Fight Over World Record Broder Buck
December 16th, 2005 David King - King's Outdoor World
Our Special Winter Issue of Hunting Illustrated has an exclusive cover story titled:
Fight Over World Record - What Happened to the Broder Buck
This issue of the magazine is hitting subscribers now and will be available on newsstands around the country on December 20th. I have posted the beginning part of the cover story. The rest of this incredible and unfortunate story can only be found in Hunting Illustrated. I invite you to share your thoughts and comments on the article in this post.
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Fight Over World Record
What Happened to the Broder Buck
(excerpt from the cover story by David King)
It was 1926 and Ed Broder had planned to go hunting from November 11th to December 23rd for his annual hunting trip. He shot a black bear and took the bear cape into town and reportedly sold it to someone from the United States. With the extra money, Ed was able to buy some additional supplies for a couple more weeks of hunting and headed back into the bush near Chip Lake in Alberta, Canada. A fresh snowfall blanketed the ground, improving the hunting conditions. Ed was following a fresh moose track when a large mule deer track crossed the moose tracks. More interested in the buck track, Ed changed course and pursued the mule deer. Ed always wanted a nice mule deer buck to have for a wall-hanger. The deer tracks were definitely a buck, but Ed Broder had no idea that the deer whose track he was on would eventually be the greatest mule deer buck ever taken; and, as some have described it, “one of the most outstanding big game trophies ever taken by a sport hunter.” With cold and rugged conditions, Ed persisted on the track until it led to a small clearing. There, in the clearing, Ed spotted the buck. His head down was down and Ed could only see the buck’s rump in his sights. The buck was approximately 100 yards away and when he raised his head, Ed realized it was no ordinary buck - he was awesome. One shot from his trusty Winchester 32 Special put the buck down, and the legend of the Broder Buck began.
In those days, hunters left the cumbersome antlers of big game animals behind in the woods because the meat was the primary reason for hunting. The antlers were of no value and all the meat had to be packed out by the hunting party. The only reason Ed would keep the antlers of most of his kills was the fact that in the area he hunted, there were a few sawmills around. There was almost always someone with a team of horses that Ed could hire to pack out the animal and this was his common practice. However, it is not known for sure if this was the case for this buck - although it was usually the course of action for Ed. He would hike some distance to the closest sawmill, stay the night, and strike up a deal with the worker who owned the team of horses to pack the animal out. On November 26, 1926 Ed was obviously able to get some help to pack out his awesome mule deer buck.
Due to the money Ed made off of the bearskin he sold in the town of Edson, Alberta, he was able to afford the mule deer shoulder mount in 1927 by Wolf Taxidermy and still had a few dollars left over to get married that year as well. The deer head stayed with Ed in his home from 1926 until Ed’s death in 1969, but was sent to Boone & Crockett in 1962 by train to be officially panel-scored. Ed was not very comfortable about the trip because he could not accompany his deer mount. However, the mount was safely returned to Ed and had been given an official score of 355 2/8 B&C and declared world record status. Finally, 36 years after that snowy day near Chip Lake, Alberta, the Broder Buck was given the recognition it deserved. Ed Broder passed away on December 26, 1969. Fortunately, he would never know the turn of events that would eventually unfold to lead into a family dispute that would tear Ed’s children apart.
Here is the story of the Broder family and their trials and events that have led to an unparalleled struggle over the world record Broder Buck. Lawsuits, greedy lawyers, corruption in court rulings, jail time, unbelievable amounts of money, and siblings pit against each other by the proceeding of the courts – all of this cumulated to put the future of the Broder family and the Broder Buck’s future in question. Don Broder is in a battle over the Broder Buck with his six brothers and sisters. Don’s son, Craig Broder (and grandson to Ed), has assisted his elderly Father and has subsequently been drawn into the dispute by the six brothers and sisters of Don. Craig has also represented his father in court. A statement by Craig sums up some of the bitterness that now simmers beneath the surface of the Broder family, “I am totally upset with the courts in Canada that allow second and third generation children - who had no obligation, or knowledge to the distribution of a deceased grandfather’s belongings - to be brought before the courts and named in a statement of claim. When the events that led to the claim took place, I was twelve years old. This was caused by the negligence of the immediate siblings actions.”
In a series of interviews with Craig, I was able to record the story of events leading up to present time. What happened to the Broder Buck? This is his story as it unfolded in the courtroom…
The rest of the story can be found in the Special Winter Issue of Hunting Illustrated.
Entry Filed under: News and Stuff
11 Comments Add your own
1. dave sytsma | December 16th, 2005 at 8:56 pm
Just read your article on the broder buck. It was a fantastic article, but I gotta say it doesn’t appear there is much common sense in the Canadian courts. The family didn’t care about this magnificiant rack for 24 years? Go figure it wasn’t worth anything to them then I say let Don and Craig be in peace it’s their possesion their choice. Unfortunately there’s no statue of limitations on greed. If Ed Broder was alive I’m sure he would be disgusted with it all except Don and Craig. So much for the value of legacy.
