I unhooked from the rope attaching me to the safety harness, and I made it two steps down. Although the arrow hit a little high, striking the spine but went through both lungs. He closed the remaining distance needed to get within range, dropped into a kneeling position and took the shot. It was so thick that he couldnt see what made the sound, though. He threw up his head and was looking around. 10. I couldn't get a shot.'. If you have a deer you would like us to consider listing here e-mail us with a picture, story and details. The hunt kicked off with slightly warmer weather, but the rut was just starting, and he hoped for a positive outcome. It ran 177 yardsan incredible distance for a deer with a 190-grain broadhead inside of him. The biggest buck entered so far was a 195-2/8" behemoth shot in Drew County, Arkansas. Doctors said he only had weeks to live. They ran off when a small 4- and 8-pointer walked into the field. With a whopping 40 inches of non-typical growth, he has a gross Boone & Crockett score of 215 3/8. It brings me to tears thinking of dads face when I told him the news. Hooper waited 15 minutes before starting the recovery. I saw a big-bodied deer with extremely wide antlers that day, too, but I thought it was just a 6-point. Rather, there's a short muzzleloader/shotgun season. Arkansas deer usually score around 120 to 130 inches, Moreland says. We started leasing this property in July of 2020, and this buck was the first deer that I got on camera, he said. Dr. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton explain why it's important to know your neighbors when operating a smaller deer property. The action was fast and furious right from the get-go. It was followed by 10 more does, and behind them was a huge whitetail buck that Murdaugh had never seen. The giant non-typical sported a typical 1211 frame, but was scored as a non-typical because of an abundance of small kicker points. This deer had a track that was undeniable. The buck was running with another good deer, but a cold front on Oct. 16 split them up. Now 25, hes taken three whitetails, all over 140-inches in the last 15 years. The colossal deer has a 25 2/8-inch inside spread, two tines over 13 inches and superb mass. He arrowed a 5-year-old giant. But this buck would measure much more than that. The arrow slipped right behind his shoulder, and the buck didnt go far. Mississippi Sportsman Frequently Asked Questions, Mississippi Sportsman Big Buck Photo Contest. Bucks like this in New Hampshire on public land are far and few, Martinson said. Last year, we thought he was a really great deer, but this year, hes a world-class 8-pointer. The left main beam had palmation, and the last circumferences were as big as the bases. I was locked down by the doe that was really close.". However, some just keep growing. He was coming right towards me. The buck was as massive as hed looked on camera, and the biggest Moreland had ever killed. I killed a lot of deer with a gun before I started bowhunting about six years ago. The mammoth rack was 17. With an unofficial Boone and Crockett score of 194 1/8 inches, the . I took a picture and texted it to my dad. They were very happy for me to take this buck. . Spicy Buttermilk Fried Goose Breast Sandwich. This is one big deer. This 8 1/2-year-old buck killed by Mississippi hunter Justin Develle on Oct. 22, was ear-tagged in 2018 by the Mississippi State University Deer Lab as part of a buck-movement study. Hunting public land, he killed a buck in the Natural State that would make a Midwesterner swoon. In regions without great habitat, many deer seem to plateau out after age 4 1/2 and don't make the huge leaps in antler development. Jake Murdaugh is a rancher who spends much of his time living the agricultural lifestyle. I killed him in the mock scrape I created., The deer ran 30 yards and tipped over. Jonathan Moreland grew up hunting with a compound bow until, one day, he saw one of his fathers old recurves hanging on the wall. Instantly, my mind started in on me, he said. Of course, a multi-year quest for any buck is emotionally taxing. To his right and rear were stands of thick timber that opened in several spots, and to the left was more meadow with intermittent timber. In July, Lee found a track that looked like Leftys. "I wasn't going to kill him," he says. Knowing the buck was too far away for a shot, Murdaugh carefully stalked down the fence line toward where hed last seen the deer. In addition to the single short drop tine, the deer had two split brow tines one with three splits. He was set up in a blind along a fence row between two cut cornfields. After 38 years of hunting, the dreams of a Booner finally came true, Jared said. After a few days of class, he again left on Thursday night and headed home to hunt. | Ryan's foresight and patience were mature beyond his years. I had this weird feeling. Photo by: