The "battling bucks" are now on display at the Mingo National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. - USFWS Photo by Vergial Harp

On Friday, August 12, more than 45 people attended the opening of the new Battling Buck Display at the Visitor Center on Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. 

The story of battling bucks begins with Richard Woods and his son, Dr. Randy Woods, of Puxico, Mo., weo were fishing on Stanley Creek in Mingo National Wildlife Refuge on Nov. 19, 2004, when they found the two deer in the stream.  The bucks had evidently been sparing on the nearby creek bank when they fell in the water and drowned together.  Both bucks were trophy animals—one having 13 antler points and the other nine with two broken tines.  Notified of the discovery, Park Ranger Vergial Harp and Biological Technician Dan Wood recovered the deer and transported them to McMullin Taxidermy in Essex.  Public interest in the deer and their story was high, so the Mingo Swamp Friends starting taking donations to pay for taxidermy services so the deer to be preserved and used at the refuge.  More than $2,000 was collected and the deer are now on display.