He Found Two Mature Bucks Locked Together. His First Move Wasn't A Shot
The buck, the why, and the gear
He Found Two Mature Bucks Locked Together. His First Move Wasn't A Shot.
Robert Denninger had paddled a kayak into remote Oklahoma public land and climbed into a tree saddle for an afternoon bowhunt. Then he spotted a deer down in a creek bed about 75 yards away and quietly climbed down for a closer look.
What he found was nothing close to a normal rut encounter. Two mature bucks were fighting with their antlers locked tight, and neither deer appeared able to break free. Robert had two Oklahoma buck tags, a bow in his hand, and one question that mattered more than the shot: what was the right thing to do? Let’s dive in.
The Buck
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Oklahoma public land · Bowhunting · Rut · October 23, 2026
152
GREEN SCORE
2
LOCKED BUCKS
3+ HRS
HAUL OUT
Robert had reached the spot by kayak and was hunting from a tree saddle when he first noticed movement below him. He slipped down toward the creek and found two mature bucks plowing into each other, mud flying as they struggled with their racks tangled together.
Instead of immediately drawing his bow, Robert called a local game warden. He was told there was no on-call veterinarian available to sedate the deer and safely separate them. Robert was left weighing two bad outcomes: walk away and risk both bucks dying locked together, or use his tags and make the cleanest decision he could.
Robert chose the larger 12-pointer first. His first arrow hit brush, but his second reached the buck’s heart. The remaining 8-pointer still could not free itself and struggled under the weight of the dead deer, so Robert eventually shot that buck too. Even then the racks would not come apart. Friends arrived with a wheeled wagon, and the recovery took more than three hours before they finally reached the truck close to midnight.
𐂂 Field Fact
The 12-pointer was estimated at 7½ years old and green-scored roughly 152 inches. The 8-pointer was estimated at 5½ and scored 132 inches.
The Woodsman’s Edge
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When the situation stops being normal, stop guessing.
Robert was carrying two valid tags and had two bucks in front of him. He still made a phone call before he made a hunting decision.
𐂂 Call before you improvise. Locked deer, wounded animals, road-killed game, or any other unusual situation can create legal questions fast. If you are unsure, get the conservation officer involved before you act.
𐂂 Do not let excitement make the decision. Two mature bucks locked together is the kind of sight most hunters will never see. Robert slowed the moment down enough to think through what happened after the shot too.
𐂂 Plan for the recovery, not just the opportunity. Remote access, a kayak, and two deer turned the walk out into more than three hours of work. The hunt is not finished when the arrow lands.
Be Ready For The Long Way Out
Robert paddled in, climbed a saddle, dropped into a creek, and eventually faced a three-hour haul back to the truck. That is the kind of hunt where I want clothing that moves well and stays comfortable from the first mile to the last one. Kings Camo has plenty of practical layers and hunting pants built for days when sitting still is only part of the job.
The Field Call
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What Would You Do First?
You find two mature bucks locked together in a creek. They are still fighting, but neither deer appears able to break free.
You have valid tags, but you have never dealt with anything like this before.
What’s your move?
Tap your call to see why Dale wants the game warden involved before anything else happens.
Gear Bench
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Hawk Crawler Multi-Use Cart
$169.99
Dale’s note: Robert and his buddies spent more than three hours getting two deer out of remote public ground with a wheeled wagon. That is where a real game cart earns its space in the truck. The Hawk Crawler uses four 14-inch tires on dual rotating axles, folds for storage, and is rated for 500 pounds. I’d still check the land rules first because wheeled carts are not legal everywhere, but on ground where they are allowed, this can save a brutal drag.
The Last Word
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Most hunting decisions happen fast.
A buck steps through a lane. The wind changes. A doe catches movement. You usually have seconds to decide what comes next.
Robert’s situation was different. The rarest thing he had ever seen was happening right in front of him, and the smart move was to slow down instead of speed up.
He called the game warden before he made the decision his bow could not make for him.
That is probably the part of this story worth remembering most.
A buck steps through a lane. The wind changes. A doe catches movement. You usually have seconds to decide what comes next.
Robert’s situation was different. The rarest thing he had ever seen was happening right in front of him, and the smart move was to slow down instead of speed up.
He called the game warden before he made the decision his bow could not make for him.
That is probably the part of this story worth remembering most.
If you found two bucks locked together and unable to separate, what would your first move be? Reply and tell me.
When in doubt, make the call first.
Dale Richey
Big Buck Journal
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