by Shawn Skipper - Tuesday, August 26, 2014
If you hadn't already noticed, we've launched a new initiative here on AmericanHunter.org: Whitetail Week. No North American game animal is pursued as commonly as the whitetail deer, and we wanted to be sure that we were playing to our readers' interest this fall. So, for the final week of each month through the end of the year, our editors will deliver a week's worth of feature stories, tips and videos all focused on our nation's favorite game.
I'll be offering a number of "Wilder World Outdoors" contributions throughout the event, the first of which you'll find below. Before we look ahead, I think it's a good idea to look back—in this case, at some of my favorite whitetail-related "Wilder World" entries thus far. Strap in, folks, this could get bumpy.
Deer Attacks Men, Steals Cigarettes
I wouldn't typically look at a whitetail and think "bully," but that's sort of what went down in Texas a couple years back, as an agitated deer attacked two men ... and stole their cigarettes. According to the reports, a whitetail chased two grown men into the bed of a truck, and taunted the fleeing humans by munching on some cigarettes they'd left in the cab.
Women Steal, Run Over Hunter's Trophy Buck
Nobody likes a braggart, something that Wisconsin native Kelly Sokel learned the hard way. Sokel had just taken the largest buck of his life (sporting an 8-point, 19½ spread) on Nov. 21, according to the Post-Crescent, and intended to celebrate. The problem was, he probably started a little too soon: Sokel rolled up to an establishment called Hank's Tavern with the whitetail still in the bed of his truck. While inside the establishment, he got into an argument with two other patrons who, upon leaving, decided they'd have the last laugh. They dragged the whitetail out of Sokel's truck, and then proceeded to run it over with their car on the way out of the parking lot. Suffice to say, while Sokel was a bit of a braggart, his two "pals" might have anger issues.
Pennsylvania Women Engage in Taxidermy Duel
This one's a little more recent. According to a report from the New York Daily News, two women in Pennsylvania tried to settle a personal conflict with taxidermied deer heads on July 26. Stacy Varner, 47, and Glenda Snyder, 64, were at a home in Cromwell Township, Pa., when trouble started. Rather than duke it out with their fists, participants instead reached for the nearest wall mount. Sadly, the report doesn't mention who "drew" first. How often do you think the police have to register whitetail mounts as evidence?
Emergency Dumb Poachers: Deer Wakes Up On Way Home
Here's one of my all-time favorites—so much so that it was run as an emergency edition of the "Dumb Poachers" series. In fall 2012, Sacramento men were pulled over and arrested after concerned citizens called police to let them know that a tan SUV was speeding down the highway while blood dripped out of the car's doors. After a local K-9 spotted and apprehended the car, Sheriff's deputies and CHP officers conducted a full-fledged search and detained the men. Officers eventually got the full story out of the accused poachers, and it's a doozy. I don't want to spoil it for you so, by all means, check out the original post right here.
That's all for now, folks. Keep an eye out for more whitetail-exclusive "Wilder World Outdoors" entries in the months ahead.
