Rompola Buck Update

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

@Topdog - I like your airport theory. That isn't something I've heard before.

Look at these other pictures of bucks Rompola killed. To me they are all odd. Just the way they are positioned - the fact that you never see an entry/exit wound, how perfectly symmetrical they are, and how some of the ears really droop back - just odd to me.

View attachment 81336
No entry or exit wound and it looks to be perfectly symmetrical
View attachment 81337
This one is very odd looking with a very round head and small neck. Also, the base on the right side of the photo appears to be located further forward on the head than the base on the left side.

View attachment 81338
Look at the ear droop on this buck - it is worse than the supposed world record! Almost perfectly symmetrical and no entry/exit wound showing. Very Odd.
View attachment 81339
Another buck with near perfect symmetry and no exit/entrance wound showing.

Maybe I'm a conspiracy theorist but these are all odd to me.

There are lots of red flags for me. Brows all angle off the pedicle like buffalo horns, not brow tines. First pic antlers look hella bleached and oddly attached. Same with last one. Second one brows seem to be a bit forward of the mass of the main beams, almost bulging forward. Third one also seems oddly attached. Are these commonalities genetic phenotypes, or taxidermist’s phenotypes? The guy was, and knew, taxidermists of all walks.

 

[Swampwalker]

Abhorred the spotlight? Wasn't he conducting interviews about being a great bow hunter before he killed the mega buck? I've seen a few online.

I guess it depends on what you call "conducting interviews". Were those setup by him (possibly) or writers coming to him (probably). I don't know. Have to chuckle at the animosity. When it comes to conjecture, people seem to migrate to the negative. Most everyone I know here in Mi. believe the buck was real. Questions? Sure. If it was the only trophy whitetail he'd shot I could kinda get it. Historically Mitch wasn't a good whitetail hunter. He was really, really good.

 

[Nutterbuster]

This is my view as somebody not from the area and who didn't grow up hearing about it.

What's more plausible, somebody made up a hoax or somebody shot a world record buck? How many bucks are there in that class? How many hunters are there who lie?

6 million deer killed a year. If you claim you killed the world record and I can't put hands on it, the only logical assumption is you're a liar.

 

[Horn]

It seems to me like a lot of Michiganders would want that buck to be real. Then we have a chance! I think in reality a nice 8 pt is pretty achievable and much more than that is a pretty darn nice deer here. I'd be more likely to believe it if it were shot near my hometown, somewhat close to Ohio not way up in Traverse city area

 

[HuumanCreed]

Hmm....you are right. I just follow the rabbit on this topic recently. But most 'critics' are saying its fake. While the general public on social media are 50/50. I think its just the conflicting accounts that make this seem so hard let go.

 

[Swampwalker]

This is my view as somebody not from the area and who didn't grow up hearing about it.

What's more plausible, somebody made up a hoax or somebody shot a world record buck? How many bucks are there in that class? How many hunters are there who lie?

6 million deer killed a year. If you claim you killed the world record and I can't put hands on it, the only logical assumption is you're a liar.

Point made. Thank you.

 

[Plebe]

This is my view as somebody not from the area and who didn't grow up hearing about it.

What's more plausible, somebody made up a hoax or somebody shot a world record buck? How many bucks are there in that class? How many hunters are there who lie?

6 million deer killed a year. If you claim you killed the world record and I can't put hands on it, the only logical assumption is you're a liar.

It’s not always a Dragon in the Garage...

Pennsylvania Record Buck Hid in Garage for 60 Years

The top Keystone State typical whitetail was tagged by a rifle hunter in the 1960s, but few knew until now

www.realtree.com

...But sometimes it is just a Dragon.

 

[HaunSolo]

I guess it depends on what you call "conducting interviews". Were those setup by him (possibly) or writers coming to him (probably). I don't know. Have to chuckle at the animosity. When it comes to conjecture, people seem to migrate to the negative. Most everyone I know here in Mi. believe the buck was real. Questions? Sure. If it was the only trophy whitetail he'd shot I could kinda get it. Historically Mitch wasn't a good whitetail hunter. He was really, really good.

I'm sorry if I came across with animosity - that's not my intent. But abhorred is a strong word. If I abhorred the spotlight I certainly wouldn't be conducting interviews for news and magazine articles - and I certainly would create a website for myself with my name as the URL showing off the bucks I had killed.

