About 206,00 hunters used a crossbow and harvested 93,000 deer. Typical: 186 1/8 inches. "I knew he had potential." One day, while Lee was with him at his house, his father confirmed his fears. This season, Murdaugh had the opportunity to cash in some of that knowledge on a huge whitetail. In the end, Josh walked right up on the buck. Lefty wasnt like many other bucks on the property. Non-Typical: 312 inches. "I had class on Tuesday and Thursday, so I hunted Friday through Monday. All North American Whitetail subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Four hours later, Latimer returned, and followed the trail 140 yards to where the buck had fallen. We all shared an emotional moment. My brother said, Dude, you just got a B&C buck! Wilson said. The 2021-22 deer season is a wrap, and some big whitetails fell between the opening and closing bells. Check out these 10 monster bucks that were taken throughout the country. World Record Whitetail: The Top 5 Typical Archery Bucks A native of Hattiesburg and graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, Cleveland lives on Ross Barnett Reservoir near Jackson with his wife Pam. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. BIG BUCK CLASSIC: Pair of champions earn their crowns - Arkansas Online He still has a deep bone bruise on his left heel and a fractured fibula in his right leg. To their surprise, he wasnt there. 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. 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. Although leery of making any predictions on the buck's score, the bowhunter knew the rack was considerably larger than the 193-inch sheds. Id have him on camera morning and evening. Eventually, a doe walked right between the two challengers. It looked like they were going to get into it, but when the big one got a visual on the doe, he changed moods instantly. This time he got a gross non-typical score of 261 3/8, with a net of 230 7/8. Hall hunts some swampy ground, and some of it is navigable by water. Wisconsin: 33 deer per square mile. Throughout the day, we saw a few bucks that I rattled in, one being a nice 4-year-old, Kamps said. He hunted hard, but the deer evaded him. He knew something was wrong. A friend killed a big buck that he entered in the Big Buck Classic, and Watts said the bigger buck was running with it. Hooper waited 15 minutes before starting the recovery. He knew something wasn't right and turned around and went straight back. Arkansas resident named Stan Whitt, . All I had been doing for the last four years was hunt this deer, and there he was, lying dead. The John and Gisele Fetterman Romance: A Ken Burns Documentary. Gordon Whittington heads north to his personal Missouri farm for some crossbow action. Heres a look at 10 of the most flexible long-range hunting cartridges. It was a 5 X 7 main-frame 12, with one one-inch drop tine and several sticker points off the brow tines and other tines.. Once there, they followed blood and found the deer in a logging road about 75 yards into the tracking job. I hunted him hard all of 2020, but he disappeared mid-October. Bowhunting gives the deer a chance to grow. Is This Gagger Monster Buck the New State Record? This was a resident buck., Thinking the deer would remain on the property, they decided to not hunt the farm that year. What is the biggest buck killed in Arkansas? 5 Biggest Whitetail Bucks Found (Not Killed) - Wide Open Spaces It ran about 50 yards and expired in the middle of the open field.While the buck scored 166 inches, it was the character that impressed her and others so much. The Land of Giants: Where the Biggest Bucks Were Killed in the Last Spicy Buttermilk Fried Goose Breast Sandwich. The hunt kicked off with slightly warmer weather, but the rut was just starting, and he hoped for a positive outcome. "Every year I have an inventory of every deer on the place. 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. My mom, dad and buddy, Trevor, came to the farm to experience the recovery with me, he said. SEO - Arkansas Biggest Deer "At this point I started trying to kill him," Ryan notes. Right at last light, after several minutes of silence, a big buck eased out into a clearing 40 yards away. Behind them was a solid 10-pointer, so he stood up and grabbed his bow. He stopped in a small group of persimmon trees to catch his breath. The rack gross scores 214 1/8 and nets 212 1/8. No more high anxiety walks up to a world-class deers bedroom. This, however, wasn't the last of the action. To our surprise, nothing. It ran 177 yardsan incredible distance for a deer with a 190-grain broadhead inside of him. On Nov. 1, Moreland got a later start than he had planned, and didnt get to his stand until 12:30 that afternoon. It was heaven-sent to our family. Does it get any better than that? I never saw him on the three cameras we had out, but Id seen him when I couldnt shootearly mornings going to work, or at night past shooting hours, Hill said. With the deer on food sources, Ryan was able to pattern the buck before Oct. 15. "I hunted every weekend in 