The Mystery of the Ahrens Buck, a World-Record Whitetail That Vanished

In the early 1980s, the antlers of a potential world-record whitetail were sold for more than $30,000. No one knew who the mystery owner was, where the rack went, or if anyone would ever see it again, as detailed in this story from the archives.

By Mark LeBabera, Stephanie R. Boyle – Outdoor Life Magazine

The lean gray-haired man with the Cheshire-cat grin slid a snapshot across the tabletop to the man who sat next to him. The man’s eyes opened wide when he saw the picture. Soon the four other hunters and antler collectors seated around the table were straining to see the photo. As it passed from one person to the next, Dr. Charles Arnold, one of the country’s foremost antler collectors. grinned and waited for his usually guarded photograph to get back to him.

 Hunters who were at an adjacent table overheard something about a “new world record” and one of them glanced over the shoulder of one of the collectors. His buddies saw the excitement on his face as he returned to his seat. Soon they were also out of their chairs to look at the photo. By the time the color print was back in the pocket of Dr. Arnold, an East Coast dentist, more than 50 hunters attending last April’s opening-day party for the Minnesota Deer Classic were talking about the picture of the incredible antlers. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL STORY