Markus Semmler. Hunting public land, he killed a buck in the Natural State that would make a Midwesterner swoon. This deer means so much, Reed said. Like many of his fellow Arkansans, Ryan is a deer and duck fanatic. Alex Laffey, Dion Laffey, and Eugene Heisler, all from Eau Claire, have been charged with multiple wildlife violations. Deer hunting is my peace. With such success behind him, Jon felt all of his hunting dreams already had come true. "At this point I started trying to kill him," Ryan notes. Stephen Tucker's non-typical record once the largest hunter-killed non-typical in the country was taken in Sumner County in 2016 and is the fourth largest non-typical of all time. On Nov. 4, 2021, that became reality. '. Now in private ownership and no longer a club, it was on that same property he took the 16-point. And he was this time., My emotions were not what I had thought they would be in this moment, Lee continued. That's as big as it sounds. Haynes Shelton discusses what to look for when choosing the magnification range when it comes to the scope on your deer rifle. Eight hours later, one of the trail cameras captured photos of the buck, who seemed to be acting as if nothing had happened. Realtree is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience to everyone, including those with disabilities.2023 Jordan Outdoor Enterprises, Ltd. All rights reserved. Lefty showed up on camera after a long Tennessee rifle season.. But the big buck, even with a good shot, bounded out of sight. And dont forget about theMississippi Sportsman Big Buck Photo Contest, which is free and offers great monthly Sportsman Gear prizes. And to get close enough to kill one, you need to be smarter than they are. I shot him, and he bucked up like a bucking bronco, spun and turned back into the woods.. Two weeks ago, Arkansas hunter Chase Watson took the biggest buck he's ever killed however it came with a price. So I was pretty nervous when I started that walk across that field.. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Ive dreamed of a deer like this my whole life. Which begs the question: Why arent more bird hunters using them? BREATHE LIFE! We dont think it could have been this big buck.. I just love chasing big white-tailed deer., Lynn Jareds Kentucky WhitetailScore: 171 inchesDate of Kill: Sept. 7, 2021Location: Clinton County, Ky.Weapon: Bowtech compound bow, Lynn Jared grew up hunting in the hills of Tennessee, and now also hunts in Kentucky. Any serious whitetail hunter knows that it's not often that we get a second chance on the buck of a lifetime, or even a first chance for that matter. He encountered the buck a second time soon after. Gordon Whittington talks with 13-year-old Troy Metzger about the 2016 hunt that landed the young man a monster non-typical buck on this edition of Big Buck Profile. After the initial congratulations were over, the brothers walked to the spot where the buck had dropped. Still, he only had five or six trail camera photos, and didnt have much hope of seeing the deer. the only deer I killed was an 8 point, and I shot him at 295 yards. Instead, he recruited another friend to help him grid-search the woods. After a while, he looked for the deer and recovered his buck. And theres only one of their treestands thats beside water. Yet, the state Game Commission charged him with poaching, killing out of season what was described as the largest bear ever seen in the county. Check out these 10 monster bucks that were taken throughout the country. The first year was challenging, as they had to learn how deer used the property. Thank you, Dad, for being my constant in life. I remember telling them, 'It's going to be a perfect morning in the morning. There will be more about this deer in a coming issue. Ryan's buck had the genetics and nutrition to continue to skyrocket. We got permission on a new property in early July of 2021, and thats the first time we got him on camera, she said. This was a resident buck., Thinking the deer would remain on the property, they decided to not hunt the farm that year. He would have been the first person I told. . 'I remained in the stand for several minutes to gather my thoughts and calm down, ' Mikell says. However, dreams are fueled by high-stakes whitetails, and the passion helped Ryan put his tag on the state's largest non-typical ever arrowed. Taking any deer with a traditional bow is an accomplishment, but shooting a giant buck with a traditional bow can be a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. Then, 2020 arrived, and Lefty was back on the farm. In 2011 the buck blossomed into a true shooter. Whitney Reed and her husband, Cody, spend a lot of time hunting big Oklahoma bucks. We purchased more cellular trail cameras. Blocker Outdoors Finisher gloves, headcovers and other accessories are available in Mossy Oak Bottomland and Mossy Oak Obsession NWTF camouflage