At least not for me. "I'm pretty certain I bumped him on the way to my stand," Gatlin says. The does then turned their attention to the surrounding timber, and Edmonds got her first glance at the buck she had been after. Browning Ammunition has two big-game hunting loads new for 2023 that are effective on a wide range of species: the Max Point and Silver Series. NEXT:NON-HUNTERS ATTEMPT DEER CALLS IN HILARIOUS VIDEO Deer Kill Data. "I had hunted in a different spot that morning, and it was miserable cold and raining," he says. The Kermit resident's 1997 kill obliterated West Virginia's long-standing . Barrera ranged the buck at 27 yards, but a large truck then drove past, pushing the buck even closer, to within 15 yards. The mainframe 12-pointer with a total of 20 scoreable points definitely had genetics on his side with 7-inch bases, 9-inch brow tines and 14-inch G3s. Everything happened quickly after that, and the buck came in fast despite seeming tired and winded. $36.20. Peter Sutphin of Halifax County, Virginia, and a Virginia Tech graduate considers himself blessed to have harvested the biggest whitetail buck in the countys history. Sep 19, 2012 Updated Jun 6, 2019. Deer Winners ; . The society's panel judging isn't slated until sometime in 1995. He yelled, Hey! in hopes that Willie would pause and offer a shot. The buck immediately approached her stand and stopped at 40 yards, offering a clean, broadside shot. I shot a 161-inch a couple of years ago, so it's working. David Pepper, a former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, says Brown's "secret sauce" is his willingness to take his made-in-America, union-strong messaging to places outside the cities. Cochran has ink in his veins and his super-sleuthing skills via a great network uncovered the truth. Available in 180- and 200-grain sizes. Busted! Once the deer breached 30 yards, Jackson settled his crosshair and squeezed off the shot. We'd had very warm weather and this buck just would leave his bed in a cedar swamp during the day. On Saturday morning, Nov. 11, 2017 a friend named Brian Wallace who also hunts those 30 acres was on his way to his stand and checked the SD card in his game camera that he had not looked at since August. The timing couldnt have been better. 2 spot on our list belongs to James Jordan, who killed this 206 1/8 B&C buck in Wisconsin way back in 1914, long before trophy hunting or deer management were mainstream practices. The measurements were eyepopping. All Rights Reserved. When he returned Willie had disappeared. I was fortunate enough to bag him, said Masoner. "This buck means so much to me; it was the reward for perseverance and patience," Gatlin says. Amanda had made the 10-point her primary target for this rifle season, and she connected during the first hour! 2023 Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. At 5:10, Barrera saw a big buck crossing the road, followed by an even bigger buck. The deer fell upon impact. ''I didn't know what I had until I walked over to it. "Hard work pays offnever give up," Jackson says. Two bucksa small 8-pointer and the big 9answered by bursting from a small patch of woods on the backside of a pond. Instead of heading deep into the woods, he hunted a more-open area near the edge of a field and high-traffic road. Scott opted to hunt across the street from the property while Stephen made his way up the beaten tote road roughly a quarter of a mile to his stand. The buck started feeding in the same food plot and making his way toward Edmonds, but turned and went around her through some patches of thicker cover that didn't allow for a shot. Virginia His company, Maximum Exposure Productions, has done work for operations like Midwest Whitetail and Operation Impact 22. The buck then lowered his head and moved to the only opening Wayne had for a shot. He had his head on a swivel trying to pick up movement. The next morning he let his dogs out for a bit and when he went to let them back in there stood Willie Chappell some 85 yards away with the sun glistening off his majestic rack. . Smith took the deer back to his cabin, where a fellow hunter counted the 35 points. At 7:05 a.m., he watched the buck enter one of his food plots about 90 yards away from his stand and start chasing a doe. I must have grunted at him 15 times before he finally committed. This buck was one of the first to show up on camera in the summer of 2021. "Fishing is competitive. By Chris Lawrence. South Texas' ranches are known to grow some giants; still, this state just barely made the top 10 list for typical bucks. Elliott said the greatest antler spread was 22 5/8, the right main beam measured 26 4/8 and the . There is no official weight listed for the deer, but it looks heavy. Soon after he settled in, four does walked in. The mature buck slowly made his way upthe dry creek bed in the timber until stepping out into a small clearing. 