Gallery: Muzzleloader Season in Virginia

For years I’ve enjoyed the extra deer season with a proven muzzleloader/scope combo. My CVA Accura V2 with a Konus Pro scope haven't failed to fill the freezer with meat.

After careful evaluation of trail cam footage from throughout the summer and fall, the club determined that certain older bucks with specific genetic markers should be taken. This strange looking guy was harvested at 50 yards.

At the base of the left antler there was rust from what appeared to be some sort of wire, possibly from the deer going under or through a fence. Our trail cameras have made it clear that there are a few more bucks on the property that probably share this guy's genetics—the abnormal antlers are easy to distinguish.

So, what do you do with a management buck? I decided that crafting a DIY European mount would make a fun project for my son and I. It turned out to be pretty easy, and we shared loads of laughs.