Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

Meat Locker lost my Antlers

hillrunner said:
With it being left so long, my bet is that someone figured that nobody wanted them and took them for themselves. I'd be checking with all the employees of the locker.
Click to expand...
There was a stack of papers with peoples meat done they haven’t been able to call yet. Really seemed like nobody knew what was going on.
 
seven twenty said:
You guys are are forgetting that the tag must remain with the animal until it’s processed. You can’t cape it out for the taxi and still have a tag on it at the locker.

OP, how long did you wait after notification that it was done to go get it?
Click to expand...

Technically the transportation tag is supposed to go on the antlers while the harvest report portion is supposed to go on the back leg for this very reason.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Jeez Louise, why so complicated? Here the tag has three parts. Hide, head, meat. Once separated they are canceled. Notch out the date on each and affix it to the appropriate part of the deer. Simple.

Here you would never leave the rack of a deer I was thinking of getting mounted at the butcher/processor.
 
Buckscrape said:
never leave the rack of a deer
Click to expand...
Absolutely! Since I butcher my own that's not an issue but every buck that I've taken to a taxidermist the rack goes with me! Even hunting out of state, I ship the rack back when they are ready to mount them and pick them up the next hunting trip.
 
Because my wife is sick of hearing me talk about this I figured I would have one last rant about the topic.

Contacted the local game warden and sheriff. Was told I really have no case and am not able to file a police report.

I went back to the business and tried to get them to cover the replica made. "NO". I then asked them to cover the price I paid ($375) to have the deer processed. "NO" (This went back and forth for some time). After some harsh words I left.

Their argument is that someone took the antlers and its not their responsibility.

Yes I am aware that I should not have left my antlers at this point. Honestly it was the first deer I have ever taken in to get processed due to not having anywhere to cut a deer up in a shed or a garage. There are illegals living better in Chicago and NY than my living conditions the past year. But this is the life I chose to chase my dreams.

All I can do is say country roads meat market in centerville is a place I would not give my business to for anyone who reads this.

In the end I messed up. I lost the biggest deer of my life not to EHD or a neighbor, but to a thief.

Thanks for reading my rant. Good to get it off my chest. Hopefully Iowa bowhunting has a brighter future for me.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Sad
Reactions: HWC
theDoorman said:
Because my wife is sick of hearing me talk about this I figured I would have one last rant about the topic.

Contacted the local game warden and sheriff. Was told I really have no case and am not able to file a police report.

I went back to the business and tried to get them to cover the replica made. "NO". I then asked them to cover the price I paid ($375) to have the deer processed. "NO" (This went back and forth for some time). After some harsh words I left.

Their argument is that someone took the antlers and its not their responsibility.

Yes I am aware that I should not have left my antlers at this point. Honestly it was the first deer I have ever taken in to get processed due to not having anywhere to cut a deer up in a shed or a garage. There are illegals living better in Chicago and NY than my living conditions the past year. But this is the life I chose to chase my dreams.

All I can do is say country roads meat market in centerville is a place I would not give my business to for anyone who reads this.

In the end I fucked up. I lost the biggest deer of my life not to EHD or a neighbor, but to a thief.

Thanks for reading my rant. Good to get it off my chest. Hopefully Iowa bowhunting has a brighter future for me.
Click to expand...
Did you ever post it to Facebook? trophy Bucks of Iowa could blast it out and maybe help you?
 
That absolutely sucks theDoorman. I'd be happy to help put together a post that Brandon/TBI could push out. I bet they'd love to help get that rack back in yoru posession. Let me know if you're interested.
 
I’d think you’d have some legal avenues you could follow. It doesn’t seem any different than dropping your truck off for repairs and someone steals the wheels. The business is responsible as long as it’s on their property.
Like others mentioned, did they have it posted that you shouldn’t leave the head there? I believe the local Locker here has that policy.
If you could get a $$$ estimate of actual value, spend the minimal filing fee for small claims and see what happens. Discuss it with a lawyer maybe.