430 pound buck shot in Hartford, MI yesterday. In 2018, deer hunter Luke Brewster killed the biggest whitetail deer of all time. After the 60-day drying period, Norm Parchewsky, Robert Allemand, and Allan Holtvogt, all Boone and Crockett official measurers, scored the buck at 213-1/8 in a ceremony attended by more than 400 people. With about 15 minutes of legal light left, he saw the big buck milling on the field edge. He took a moment to say a prayer and count his blessings, with the warm feeling that his late grandpa was there to share the moment with him as well. Just after 2:30 p.m, they headed in. Courtesy of Bryan Lenke The buck's antlers totaled 1964/8 inches on the Boone and Crockett Club's measuring system. Due to the good conditions, he fully expected to see lots of movement. During the 202223 deer hunting season, hunters harvested 184,968 deer in Virginia, down approximately 3% from the 190,582 deer taken during the same time frame the previous season. At first, I thought it was a white barrel at the bottom of this hollow he was in. On his way, he set out a Tink's Scent Bomb, which became an integral part of the hunt. The original post dates back several years and states the buck weighed 430 pounds and was shot in Hartford, Michigan. The bucks hopped the fence and entered the public parcel. The deer was shot on a Wisconsin high fence game farm called Wilderness Whitetails in September 2009. . "We are very blessed to have family and friends who open their property up to these boys," Wallace says. ELD Match, and 175 gr. Location: Calhoun County, S.C. It scored 232-4/8 non-typical. His friend Ashley sat with him that evening to video the hunt and possibly shoot a doe if the opportunity arose. This was when Wayne really got a grasp of the actual size of this beautiful whitetail. Get tips from Steve Bartylla in this Hunt em Big. Josh Honeycutt. The buck earned the name "Willie Chappell" after having shed his antlers in two areas on a 2,400-acre property owned by Sutphin's cousin known as "Willie's Woods . Once within range I stopped him with a grunt call.". It is the potential world record, not to mention potential state record, for the Long Hunter Society, the national muzzleloading big-game records program. Each year, the buck has been a main-frame 10-point. Then, two more. Even as he was using his Summit climber to ascend a tree near the field he was doubting his chances of seeing the mysterious buck. While he was hoping to get a chance at the big buck, Masoner also knew there were a lot of potential pitfalls to getting there. The NWTF is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Bucktober 211 4/8"https://youtu.be/Tp7mL4bAzDsAll rights to. Brandon Butler. After running off trespassers who were fishing ponds they weren't supposed to, he settled into his hunting spot located next to the ponds, which were in a cattle field full of native grasses. "I love the feeling of being in the woods without all the daily stresses of life. Brandon Butler. Minnehaha County. Features quick-change barrel system. "I usually try to go farther away from people, but since other people have been walking farther into woods, I decided to go the opposite direction and hunt close," he said. Rodes was hunting on private property he was given permission to hunt just last year. "I was off all day on Thursday, Nov. 3, so I knew I had to make the most of it," Garries says. Franz Buck 261 7/8"https://youtu.be/mg7Z4juaGo2. After he got off of her, I shot him, but he went right back to chasing the doe. The buck had his eyes set on a doe, and before long they began running around the opposite side of Stephens stand. Then, around 8:10 a.m., Rudden noticed this buck coming across a creek, but thought it was a different deer he had been after. Wallace sent the image to Haynie who was also on stand hunting on property. The cornerstone of Virginia's deer management program is the big game harvest reporting system, which allows the Department to effectively monitor the annual deer kill on a county basis. He saw a nice 8-pointer in the morning that he'd hoped would show back up in the evening. Brandon Butler. 