Also - there are plenty of other hunters that were excellent at their craft but allowed greed and other motivations to creep in resulting in some shady practices. Just because Rompola was a great hunter doesn't mean that he is incapable of lying/manipulation, especially if it meant monetary gains.

 

[Swampwalker]

I guess what I meant by animosity, probably not the right word, was tendency to assume the negative. My point was Mitch had some proclivities that caused him to shy from publicity. I guess he didn't shy from being recognized for his accomplishments. I just don't think he sought them out. Certainly not a Rompola expert to be sure.

 

[HaunSolo]

I guess what I meant by animosity, probably not the right word, was tendency to assume the negative. My point was Mitch had some proclivities that caused him to shy from publicity. I guess he didn't shy from being recognized for his accomplishments. I just don't think he sought them out. Certainly not a Rompola expert to be sure.

That's fair.

 

[Plebe]

There are lots of red flags for me. Brows all angle off the pedicle like buffalo horns, not brow tines. First pic antlers look hella bleached and oddly attached. Same with last one. Second one brows seem to be a bit forward of the mass of the main beams, almost bulging forward. Third one also seems oddly attached. Are these commonalities genetic phenotypes, or taxidermist’s phenotypes? The guy was, and knew, taxidermists of all walks.

On the taxidermy angle. Look at Mitch's taxidermy and tell me, is this guy a good taxidermist? Would you bring your personal best buck ever to him for a mount?

I wish folks would look at their deer mounts with the same scrutiny they do the Rompola buck, lol.

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

On the taxidermy angle. Look at Mitch's taxidermy and tell me, is this guy a good taxidermist? Would you bring your personal best buck ever to him for a mount?

I wish folks would look at their deer mounts with the same scrutiny they do the Rompola buck, lol.

Exactly. I think you’re agreeing with me. If I got a buck back that looked like that, even without tampering, I’d be ticked off.

 

[Plebe]

Exactly. I think you’re agreeing with me. If I got a buck back that looked like that, even without tampering, I’d be ticked off.

So you don't think Mitch's work could pass the critical analysis of those who saw his bucks and/or handled the racks?

 

[arrow30]

there is blood. i see it. lots of deer have droopy ears

On the taxidermy angle. Look at Mitch's taxidermy and tell me, is this guy a good taxidermist? Would you bring your personal best buck ever to him for a mount?

I wish folks would look at their deer mounts with the same scrutiny they do the Rompola buck, lol.

as bad of a taxidermist as i see in his pictures, theres no way in hell he could have faked anything.

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

So you don't think Mitch's work could pass the critical analysis of those who saw his bucks and/or handled the racks?

Never held them myself, and as far as I know “the” buck has never been confirmed that Mitch did taxidermy on it (could be that I just don’t know, I’m not a Rompola scholar) but many of the people who have allegedly seen/touched the buck have said no, it doesn’t pass muster. As far as I can tell, the only people who have definitely touched the rack and allege it to be completely real are the ones who actually had something to do with its scoring. Fishy? at least. Convenient? maybe. Conspiracy? fun to entertain. I’m super moderate on it but if those racks/pics look weird to my relatively inexperienced eyes, then I’d have to assume the real things were either WAY more convincing somehow (camera adds 15 pounds to the ears kinda thing maybe?) OR more likely IMHO, there are poor mounts and inside players and secretive half-truths.

 

[Noonespecial]

It’s fake…always will be fake. No one will ever see the rack again. The man is hiding in shame which he should be after the black eye he and his story gave to the hunting industry. I was an archery hunter for 10 years when this story surfaced. He wanted to be on the world stage, got desperate and unfortunately ruined his reputation. Let the horse lay dead for crying out loud!

 

[Swampwalker]

, yes and it's only a weather balloon.

 

[MattMan81]

Can ya tell hunting season is over?

 

[Nutterbuster]

It’s not always a Dragon in the Garage...

Pennsylvania Record Buck Hid in Garage for 60 Years

The top Keystone State typical whitetail was tagged by a rifle hunter in the 1960s, but few knew until now

www.realtree.com

...But sometimes it is just a Dragon.

That's not a dragon. I'm assuming that if we wanted to see that buck and lay hands on it, we could. Unlike the rompola buck.

 

[HaunSolo]

That's not a dragon. I'm assuming that if we wanted to see that buck and lay hands on it, we could. Unlike the rompola buck.

Supposedly the Rompola buck burnt up in a house fire.