2. Joe Mladenik | December 23rd, 2005 at 3:30 pm
This is RIDICULOUS what has happened/is happening to this poor family! They could make a movie out of this story. I just hope the family gets the head back to where it ‘belongs’. What a nightmare this has turned out to be for all of them!!!!! The Montana collector is sure to profit from this but it should not be TREMENDOUSLY!! Common, Let this family enjoy what Ed Broder had wanted them to enjoy-his fantastic mule deer. It deserves to be passed down from generation to generation as the great heirloom that it is, NOT from one collector to another.
3. bill | January 2nd, 2006 at 7:25 pm
broder buck should be with don broder and son
4. steve | January 7th, 2006 at 12:06 am
any outcome in the courtcase yet?
5. Dennis Berklund | January 17th, 2006 at 1:02 pm
The case should definitely be decided in favor of Don Broder and his son. These people have taken greed to new levels.
6. Jay Dee | January 29th, 2006 at 5:55 pm
I’ll bet that Ed Broder is turning over in his grave to have his offspring fight over a deer rack. So many families torn apart over mom and dads stuff. But to hear that a deer caused all this hate and discontent! My suggestion is that they have me hold onto the rack until Ed comes back to reclaim the prize:)
7. Tammy | February 10th, 2006 at 7:05 am
I bought the magazine to read the story. The article said to log on to the blog to see the outcome of the court case. Please update us as soon as possible.
Don and Craig should get to keep what is theirs. The other family members are full of greed.
8. Donald J. Greener | February 11th, 2006 at 8:00 pm
Very interesting tale. You left out one part of the story so far. In 2000 Craig offered replicas of the buck for sale to the general public as advertised in Trophy Hunter Magazine. I don’t know how many he sold, but I am surprised the rest of the family haven’t demanded a share of the proceeds from those sales.
Keep us posted on the final outcome.
9. Jeff | February 13th, 2006 at 1:44 pm
I just read the article on the Broder Buck and it’s a shame that a FAMILY can not reconcile this issue without the “help” of the Canadian courts. I truly believe that the buck should be in the hands of Don and Craig. The other “family” members are obviously in it for the money. I myself have a brother and sister and I can’t imagine fighting with them over a deer mount…even if it is a world record. Money should never come between family! I would assume based on the dates and information provided that the Broder brothers and sisters are pretty old. They can’t take the buck or money with them win they die. The saying “the one with the most toys wins” is not what they should be thinking. “The one with the most toys still dies” is more fitting. They must realize that their petty claim for the Broder Buck will not be decided by the Canadian courts, but by GOD, when they stand in front of him. And to the gentleman who currently has the deer…if the courts decide in favor of Don and Craig, sell it back to them. After this is said and done, they deserve it.
10. Disappointed | April 29th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
See the real story for yourself - go to
http://www.albertacourts.ab.ca/go.aspx?tabid=13
and enter the search term “Broder” to locate the court cases.
I’d say that Craig and Don are the greedy ones. They admittedly stole the deer head from the family, carted it around for years no doubt pocketing any proceeds from showings, sold the deer head in 2003 again pocketing the cash, lied to the Court about its whereabouts, and now they are crying for their precious deer head back. Give me a break! If the Broder Buck meant so much to them, they wouldn’t have sold it in the first place. And if family meant anything to them, they wouldn’t have taken, then sold a family heirloom.
As for any collusion among, dishonesty or less than honourable treatment from the Justice(s) and the lawyers, the claims appear unfounded from my reading of the case decisions - maybe Don and Craig are just sore losers. As for any claims that the lawyers are greedily taking all the proceeds, well, if Don and Craig hadn’t lied, cheated and stolen from their family there wouldn’t have been any need for the lawyers to get involved! And if Don and Craig had fessed up about not having the deer head, there might have been a quicker and less costly solution to the case. It’s no wonder that their lawyers quit on them – my guess is that they quit because Don and Craig were trying to get them to lead evidence that suggested they had the deer head when they didn’t - a lawyer could be seriously reprimanded or disbarred for misleading the Court in that way. No such risk for ole Craig though … If they had admitted that they no longer owned the deer head, then perhaps they could have been dealing with theft charges rather than the Estate litigation that ensued. They’ve shown a clear lack of respect for the legal system and they get no sympathy from me.
11. edwin whenry | October 28th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
its a shame that greed came into this situation, but how many of the ones that are causing all the pain between family even visited their grandfather. They are a shame to the family name and their grandfather.
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