7 Things to Ponder Before Buying a Fishing Kayak, Exotic Fishing Paradise Awaits in South Florida, Euro Nymphing 101: Trout Tactics from Across the Pond, Go Big or Go Home to Hook Lunker Summer Bass, Tackle Test 2022: Top Bass Rods & Reels Reviewed, Backyard Ready: Grilling the Perfect Steak, Best New Baitcasting Rods & Reels for 2022, Winchester Big Bore: Backcountry Bear Protection, Classic Marlin: 336 and 1894 Lever-Action Hunting Rifles, NWTF's Passion for Wild Turkey Conservation Still Burns After 50 Years, First Look: Leupold's BX-4 Range HD Rangefinding Binos, Browning's Max Point, Silver Series Rifle Ammunition, New Hunting Ammo from Remington: 360 Buckhammer, New from Browning: X-Bolt Pro LR McMillan, Hornady's Hot New 7mm PRC Cartridge: SHOT 2023, Hawke Optics' Frontier LRF Laser Range Finding Binoculars, New from LaRue Tactical: Siete Chassis Rifle. "After I shot him, I went through old pictures and I definitely have photos of him from 2019," Gibson says. The buck was moving with his nose to the ground, oddly enough back-tracking the very same trail the doe had taken on her escape. Gatlin decided that if he saw the buck, he would take advantage of the encounter. "I'm thankful to God for the blessing of letting me harvest this awesome animal in a heavily hunted area. Joshua recalled his fathers advice over the years: stay calm, take a deep breath and move ultra-slowly. He'd be in the woods every day if could, but as it is, whenever he's able to get off work, he hunts. Totaling 213 5/8 points, this largely symmetrical, 14-point rack is impressive to behold. Support Deer Park Football and Join the Booster Club. On 10/14, the Deer Park varsity football team lost their away conference game against Newport (WA) by a score of 35-21. The No. Both does seemed anxious, however, and with the wind and ATV noises, Jessica feared her hunt was going to be a bust. As he got within 20 yards, I saw the ear tag and knew it was game on.". Only 10minutes had passed when he noticed a deer coming out of the thicket that the doe had bounded into. The property is also in close proximity to Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park. On Oct. 10, the weather presented cool, wet, windy conditions. But the buck paused on his own, presenting a perfect broadside shot. ", Hayden credits the first good cold snap for the action he experienced. 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 . He noticed some antlers and suddenly there stood the buck of his dreams. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. Thats by far the biggest buck I ever killed. Taken on land owned by Smith in Warren County, the buck scored 296 in the Western Regional Contest of the 1993 Virginia Big Game Trophy Show in Harrisonburg. The National Wild Turkey Federation's mission to conserve wild turkey and preserve hunting heritage is still going strong after a half-century. At that point the buck carried a 10-point rack with several kickers. Rotarius credits his dad, Jimmy Rotarius, and hunting buddy, Clay Turner, for the tireless work they do on the property to grow big deer. When Ball returned, the piebald deer was still in the same spot making a scrape. He wasn't disappointed. He first learned of the deer in 2021 and continued keeping tabs on it this year. And this is how he got a chance at his trophy. He leases land west of Cassopolis, Mich., in Cass County. However, he had never laid eyes on this bruiser buck until the day he shot it. It may not have come from a natural, fenceless, free-range type of deer hunting, but it sure is giant. Thats all we know on this deer at the moment, but well follow up with more details as they come up. He moved quietly to his box blind and settled in. Model: FRONTIER, MOUNTAIN, BIG BORE MOUNTAIN, HAWKEN RIFLES. Before long, they arrived and joined Jessica in tracking the buck. Thankfully, he was able to harvest his deer before the warm spell. "He ran maybe 50, 60 yards." To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. WATCH The hunt culminated with a 30-yard on this ancient buck, estimated to be at least 7.5 years old, in the last few minutes of legal shooting light. Give a Gift "I almost didn't think it was real. Theres some public land off the Roanoke exit of I-79 and some guys I know had caught him on trail cameras in there. Along with being a new state record, it's the 10th largest typical deer taken in the last 20 years in the United States and the 25th all-time typical deer killed in North America, according to Pope & Young. The buck dropped immediately as Haynie quickly reloaded and walked cautiously toward the buck, prepared to shoot again if need be. ''I just picked up the rifle and tried to find a spot through the thick stuff,'' Smith said. ROANOKE, W.Va. During the two week West Virginia buck hunting season, Travis Masoner of Morgantown and his daughter were hoping to kill a buck which had developed quite a following in the . When he came in range, I made the shot." Ontario, 1977. He was pleased to know the pass paid off when he found his sheds last winter. He says the local scene went dead when temperatures peaked near 80 degrees last week. The