2013," Ryan recalls. On Nov. 24, Hall launched his boat around 9:30 a.m. and reached his stand half an hour later. He posted trail cameras, and confirmed it was him. Field Dressed Weight: 431-Lbs. It was taken on a morning hunt during the modern gun Christmas season. Moreland, with his Arkansas archery buck. After a while, he looked for the deer and recovered his buck. There were bucks going everywhere at one time, and I actually shot at another deer and missed. This deer is one of the biggest that I have ever seen and one that could hold the record for a very long time! Bowhunting is the primary management tool in this region. Whitetail deer harvest in W.Va. grows by more than 12 percent in 2022. Ryan hunted the buck all season but saw him just one time from the tree stand. However, every year the buck would become much more random as the Delta rut came closer. 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. As I entered the road where hed been, I started looking in the direction he ran and immediately saw him lying there, he said. The Pope and Young Club's minimum score for world record non typical whitetail bucks is 155 inches, which would be a great deer, likely with a great camp story to match that would only get better with . The day before I killed it, two of my brothers and I were hunting in the same area and they both killed two smaller bucks, you know, like about 100 inches. County Sex Count; Arkansas: Antlered: 1699: Arkansas: Button Buck: 156: Arkansas: Doe: 1410: Ashley: Antlered: 1495: Ashley: Button Buck: 301: Ashley: Doe: 2418 . All Rights Reserved. Jonathan Moreland grew up hunting with a compound bow until, one day, he saw one of his fathers old recurves hanging on the wall. "I knew about this buck in 2018," he says. Lee, Im not going to be able to hunt with you this year, his father said. "This was one buck that didn't have ground shrinkage, but had ground growth," he said. The buck turned broadside, and Hall grunted to stop the buck for a top-pin shot. The doe, however, wanted nothing to do with her pursuer and jumped into a nearby pond in an attempt to flee the buck. All told, Moreland would see the buck a total of six times before the deer slipped up. Hunters bag enormous bucks in Pennsylvania's rifle season for deer A week later, he'd make up for that lost opportunity. It is also the new state record for the biggest buck killed with archery equipment. 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. Around 5 p.m., an 8-pointer walked by, then, five minutes later, Watson caught a glimpse of Scoob. The shot was 25 yards and I rattled him" into range, he said . 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. I could never get a consistent wind. The deer instantly whirled and ran out of sight . It was light and I couldnt really tell the direction. When it walked into the open, she touched off the 75-yard shot. WASHINGTON (AP) Sen. Sherrod Brown has survived a decade of statewide Democratic losses in Ohio by building a reputation as the rare person in his party who can still connect with the white . All the highlights rushed back in the pre-dawn minutes leading up to legal shooting light. We started leasing this property in July of 2020, and this buck was the first deer that I got on camera, he said. Luke Wilson of McComb was stunned when he and his brother walked up on the big buck Luke had shot minutes earlier in a big cutover on his deer lease in Pike County. Michigan: 31 deer per square mile. "I thought he was going to go downhill after 2012," Ryan admits. His late grandfather started JJ Ranch in 1961, but passed in 2009, and its been worked by the family ever since. The 200-yard shot hit its mark. His father passed away in October. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. He was getting photos of the giant, which he would later discover carried a rack scoring over 190. Check out these 10 monster bucks that were taken throughout the country. Kamps settled the pin and took it. Its hard to put into words. He was running away from me, and it was a snap shot. Instantly, my mind started in on me, he said. I started getting pictures of him on my cameras. Ontario, 1977. Lance Hills South Carolina StudScore: 155 inchesDate of Kill: Aug. 22, 2021Location: Calhoun County, S.C.Weapon: 7mm-08 Weatherby. Some things are just meant to be, says Moreland. Being in the open, Wilson decided to sit still and let the buck continue to walk in the direction he was traveling, hoping it would cross in front and provide a right-handed shot. The Biggest Whitetail and Mule Deer Bucks of 2022 | Field & Stream Discover the Most Dangerous (Deadliest) Animals in Arkansas; WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Indiana: 28 deer per square mile. (Photo courtesy of Tres Jackson) Hunter: Tres . HUNTING TIPS OF A REAL PRO. Last year, we thought he was a really great deer, but this year, hes a world-class 8-pointer. He stood broadside, eight paces away. I was overcome with emotion when we recovered the big eight. After graduating from college, the West Memphis, Ark., native moved to