patterns to match various turkey hunting terrain. That's the beauty of hunting. Purdue clinched the Big Ten regular-season title outright earlier in the day when Illinois beat In addition to being the top non-typical bow buck in Arkansas history, this giant was the state's biggest killed by any hunter, gun or bow, in 2013. I heard a deer walking up the hill in the leaves grunting as he walked, Kamps said. He was directly downwind of me and lifted his head and sniffed," Ryan recalls. It is also the new state record for the biggest buck killed with archery equipment. A little after 5 p.m., we heard running from the creek bed behind us. In addition to being the top non-typical bow buck in Arkansas history, this giant was the state's biggest killed by any hunter, gun or bow, in 2013. Before the hunt, Lance and his dad were talking and couldnt decide on which stand to sit. I was trying not to pass out. Ryan was shooting a 2-blade Rage broadhead. People couldnt believe he had drop tines coming off his main beams., Jeremy Martinsons New Hampshire GiantScore: 166 inchesDate of Kill: Nov. 1, 2021Location: Merrimack County, N.H.Weapon: .50-caliber CVA muzzleloader. Date of Kill: Aug. 22, 2021. Ryan estimated the deer now was 7 1/2 years old. MILWAUKEE (AP) Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam have agreed to purchase Marc Lasry's 25% stake of the Milwaukee Bucks in a deal that puts the value of the NBA franchise at $3.5 billion, two people with knowledge of the negotiations said Monday. Arkansas hunter Tres Jackson took this big whitetail on a muzzleloader hunt in Pope County, Ark. But luck was on the side of Kyle Heuerman and his girlfriend Jennifer Weaver when they put an arrow through this 196-inch Illinois brute. It worked. The buck took off, the arrow still in him. I had just built a rifle but hadnt set the scope. Sub-hed: When the Washington Blade caught up with Gisele Barreto Fetterman this month, she was looking forward to some upcoming travel plans Yeah I'll bet she was!!! "All my buddies were expecting me to be jumping up and down when I found the buck," Ryan says, "but I didn't. Konschak was hunting deer in nearby property and said he killed what he thought were . Put everything together and you have a gross 9-point frame score of 193 6/8. He'd lost a split G-2, but he'd grown a drop tine and matching split brow tines.". One young buck the family called Lefty frequented the area. All North American Whitetail subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association, Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. 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About 45 minutes later, he heard a leaf crunch to his right. Knowing it wasnt a great shot, Johnathan called a buddy who had a tracking dog. He was a good-looking, 150-class 10 . "I've always loved deer hunting," the young sportsman says. I do know it was not the deer I killed. Lee, Im not going to be able to hunt with you this year, his father said. Copyright 1998 - 2023 Mississippi Sportsman, Inc. All rights reserved. Lightning had struck him for the third time! Only 22, Wilson knows matching this kill will not be easy, not in Pike County. He decided to leave work early, hiked into the woods, and climbed the same tree he had done so many times before. Weve been hunting that lease for about four years and the best weve done is a few 100-inch 8 points and maybe 110 or 120. I called my dad at 7:45 a.m. and told him what had happened." Hooper realizes his good fortune, even if the story belies just how good a shot he usually is. The region is unique to Arkansas in that it doesn't have a traditional rifle season. There was an additional sticker off the left main beam. Follow along as the unbelievable story of Arkansas's New Longbow State Record unfolds!Watch as some of the most rare occurrences ever recorded on film during. Buster was a magnificent animal and exceeded our expectations, Kamps said. They didnt have any encounters with the deer until after the rut. Hes got a lot of stickers and stuff.. "I knew he had potential." A little buck was chasing a doe.. Copyright 1998 - 2023 Mississippi Sportsman, Inc. All rights reserved. But the bowhunter was wrong. An hour or so later, at 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 22, Hooper would realize his good fortune when a bigger buck, not showing the rutting behavior of the many that had passed that morning, suddenly appeared. Unbeknownst to Ryan, the buck would live three more years and make huge jumps each year. It was a special deer. On October 17, Watson got pictures of the buck from his cellular trail cam near the treestand. It later taped out at 186 3/8 inches. That beat the record set by Ayecock in 2015 with a Drew County buck . We thought that maybe he had been killed, but when we checked cameras [in] mid-February, he had returned in late December. Then, the big one stepped