2 deer found dead in Putnam County with antlers locked

A Putnam County hunter and his wife made a once-in-a-lifetime discovery, or in his case, twice-in-a-lifetime.

Michael Skowera, and his wife Deborah, noticed a pair of deer laying together while in their blind about two miles north of Standard. The duo was discovered dead days later with their antlers locked.

Skowera, who also works in the Putnam County Coroner’s Office, contacted the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Conservation police told Skowera the discovery was a “once in a lifetime” occurrence. Bucks will fight for territory and mates, and rarely their horns will lock together, but even then one of them eventually is able to break free.

Coincidentally, Skowera said he remembers seeing a pair that had died with locked antlers when he was about 10, in close to the same location.

Skowera didn’t have a weight of the deer, but he said the younger buck had an eight-point rack and the older one a 12-point rack.