11-18-2004, 06:52 PM
What a hog![shocked]
Not a 30-point buck, but close![[Image: spacer.gif]](http://www.duluthsuperior.com/images/common/spacer.gif)
27-POINTER: A Proctor hunter claims no special skill in bringing home a whitetail deer with a big rack.
BY SAM COOK
NEWS TRIBUNE OUTDOORS WRITER
You may have seen Peter Privett's 27-point buck on television. But you probably haven't heard the humble hunter's story.
Word of Privett's buck with the big nontypical rack has rippled across the Northland and beyond. The Proctor hunter said he figures 100 people saw it when he stopped by his mother's home near Duluth on Sunday afternoon. The buck was featured on KDLH-TV Channel 3's newscasts Sunday night, Monday morning and Monday night.
Then Privett began getting calls at home.
"If I had to guess, I'd say 75," Privett said. "Absolute strangers. Just people who want to see this thing."
This "thing" is a nontypical whitetail rack with 27 points going in various directions. The main beams of the antlers are so thick that Privett can't wrap a hand around either one. The inside spread of the antlers is 22 inches. The distance between the two drop-tines -- antler points that droop toward the ground -- is 36 inches, Privett said.
Calls about the buck are coming in from Michigan, Wisconsin and southern Minnesota.
"I've seen bucks come and go for the last nine years, and that's the one I went, 'Wow,' " said Laurrie Gavitt of Chalstrom's Bait & Tackle, where the buck was registered Sunday.
"We were in the store, really busy registering deer," said Sue Chalstrom, owner of the shop. "We could just see flashes and flashes outside. People in the parking lot were taking pictures. That's the only deer I've seen that on."
Privett is somewhat amazed by the fervor surrounding the rack.
"Is it a headache? No. I'm having an absolute blast," said Privett, who works in the business department for St. Mary's/Duluth Clinic.
He also is humble about his hunting prowess.
"All this was was plain and simple luck," he said. "I'm the biggest country bumpkin you ever met in your life. This is only my fourth deer in 30 years of deer hunting."
Privett was hunting near Three Lakes Road north of Duluth about 11 a.m. Sunday when he suddenly witnessed a parade of deer.
"I see a doe coming, totally running, plowing through these 1-inch popples," Privett said. "Right on her tail is a spike buck. Right on the spike's tail is a six-pointer."
That's when he heard a sound like teeth grinding, he said. A buck grunting.
"Out pops this big deer, and 20 feet behind it is another six-pointer."
As quickly as they all had come, they were gone into the woods. Privett hadn't fired a shot.
Then all the deer turned -- and ran back at Privett. He shot once at the big buck with his lever-action .30-30. He missed.
The buck ran 30 yards past Privett, then turned and ran back at him again. Privett shot again "almost between my feet" as the buck ran below his stand. He missed again.
The buck turned and ran straight away from Privett. The hunter shot again, hitting the buck in the right rear leg. The deer ran a short distance into the woods and stopped where Privett could occasionally see him. But he couldn't get a good shot.
In about 20 minutes, the buck's head appeared. Privett shot. He missed again.
He had one shell left in his rifle as the buck ran off toward a small swamp. Privett followed it but couldn't get another shot.
Realizing he needed help to track the buck, Privett left the woods and drove down the road to summon Jay, one of his two brothers. He shouted at his other brother, Ray, and left a note on his windshield.
The brothers returned to track the buck. Meanwhile, Ray arrived and saw the buck some distance from his brothers. After shouting to determine their location, Ray fired at the buck once with his muzzleloader. He missed.
But the buck bedded down and wasn't going anywhere. Ray beckoned Peter, who put the deer down with his final bullet.
Only then did Privett realize what kind of antlers the buck had.
"I was way happy," he said. "Still, there is a moment of
ness for taking such a magnificent creature of the woods, and I mean that sincerely."
The buck weighed 192 pounds field-dressed. Privett plans to have it mounted.
Meanwhile, Privett is keeping it all in perspective, maintaining that he's just a lucky hunter.
