I usually devote this space to a single giant buck or unique story. But last night I attended one of my favorite annual Christmas parties, so I am feeling lordly with generosity and the spirit of the season. Today you get a double-bang…

The first buck is actually a call for help. The multi-drop-tined monster below is said to be very real, was shot in Kansas, and (again, supposedly) killed by a non-resident hunter. That’s all I know. The pic has been floating around for a few days, and though I usually can pick up a lead or two on a deer, this one remains a mystery. If anyone can tell me anything about this buck (other than that it is simply huge), I’d be grateful.

The second buck I know slightly more about. The hunter is actually a former student of mine, a reminder of the days when I taught high school English. I think I had Bobby Ernst as an apple-cheeked 8th grader. He is now considerably older, but is definitely better at killing monstrous whitetails than he was at 14…or I am now. If Bobby shot this buck near home, this whitetail lived only 50 miles or so from me. He may have killed it in another state, but my informant (also a former student) noted when he sent me this; “Bobby probably wouldn’t tell his grandma where this buck lived.”

I guess the young man was paying attention in class, after all! Congrats, Mr. Ernst!