out. It followed the large doe group and chased one of them into a nearby cattle working pen. No more high anxiety walks up to a world-class deers bedroom. It hit true. It checked a few scrapes and walked toward Lucas location. Men are terrible with sharing their emotions. "He got to about 25 yards, and I drew when he went behind the tree," Ryan says. Over the next couple weeks, Watson followed him, moving from spot to spot, but he only caught glimpses on trail cameras. The hunt unfolded on Nov. 28. The second time, I actually drew back, Hall says. The moment Moreland got photos of a buck with wide, heavy antlers and what looked like 15 scoreable points, he made the decision to target only that deer. Bowhunting is the primary management tool in this region. Its not as common, however, to see that monster buck taken with traditional equipment. In this edition of "Big Buck Profile," Gordon Whittington talks with young whitetail hunter Reid Crawford about his trophy buck taken in 2017. Being a right-handed shooter, this was an impossible shot. Its pretty common to scroll through your social media news feed this time of year and see various photos of bowhunters sitting behind the monster bucks they have shot. "The buck chased in a doe at 7:05 a.m.," he says. At the 2009 Arkansas Big Buck Classic, the huge typical mainframe 5x5 rack officially gross-scored 182 7/8 inches and netted 174 2/8. "I didn't see him fall or hear him crash, but I could see the blood trail from the stand. His travel patterns were extremely tight. A mature Missouri buck showcased some serious head gear totaling a staggering 333 7/8 inches, making it the most giant whitetail ever scored. A few minutes later, his friend, David, who was also in the tree, said he heard something in the bottom. He was about to come into the main scrape at 17 yards, but right behind him came five does. During the summer of 2019, the big buck appeared regularly in a few fields close to where Hall hunts. The agreement has not been finalized . A slight southwest wind swept across the landscape. Chase Watson shot the biggest buck he's ever killed two weeks ago while hunting from a treestand on his family's farm in Arkansas. Knowing I couldn't even come to my knees without breaking the little concealment we had, I decided to lie on my left side, using my left elbow for as solid a rest as could be achieved within the slight incline of the old fencerow. A native of Hattiesburg and graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, Cleveland lives on Ross Barnett Reservoir near Jackson with his wife Pam. "My dad started taking me as soon as I could climb a deer stand. The day before Halloween, Johnathan saw the buck chasing a doe at 4:30 p.m., but the buck stayed out of range. I absolutely worked my tail off to get an opportunity at this buck. It later taped out at 186 3/8 inches. Chase Watson shot the biggest buck he's ever killed two weeks ago while hunting from a treestand on his family's farm in Arkansas. Behind them was a solid 10-pointer, so he stood up and grabbed his bow. Much to his surprise, he turned, and there stood Lefty about 70 yards away. Whitney Reeds Oklahoma HammerScore: 166 inchesDate of Kill: Nov. 23, 2021Location: Garvin County, Okla.Weapon: CVA Cascade in .308 Winchester. We estimate he was 7 1/2 years old. It worked, Lee said. The 16-point buck has been scored before deductions at 210 by Terry's Taxidermy in Oklahoma City, which would make the animal the largest typical whitetail ever killed by an Oklahoma hunter. His father remembered some advice from Grandpa Hill (Jimmy) about hunting near water on rainy days. . He fractured a bone in his right . "I knew about this buck in 2018," he says. All the highlights rushed back in the pre-dawn minutes leading up to legal shooting light. He finished the season with 11 encounters, but passed the buck each time in hopes of it living another year. Heres how to avoid the poseurs and choose the right one. One day, while Lee was with him at his house, his father confirmed his fears. Mike Clerkin heads to Buffalo County, Wisconsin to bowhunt whitetails. As I entered the road where hed been, I started looking in the direction he ran and immediately saw him lying there, he said. All of the efforts Hall invested in hunting this buck including boat rides and many dawn-to-dusk hunts culminated in shooting a buck that he might never best, and almost certainly not in Arkansas. Wilson said the buck kicked, but that he heard the bullet hit the deer. . Spencer Neuharth Mar 1, 2021. Hunters in Texas have killed 200 bucks since 2010 that made book. He found the matching sheds of the buck from the year before, and he played his cards just right during the multi-year pursuit. It wouldn't be until spring 2013 that the bowhunter would find the matching sheds and see how big the rack really was. Supposedly could be the heaviest whitetail ever taken.