Mexican fan tail myth?

[Coues Stew]

If I have seen em It would be in 6a. By fossil and all through verde and sedona area. Seen alot of bucks throught there down in the lower country nice symmetrical perfect racks but just mini guys. I always thought it was just good genes in young deer.

[AZbowhntr]

I have had several conversations with my taxidermist that has seen and mounted a couple mature whitetails that had racks that would fit in your hands if you cupped them. We are talking about 5" spreads with tines that are not even 2" long. But complete 3X3 racks with eye guards. He had a name for them but I can't remember what it was. He said they were down in Mexico if I remember right. They also have very small bodies. I will ask him what they are called when I talk to him next.

[Str8Shot]

I have found an old lion kill with one of those 3x3 with guards that was just as you say about the size of a cupped hand with fingers fanned out, that was in unit 32 and I have never seen one on hoof... I do recall watching a hunting show a couple years back that they were hunting those little fan tails, and the racks they showed were about identical !

[Jimmyc]

Here are some pics of a friends coues. It's body was the size of an adult male coues. It's rack was tiny.

[Flatlander]

Here are some pics of a friends coues. It's body was the size of an adult male coues.

That's because it was an adult male coues deer.

[Coach]

I've talked to enough ranchers, and held enough mini-mature racks to hold on to the "fantail" club. Talk with the guys at Pinky's ranch in 24A, or some guys who walk the forest from WMAT, my dad set aside racks that were 3-4 points on both sides, but would fit in a cantaloupe. The science is NOT on their side, but old school cowboys believe in them. I'll side with the cowboys.

[jmarquez]

A good friend and hunting/fishing buddy of mine, his grandpa has a 5x5 rack in his shed that I was impressed by. One day about 35 years ago I was checking out this small rack and was intrigued with it. When I asked grandpa about this rack, he says, "oh that is what they call a Mexican fan tail that was no bigger that a medium dog that I harvested in the Pinals back in the 60's" He said he picked it up and put it over his shoulder and carried it off. Ever since that day I have been impressed with this rack and the story grandpa told me. I often go to my buddies house and while I'm there I have to check out that fan tail rack and reminisce about the story OB1 told me. GOD REST his soul he was a great guy and hunted the hills until into his late 80's. He taught me quit few thing about the outdoors and hunting. Thanks OB1

 

Try this....if you put your hands together as if you were going to clap, and then open them up about 4'' and then curl your fingers as if you where going to cup them. Now you have an idea of how big this rack is. I must say that I'm still impressed and intrigued with this rack and I can still hear OB1 tell me the story behind the Mexican fan tail rack.

[rcdinaz]

When I used to hunt coues in Mexico we would run across very small, 80 lb coues deer with nice racks. The most notable two were very small with 95" racks. In the scope and binos they looked like great deer and were judged by experienced hunters in the 105-110" range. When we got to them we realized that were very small bodied deer. We called them mouse deer. Especially hard to judge when they were alone.

Yep! Did this last year on the deer my buddy shot in Mex... it looked big due to the proportions and it was very grey unlike most of the other deer we saw. It eeked out 101-102" because of a few extra inches in kickkers but was probably 98" without them, I really thought it was 110ish or better.

[wildwoody]

they can be found around young yes they do exsist

[Benbrown]

Go to the mall, sit on a bench and see how many "subspecies" of human beings you can identify based on body size and subtle differences in hair color and skin pigmentation.

[trphyhntr]

I have never heard of a fantail, what the heck is it

[kwp]

I have never heard of a fantail, what the heck is it

Just like the title says, it's a myth.

[singleshot]

Carmen mt. whitetail. Only diminutive species there is. Like Ben Brown says monsters and minis in every race. Killed a 115 plus in late January in 29. Maybe 70 pounds dressed. Old? The rut? He was just a small bodied deer.

[Tucson John]

I would tell you guys about my experience with this...........but it would bring a firestorm of doubt......and you would think I was absolutely NUTS!

 

So never mind. If we ever share a campfire together I'll tell you!

 

TJ

[singleshot]

I would tell you guys about my experience with this...........but it would bring a firestorm of doubt......and you would think I was absolutely NUTS!

 

So never mind. If we ever share a campfire together I'll tell you!

 

TJ

Lets hear it. Darwan'ism rises to the top. Watched a perfect 3 point with brows taken in 31 that would fit in a soup bowl. Yearling buck.