Jackson in 1992 to begin his career. Three does milled around as the sun dipped toward the horizon. Mike Clerkin heads to Buffalo County, Wisconsin to bowhunt whitetails. I noticed on my iPad that it was 1:50 p.m., so I figured Id better keep my eyes peeled in case something came by.. Then, much to his surprise, and with only a few minutes of shooting light left, the big deer reemerged in front of him. Then, the buck disappeared again for more than a week.. That would intimidate most hunters, but he commonly uses a boat to get to and from his best spots. He was 19 inches wide.. In this edition of "From The Stand," Pat Hogan explains the importance of being aware of proper clearance when using your bow or crossbow out in the field. Wilson said the buck kicked, but that he heard the bullet hit the deer. As part of the BuckVentures field staff, they understand whitetails, and it came as no surprise when this 5-year-old deer fell to a Reed. It was another doe, and the big buck was right behind her. Don't Miss:Is This the Largest Buck of the 2019 Deer Season? Junior's outstanding whitetail is the biggest ever recorded from Monroe County, and he ranks as one of the Bluegrass State's top bucks from the 2013-14 season. The rack's 21 6/8-inch inside spread certainly helps to show off its unique character. The buck walked to about 20 yards and started raking tree limbs. For more information, call the St. Francis National Forest at (870) 295-5278. The following table contains some of the largest whitetail deer in Arkansas. What Hooper found was a 205-pound buck with long, thick main beams. Rather, there's a short muzzleloader/shotgun season. Lance Hill's South Carolina Stud. "The doe saw me and started blowing. That's as big as it sounds. So, Lance went with that. In this edition of "Big Buck Profile," Gordon Whittington talks with young whitetail hunter Reid Crawford about his trophy buck taken in 2017. Arkansas County in the southeast is in the heart of the Natural State's big-buck zone, and that's where Joe Schimmel of Stuttgart killed our largest typical with archery equipment last year. These six states account for all 10 of the world's biggest archery-killed non typical whitetail deer: Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, and Kansas each have two, and Missouri and Nebraska each boast one. Purdue clinched the Big Ten regular-season title outright earlier in the day when Illinois beat Did I gut shoot him? Justin Kamps first learned of this deer in 2019, but it wasnt on their radar. From there it was probably a five-minute ordeal, and he worked every scrape that young 8-pointer had worked, Watson said. After the 60-day drying period, he again taped the rack. After the excitement settled, he climbed down, called his friends and waited for them to arrive to assist with the recovery. While in Mississippi, Hooper made many friends and became a serious deer hunter, joining a club in Scott County. Justin, his brothers, and his father targeted this deer in hopes of arrowing it. That's the beauty of hunting. I was speechless. Oklahoma hunter kills possible state record deer in Logan County It netted 209 0/8 Boone and Crockett, but grossed 216 2/8 B&C before the mandatory, 60-day drying period. No more long nights checking every single cellular picture coming through. They didn't want me to leave. Date of Kill: Aug. 22, 2021. And wouldn't you know it not long after the cousins had sat down, the 9-pointer appeared, walking directly behind a good 7-pointer. 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. In retrospect, Watson believes the buck probably died after the first shot. I do know it was not the deer I killed. At least I think there were six. Stan Potts heads to Montana with his rifle in search of a Big Sky buck. Several minutes later, the deer started moving again. Watts shot the buck at about 50 yards with a rifle chambered in 6.5mm Creedmoor. It wouldn't be until spring 2013 that the bowhunter would find the matching sheds and see how big the rack really was. The area I hunt is really brushy and thick, and I couldnt get a good, clear shot. I glanced over and all I could see was antlers, he said. Can Coolers | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Find More Great NRA Publications Perfect For Every Interest, Discover Everything That The NRA Has To Offer. Most of the deer walked straight toward him, but the big buck disappeared over the hill. Jon's no stranger to free-ranging whitetails across the central plains, having guided a number of clients to trophies and harvesting many big ones himself. All in all, about 15 deer filtered in and out of view. Rarely do you see a buck with a drop tine, let alone two of them. He was hunting in a large clearcut paralleled by a steep ridge line. March 3, 2023 |Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes, March 1, 2023 |Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes, The story of Preston Halls two-year quest for a monster buck on state ground. On Nov. 4, 2021, that became reality. They continued planning, but his fathers health