Sux that it happened and I hate it for you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HWC
Brett Morris said:
That absolutely sucks theDoorman. I'd be happy to help put together a post that Brandon/TBI could push out. I bet they'd love to help get that rack back in yoru posession. Let me know if you're interested.
Click to expand...
Brett willing to help out is awesome! Still a stand up guy man! Been a while- hope all is well! Been a few years.
 
theDoorman said:
I have not. This forum is as close as I get to social media. I will create one to post it on there. Thanks for the suggestion.
Click to expand...
That and google reviews. I don't know that I would give up just yet. At least offer a reward as others have suggested. 100-200 dollars no questions asked bay just get the antlers to show up. Bad business by country roads IMO. If you can keep just 1 person from ever using them again or starting up with them, then it will cost them much more than the $375 they got out of you.

Edited to add I agree small claims court is rather cheap. Might be worth taking them there and seeing what happens.
 
HWC said:
That and google reviews. I don't know that I would give up just yet. At least offer a reward as others have suggested. 100-200 dollars no questions asked bay just get the antlers to show up. Bad business by country roads IMO. If you can keep just 1 person from ever using them again or starting up with them, then it will cost them much more than the $375 they got out of you.

Edited to add I agree small claims court is rather cheap. Might be worth taking them there and seeing what happens.
Click to expand...
Yep, bad reviews can go a long way. I was also thinking to offer the reward at their store's bulletin board, if that bridge wasn't burned yet. Looks like they're a brand new meat locker. They probably can't afford to be blasted with bad reviews and a reputation of being thieves. I'm sure they know which employee or family member took the rack. I'd try the $200 no questions asked.
 
Maybe I'm the minority here but if there was no note or someplace stated that you wanted the rack how is the locker supposed to know? If someone shoots a basket racked 6 point and doesn't say they want the antlers, do you think the locker is going to keep them and take up space to see if the owner wants them weeks/months later? I absolutely feel for you. I could not imagine. With that said, I don't think blasting them with bad reviews is a way to go about it. It sounds like a learning experience for all involved. And if an employee of the locker took a rack that was heading to the dumpster I don't classify that as a theft. Too many unknowns in my opinion.

Side note - I've butchered deer on the back of my tailgate when I didn't have a spot to hang one and it wasn't terrible.
 
Maybe I’m the minority here but every locker I’ve been to provides the rack with the meat. It’s kind of an unwritten rule imo. Every rack can have value to the owner. I’ve never had an issue and have left many many racks with a processor. Idk.
 
Call me paranoid, but a rack I want to keep does not leave my possession. Well, maybe at the taxidermist.

The locker I used to use would cut the head off when I dropped the deer off. They didn't offer to cape. They had a barrel full of basket racks that were being tossed, guess they figured if it was left the hunter didn't want it.
 
Windlooker said:
Maybe I’m the minority here but every locker I’ve been to provides the rack with the meat. It’s kind of an unwritten rule imo. Every rack can have value to the owner. I’ve never had an issue and have left many many racks with a processor. Idk.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a learning experience for all who have read/responded to this forum to make sure its clear what the locker intends to do with the rack since people have had different experiences. I've only taken bucks to two different lockers, both needed to know what I wanted done with the antlers.
 
Yes you had to clarify if you wanted deer caped or wanted the head back. There was a discussion with the owner about anyone who did beetle euro head mounts and was given the card of a taxidermist.

I have been in touch with local antler dealers and am going to print out some flyers to hang at businesses.
 
Windlooker said:
Maybe I’m the minority here but every locker I’ve been to provides the rack with the meat. It’s kind of an unwritten rule imo. Every rack can have value to the owner. I’ve never had an issue and have left many many racks with a processor. Idk.
Click to expand...
Not every locker automatically keeps every rack and stores it with the meat unless you specifically request it. Most lockers will remove the antlers or head when you drop it off so they don't have to deal with it, unless it's getting caped.
 
deerhunter93 said:
Maybe I'm the minority here but if there was no note or someplace stated that you wanted the rack how is the locker supposed to know? If someone shoots a basket racked 6 point and doesn't say they want the antlers, do you think the locker is going to keep them and take up space to see if the owner wants them weeks/months later? I absolutely feel for you. I could not imagine. With that said, I don't think blasting them with bad reviews is a way to go about it. It sounds like a learning experience for all involved. And if an employee of the locker took a rack that was heading to the dumpster I don't classify that as a theft. Too many unknowns in my opinion.

Side note - I've butchered deer on the back of my tailgate when I didn't have a spot to hang one and it wasn't terrible.
Click to expand...
I believe he had a conversation with the owner when he dropped it off which if true puts the locker in the wrong.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom