Bucks With Locked Antlers Separated by a Gunshot

(Image: Screenshot from ‘locked antlers separated by a gunshot’ video)

Almost one year ago, I told y’all about a video in which bucks with locked antlers were separated by a gunshot, when a deputy used his sidearm to shoot an antler in two to free a living buck from a dead one to which he was connected by their interlocked antlers.

This year, we see a similar incident, but in this case both the bucks were still alive and two wildlife officers worked together to separate them in much the same way. According to the article:

A bowhunter in Jackson County contacted a game warden after spotting two whitetail deer that appeared to be struggling to free themselves after their antlers had gotten locked. Two Game Wardens immediately responded. The first warden was unable to spot the deer from the road so he contacted the landowner, informed him of the incident, and began searching for the deer. Shortly after, the second warden arrived, searched for the deer and located them.

The game wardens didn’t know how long the bucks had been struggling to free themselves but noticed the deer still had enough energy to make approaching them difficult and potentially dangerous.

In the bodycam video, we see the bucks struggling energetically to free themselves in a wooded area, as a second game warden approaches the deer from the other side, carrying a blanket. The video then cuts to the deer in an open area, but before long we are thrust back into the woods while an officer approaches the deer carrying a large yellow tow strap in one hand and a blanket in the other.

He eases up to the bucks, which have momentarily calmed down; they move on again. But he finally gets the blanket over their locked-together heads as they struggle in a small creek bed. He then handles the strap, but finally decides not to try to use it.

When the bucks pause to stand nice and still, one of the officers sees his chance and tells his buddy that he has a good shot at one of the antler beams. He draws his sidearm, steadies up, and busts one of the antlers with one shot.

The bucks heave and leap into a fallen tree before they separate and each goes his own way. Nice shootin’!

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Russ Chastain

Editor & Contributing Writer Russ Chastain is a lifelong hunter and shooter who has spent his life learning about hunting, shooting, guns, ammunition, gunsmithing, reloading, and bullet casting. He started toting his own gun in the woods at age nine and he's pursued deer with rifles since 1982, so his hunting knowledge has been growing for more than three and a half decades. His desire and ability to share this knowledge with others has also grown, and Russ has been professionally writing and editing original hunting & shooting content since 1998. Russ Chastain has a passion for sharing accurate, honest, interesting hunting & shooting knowledge and stories with people of all skill levels.