeking access to this rare deer. He is still trying to determine what he’ll do with it.

The doe has been aged at 4 1/2 years, and its rarity has been estimated at 1 in 4,500. Talk about hormone issues!