continued declining. He watched the buck working a licking branch from his tree, but again, didnt have a shot. Foster buck was killed in Roane County in 1959. The bucks probably started thinking about the looming rut just ahead. Arnold, an environmental engineer for Tyson Foods, is an expert bowhunter who hunts in some of America's most . Last year, in Arkansas. I had no idea the journey our family was about to embark on with this deer, Lee said. This buck means a lot to me because of my grandaddy, Jimmy Hill, Lance said. The buck took off, the arrow still in him. When he reached some thicker, taller grass, he did stop and turned to look back. I took one last look at his antlers, couldnt believe what I was looking at, and then took aim. The state archery record is a 188 5/8 buck from Pawnee County which was killed by Gunner Womack of Morrison two years ago. This was one buck that didnt have ground shrinkage, but had ground growth, he said. All three deer were within 20 yards, and thats when he heard a fourth deer, then a fifth, coming from the same direction. When I got him he weighed over 300 pounds on the hoof, as suspected. "I waited until about 2 p.m. to trail the buck with my cousin and some good friends," Ryan says. I followed it up with a few grunts and grabbed my rifle. The age of the deer was estimated to be 4 years old, and the buck had a significant jump in antler growth in the past year. Morelands Arkansas bow season started much like any other. He missed. My dad gave me news that he had terminal liver and pancreatic cancer. the only deer I killed was an 8 point, and I shot him at 295 yards. but he got way bigger. He had a little standoff with the 10-pointer, with them grunting at one another. He encountered the buck a second time soon after. After the day Id hunt him, he would always show up the next afternoon. It was my best chance to get a shot at this buck before he got off his pattern.. He found the matching sheds of the buck from the year before, and he played his cards just right during the multi-year pursuit. I shot him, and he bucked up like a bucking bronco, spun and turned back into the woods.. [], This is an easy two pot meal, one for the venison stroganoff and one for the starch that can be prepared at home or at the camp. But when I shouldered the rifle, the sight of the crosshairs oriented at a 10-4 o'clock angle was definitely a different look from the normal 12-6 position we all practice from. Although we were in his core area, we knew that if I was going to have a chance to harvest him there, it would have to happen early in the season.. It was bittersweet. It was a long 4-year process, but it paid off.". BIG BUCK CLASSIC: Pair of champions earn their crowns Dad came alive. Not only that, but he also got the biggest buck killed in Arkansas during the 2008-09 deer season. Courtesy of onX Hunt, here are the eight states in the USA with the highest deer density: Mississippi: 38 deer per square mile. But the bowhunter was wrong. Matt Reed tagged his biggest whitetail buck ever on Kentucky's September 3rd archery opener, after eying the buck all summer. He was about to come into the main scrape at 17 yards, but right behind him came five does. The story of Loyd's Arkansas buck shows why effective deer management in many states is creating the potential for record-book . Morelands brother, Josh, had been headed to hunt himself when he heard Johnathan hollering in celebration, and went to investigate. Currently, Watson is recovering from his injuries at home. These are world-class numbers, and there's no doubt the animal fell to a most deserving bowhunter. Then there were the two drop tines, with the longest being 7 inches off the left beam. Score: 155 inches. Bryant scored big in 2007 when he took the Oklahoma state record whitetail deer. It scored 164 6/8 and ranked 9th overall. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . The biggest buck entered so far was a 195-2/8" behemoth shot in Drew County, Arkansas. He logged many days on stand from dark to dark until mid-November. I moved 150 yards downwind of his bedding area and started rattling, Lee said. Just $1 per month , After a month of dogging the elusive deer, bowhunter Jonathan Moreland arrows a Natural State giant, By The charges cover violations in October 2014 when Joe Franz was hunting "Palmer," a deer believed to be the biggest whitetail buck ever bagged on video. He used briars and small cedar trees as cover as he went. We couldnt believe what we were looking at. Around 2:30, Hall heard some deer and spotted two does walking through the water. AP sources: Haslams agree to purchase Lasry's stake in Bucks The day before Halloween, Johnathan saw the buck chasing a doe at 4:30 p.m., but the buck stayed out of range. Camping is available at Storm Creek Lake Recreation Area, about 4 miles northwest of Helena-West Helena. I was super excited. Clickhereto read about other big bucks killed this season. So was Lefty. Then, a big deer walked out of the timber to his left. They followed blood about 150 yards to the downed buck. Lee Dixon