MNHunter
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A "monstrous" trophy buck taken in southern Minnesota during bow-hunting season has been confiscated, and the hunter who killed it was charged today with a host of gross misdemeanors.
Troy Reinke, 32, of Cannon Falls, was charged by summons in Goodhue County with 13 counts, among them exceeding his limit, failure to register a deer, leaving big game untagged and illegal transport of big game. The charges allege that Reinke was licensed to only shoot one deer but took three, with the last one being the prized whitetail buck on Oct. 31.
The state Department of Natural Resources is trying to determine whether the 8-point buck's rack is of record proportions, though no formal 8-point records are recognized, said DNR spokesman Rich Sprouse. The DNR, in a news release announcing a news conference for midafternoon in St. Paul to discuss the case, characterized the buck's antlers as "a record-book deer rack."
The buck -- including the rack -- was confiscated Friday after having already been butchered, Sprouse said.
Reinke, who has a criminal history in Minnesota of convictions for fifth-degree criminal assault and domestic assault, was not immediately available for comment.
According to the charges, Reinke at first told conservation officers that he only shot one deer. But under later questioning he acknowledged killing one doe and two bucks, with the third one being the trophy deer.
Chuck Corcoran, a Hampton taxidermist who processed the deer for Reinke, said today that the buck was "monstrous to see," weighing in at 269 pounds.
Corcoran, who described himself as an experienced scorer of deer racks, gave this one 192 inches gross and 188 net. "It's something you'll never see in your lifetime," said Corcoran, adding that he has heard of only one other 8-point buck taken in North America that is even close to those measurements.
For comparison purposes, Michael Gregoire, of Sheboygan Falls, Wis., took what could be a world record 12-point buck with a bow and arrow last week. The whitetail deer weighed 240 pounds, and the rack has been unofficially scored at 217 5/8 inches.
In the Minnesota case, there is no evidence to back up speculation swirling on various hunters web forums that the deer had been shot with a firearm during bow-hunting season, DNR officials said.
Corcoran backed that up, saying, "I 100 percent witnessed an arrow [wound] and no gunshot wounds."
Along with jail time and fines, if convicted, Reinke is also subject to reimbursing the state for the three deer -- $1,000 for the trophy buck and $500 each for the other two deer.
Paul Walsh
Troy Reinke, 32, of Cannon Falls, was charged by summons in Goodhue County with 13 counts, among them exceeding his limit, failure to register a deer, leaving big game untagged and illegal transport of big game. The charges allege that Reinke was licensed to only shoot one deer but took three, with the last one being the prized whitetail buck on Oct. 31.
The state Department of Natural Resources is trying to determine whether the 8-point buck's rack is of record proportions, though no formal 8-point records are recognized, said DNR spokesman Rich Sprouse. The DNR, in a news release announcing a news conference for midafternoon in St. Paul to discuss the case, characterized the buck's antlers as "a record-book deer rack."
The buck -- including the rack -- was confiscated Friday after having already been butchered, Sprouse said.
Reinke, who has a criminal history in Minnesota of convictions for fifth-degree criminal assault and domestic assault, was not immediately available for comment.
According to the charges, Reinke at first told conservation officers that he only shot one deer. But under later questioning he acknowledged killing one doe and two bucks, with the third one being the trophy deer.
Chuck Corcoran, a Hampton taxidermist who processed the deer for Reinke, said today that the buck was "monstrous to see," weighing in at 269 pounds.
Corcoran, who described himself as an experienced scorer of deer racks, gave this one 192 inches gross and 188 net. "It's something you'll never see in your lifetime," said Corcoran, adding that he has heard of only one other 8-point buck taken in North America that is even close to those measurements.
For comparison purposes, Michael Gregoire, of Sheboygan Falls, Wis., took what could be a world record 12-point buck with a bow and arrow last week. The whitetail deer weighed 240 pounds, and the rack has been unofficially scored at 217 5/8 inches.
In the Minnesota case, there is no evidence to back up speculation swirling on various hunters web forums that the deer had been shot with a firearm during bow-hunting season, DNR officials said.
Corcoran backed that up, saying, "I 100 percent witnessed an arrow [wound] and no gunshot wounds."
Along with jail time and fines, if convicted, Reinke is also subject to reimbursing the state for the three deer -- $1,000 for the trophy buck and $500 each for the other two deer.
Paul Walsh
