Goliath, record setting whitetail buck, dies

[Skinny Shooter]

http://www2.theclarionnews.com/General_News/35928.shtml

Goliath, the record setting whitetail deer owned by Rod and Diane Miller of Knox, died two weeks ago. The deer is at the center of both a criminal investigation and a civil lawsuit. Both of those cases will proceed. Goliath’s rack held an official Boone and Crockett score of 410.

KNOX - Goliath, the largest racked whitetail deer ever bred in captivity, died on Dec. 6 on the farm of Rod and Diane Miller. Although his death was likely due to natural causes, a necropsy is being done at Penn State University to determine the exact cause.

A necropsy is an examination and dissection of a dead body to determine cause of death.

For the Millers, the death of Goliath is an “incalculable loss” but not the end of his impact on their lives.

“When Goliath was stolen from us,” Diane Miller said, “the worst part was not knowing where he was or whether he was dead or alive.”

Then, in a voice faltering with emotion, she added, “this is so much worse.”

According to Diane Miller, the death of their world-renowned whitetail buck will not change the legal actions being taken against the person alleged to have been involved in the theft of the deer.

On Oct. 13, a preliminary hearing was held in the Jefferson County courtroom of District Justice Richard Beck to review charges against Jeffrey Dean Spence of RD1 Reynoldsville, owner of White Oak Whitetail Deer Farm, for his role in the theft of Goliath on Oct. 20, 1999 .

Beck ruled there were sufficient grounds to try Spence for theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property. Pending the results of a plea bargain session, a court date will be set in the spring of 2005.

In addition to criminal charges, the Millers have also initiated a civil suit against Spence. Action on the civil case against Spence will not begin until the criminal charges are settled.

Goliath was taken from the Millers when he was 2 years old.

At the time, he was the largest racked deer of that age ever recorded, scoring 230 Boone and Crockett points.

Four years later, he was discovered by four members of the Pennsylvania Deer Farmers Association on the White Oaks Whitetails Deer farm near the town of Hazen in Jefferson County .

Upon learning the location of Goliath, the Millers obtained a court order for Goliath’s return.

On July 30, 2003 , the day after the PDFA members found him, he was brought back to the Millers’ farm.

Spence alleged at the time to have purchased Goliath legitimately and that he was not aware the deer he was calling Hercules was the missing Goliath. Spence consequently obtained a court order to have a DNA test run to prove ownership.

In front of four state police witnesses, attorneys for both Spence and the Millers and two veterinarians, DNA samples were taken from Goliath on Aug. 17, 2003 . On September 9, 2003 , DNA Solutions of Oklahoma confirmed it was Goliath.

Shortly after Goliath was returned to the Millers, they had him anesthetized to take semen for artificial insemination. In the twenty minutes he was under the anesthetic, a Boone and Crocket scorer measured the rack.

Goliath’s rough score as a 6-year-old was 345, making him the largest whitetail ever recorded. At the time of this scoring, he had 52 countable points. Four others were broken and not counted.

After Goliath shed that rack, the antlers were sent to Odie Sudbeck for a final measurement. It took Sudbeck, one of Boone and Crockett’s top scorers, three days to tally the results and when the Kansas native was done, Goliath’s rack held an official score of 410.

After Goliath was returned to the Millers in July of 2003, reputable members of the Pennsylvania Deer Farmers Association assed his value at $1 million. But he was much more than a million dollar deer to the Millers.

“He’s part of our family,” Rod Miller said at the time, “we’re not going to lose him again.

Sadly, they have.

Petey, I should have tried to see that guy while I was up there the last time.