and his father have been hunting together for 28 years. Heres a detailed look at each step of the process. Arkansas Bowhunter Falls From Treestand After Arrowing the Biggest Buck However, some just keep growing. He closed the remaining distance needed to get within range, dropped into a kneeling position and took the shot. "The buck I missed was the sixth one to run through there that morning," said Hooper, a former Jackson resident now living in Benton, Ark. Buster was a magnificent animal and exceeded our expectations, Kamps said. He'd lost a split G-2, but he'd grown a drop tine and matching split brow tines.". Even though he was in the tall weeds and stuff, I could see his body and his vitals. Ryan estimated the deer now was 7 1/2 years old. . By 3 p.m., he was harnessed to the tree and ready to go. I thought he was bigger than 190. I've got to be in the stand.'". He lived in Mississippi until 2004, when he moved back to the Arkansas town of Benton just southwest of Little Rock. This photo isn't great so don't be confused by the extra antler on the bottom left; it's from an adjacent deer . He was hunting hill country in a 65-acre hay meadow, which was part of the larger 160-acre cattle operation. Arkansas Biggest Bucks: Score: Typ? Arkansas rounds out the top of the special state stats thanks to William L. Loyd's 2018 typical buck from Lee County that scored 200-1/8 points and ranks #17 All-time and #1 in the state, pending review by the Judges Panel for the 31st Big Game Awards in 2022. After 38 years of hunting, the dreams of a Booner finally came true, Jared said. At least, he did until a buck he'd never seen showed up on one of his trail cameras. Mike Clerkin heads to the legendary Buffalo County, Wisconsin, in search of early season whitetail action. Ryan's buck had the genetics and nutrition to continue to skyrocket. When you see a photo of a young hunter with a world-class deer, it's tempting to wonder if he or she "lucked" into it, or if perhaps an older hunter did most of the scouting and strategizing. He hit hard, fracturing a bone in his right leg and . Photo by: Markus Semmler. By now the deer was a huge 9-pointer that grossed over 160 inches. In 2011 the buck blossomed into a true shooter. "I started getting pictures of him on my cameras. 2009 BIG BUCK CONTEST WINNER AT HUNTING EXPO - arkansasdraft4 We werent cutting tracks from Lefty like we had in the past, Lee said. I sat there for a couple of hours, going through trail camera cards, Hall says. Biggest Bucks Killed In Arkansas #Deer #Bucks #viral - YouTube Eastern Arkansas farm country is home to a growing number of record-book deer. Advertisement. In 2012, Ryan hunted this deer exclusively. Put everything together and you have a gross 9-point frame score of 193 6/8. Since then, I've only killed deer with my bow. Top 10 States for Monster Whitetails - An Official Journal Of The NRA We purchased more cellular trail cameras. The limited gun hunting and rich Delta soil combine to make this a hotspot for big deer. Location: Calhoun County, S.C. Its not as common, however, to see that monster buck taken with traditional equipment. He passed away the week before, and this was the first time I went hunting after his passing., Jake Murdaughs Oklahoma MonsterScore: 194 inchesDate of Kill: Nov. 28, 2021Location: Pittsburg County, Okla.Weapon: .308 Winchester. . This deer had a track that was undeniable. We started game planning, dreaming of getting close to this magnificent animal.. The DNR estimated 574,000 hunters spent 8.7 million days afield during the 2017 deer season, and harvested 376,000 deer for a nearly 50% success rate. Arkansas deer usually score around 120 to 130 inches, Moreland says. It was overcast with temperatures in the 30s and 40s. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. 'I remained in the stand for several minutes to gather my thoughts and calm down, ' Mikell says. Contributor Brad Fenson takes to the grill, to cook up some delicious venison burgers. I still cant believe it. I would hunt this deer in the afternoon and the wind would be blowing 1-2 miles per hour and swirl, Latimer said. Heres how to avoid the poseurs and choose the right one. Alabama: 25 deer per square mile. Did I hit him in the leg? . The colossal deer has a 25 2/8-inch inside spread, two tines over 13 inches and superb mass. Subscriber Services. They didnt have any encounters with the deer until after the rut. 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. It walked down a trail, turned broadside and offered a 20-yard, slightly-quartering-to shot opportunity. I was in the wide open, but it worked out. Hooper realizes his good fortune, even if the story belies just how good a shot he usually is. ARKANSAS TROPHY BUCK, RANDOLPH COUNTY, ARKANSAS, DEER - Boa247 The first year was challenging, as they had to learn how deer used the property. In an instant, the shaft had passed through him. Deer hunting is my peace. The G3 on the right had three stickers and the left G3 had two. He was set up in a blind along a fence row between two cut cornfields.