"It just happened, man," Privett said. "It gives hope to all of us nonprofessional hunters out there."
[signature]
Not a 30-point buck, but close
27-POINTER: A Proctor hunter claims no special skill in bringing home a whitetail deer with a big rack.
BY SAM COOK
NEWS TRIBUNE OUTDOORS WRITER
You may have seen Peter Privett's 27-point buck on television. But you probably haven't heard the humble hunter's story.
Word of Privett's buck with the big nontypical rack has rippled across the Northland and beyond. The Proctor hunter said he figures 100 people saw it when he stopped by his mother's home near Duluth on Sunday afternoon. The buck was featured on KDLH-TV Channel 3's newscasts Sunday night, Monday morning and Monday night.
Then Privett began getting calls at home.
"If I had to guess, I'd say 75," Privett said. "Absolute strangers. Just people who want to see this thing."
This "thing" is a nontypical whitetail rack with 27 points going in various directions. The main beams of the antlers are so thick that Privett can't wrap a hand around either one. The inside spread of the antlers is 22 inches. The distance between the two drop-tines -- antler points that droop toward the ground -- is 36 inches, Privett said.
Calls about the buck are coming in from Michigan, Wisconsin and southern Minnesota.
"I've seen bucks come and go for the last nine years, and that's the one I went, 'Wow,' " said Laurrie Gavitt of Chalstrom's Bait & Tackle, where the buck was registered Sunday.
"We were in the store, really busy registering deer," said Sue Chalstrom, owner of the shop. "We could just see flashes and flashes outside. People in the parking lot were taking pictures. That's the only deer I've seen that on."
Privett is somewhat amazed by the fervor surrounding the rack.
"Is it a headache? No. I'm having an absolute blast," said Privett, who works in the business department for St. Mary's/Duluth Clinic.
He also is humble about his hunting prowess.
"All this was was plain and simple luck," he said. "I'm the biggest country bumpkin you ever met in your life. This is only my fourth deer in 30 years of deer hunting."
Privett was hunting near Three Lakes Road north of Duluth about 11 a.m. Sunday when he suddenly witnessed a parade of deer.
"I see a doe coming, totally running, plowing through these 1-inch popples," Privett said. "Right on her tail is a spike buck. Right on the spike's tail is a six-pointer."
That's when he heard a sound like teeth grinding, he said. A buck grunting.
"Out pops this big deer, and 20 feet behind it is another six-pointer."
As quickly as they all had come, they were gone into the woods. Privett hadn't fired a shot.
Then all the deer turned -- and ran back at Privett. He shot once at the big buck with his lever-action .30-30. He missed.
The buck ran 30 yards past Privett, then turned and ran back at him again. Privett shot again "almost between my feet" as the buck ran below his stand. He missed again.
The buck turned and ran straight away from Privett. The hunter shot again, hitting the buck in the right rear leg. The deer ran a short distance into the woods and stopped where Privett could occasionally see him. But he couldn't get a good shot.
In about 20 minutes, the buck's head appeared. Privett shot. He missed again.
He had one shell left in his rifle as the buck ran off toward a small swamp. Privett followed it but couldn't get another shot.
Realizing he needed help to track the buck, Privett left the woods and drove down the road to summon Jay, one of his two brothers. He shouted at his other brother, Ray, and left a note on his windshield.
The brothers returned to track the buck. Meanwhile, Ray arrived and saw the buck some distance from his brothers. After shouting to determine their location, Ray fired at the buck once with his muzzleloader. He missed.
But the buck bedded down and wasn't going anywhere. Ray beckoned Peter, who put the deer down with his final bullet.
Only then did Privett realize what kind of antlers the buck had.
"I was way happy," he said. "Still, there is a moment of
ness for taking such a magnificent creature of the woods, and I mean that sincerely." The buck weighed 192 pounds field-dressed. Privett plans to have it mounted.
Meanwhile, Privett is keeping it all in perspective, maintaining that he's just a lucky hunter.
"It just happened, man," Privett said. "It gives hope to all of us nonprofessional hunters out there."
[signature]