deer was certainly the largest at the Virginia Deer Hunters Association's Virginia Deer Classic at The Showplace in Mechanicsville. A Virginia Giant. The big 9-pointer began pursuing one of them. Date: 01-24-2023 Case Style: United States of America v. Jacob Tyler Hensley Case Number: 5:22-cr-00078 Judge: Karen Caldwell Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky (Fayette County) for rent corpus christi Kent Heitholt was found beaten and strangled shortly after 2 a.m. on November 1, 2001, in the parking lot of the Columbia Daily Tribune, where he worked as . "His schedule was very sporadic, and he showed up on one of my cameras on November 20 while I was at church," Gatlin says. After being in the stand for roughly 20 minutes, the younger Bennett heard something coming directly at him. He did say, however, that scrapes and rubs are abundant in his area, and young bucks are visibly sparring frequently. It was taken last September and weighed 420 pounds live-weight. Western Whiskerfish: Trophy Flatheads, Channels, Even Blues, Tackle Test 2022: Top Bass Rods & Reels Reviewed, Tag the Best Pronghorn of Your Life This Season, Exotic Fishing Paradise Awaits in South Florida, Sweet Streams: 5 Hot Rivers for Midwest Smallies, Go Big or Go Home to Hook Lunker Summer Bass, Go Whole Hog for Delectable Backyard Pork BBQ, Winchester Big Bore: Backcountry Bear Protection, Classic Marlin: 336 and 1894 Lever-Action Hunting Rifles, NWTF's Passion for Wild Turkey Conservation Still Burns After 50 Years, First Look: Leupold's BX-4 Range HD Rangefinding Binos, Browning's Max Point, Silver Series Rifle Ammunition, New Hunting Ammo from Remington: 360 Buckhammer, New from Browning: X-Bolt Pro LR McMillan, Hornady's Hot New 7mm PRC Cartridge: SHOT 2023, Hawke Optics' Frontier LRF Laser Range Finding Binoculars, New from LaRue Tactical: Siete Chassis Rifle. The deer was shot on a Wisconsin high fence game farm called Wilderness Whitetails in September 2009. Then as fall approached a trail cam revealed that old Willies rack had put on mass and additional kickers to make him a true Virginia giant. The buck came to an opening at 30 yards and Joshua pulled the trigger. Many of these veterans are struggling mentally, and this experience is a huge pick-me-up. "The deer were hungry, and I knew they would be coming to acorns.". The massive Maine monarch made it 50 yards before going down.Dustin Prievo. The picture first surfaced on the internet in 2009, with various descriptions stating it weighed between 400-500 pounds. Estimated Weight On Hoof: 540-Lbs. It was the biggest buck Masoner had ever killed and he even admitted it was the widest spread on a set of antlers hed ever seen on any deer with his own eyes. James Jordan. The 360 Buckhammer cartridge is designed for lever-action rifles and will be available in two Remington Core-Lokt loads. I never thought we had any deer like that anywhere around us.''. According to Snopes.com, a website that looks to settle internet rumors factually, the facts surrounding this story have been unearthed. Proposed changes to hunting and fishing regulations are mild for 2023, Commission finalizes questions for Sportsman's Sectional Meetings in March , which will include the long talked about lowering of the buck limit, The Rush to Green Could Leave Us in the Dark. At 6:05 a.m., just minutes after legal shooting light, the big deer stepped into view. Sutphin mentally kicked himself for not hunting that morning. Then he started wobbling and going in a circle, and I knew I got him. Willies official B&C score is 190 3/8, with an inside spread was nearly 20 inches. The Non-typical Bow category winner was Charles Daniel, also from Hurricane, with a big 15-point buck from Cabell County that scored 169 1/8. The buck then moved into a second food plot where a cellular trail camera sent him a close-up image of the buck. Josh Honeycutt. He chased a doe, then he had to chase all the bucks away because they were trying to steal his doe. In 2017, the common thread among Virginias top-end non-typical bucks was the unexpected. One huge buck fell to a public-land hunter who had never seen or heard of the deer prior to his hunt. Instead, all he had was a rattling pack, so he gave it a shot. I think the most important aspect of it is I get to be alone. Non-Typical: 312 inches. With all this in mind, heres a look at three of the most remarkable Old Dominion non-typical bucks taken in the state in 2017. He'll be mounting Adam's deer, thus making this experience a total family affair. He worked it for 10 minutes, then turned to walk toward [me]. "I've killed Pope and Young bucks, but this one just meant more," Develle says. The heaviest deer that's ever been shot on our place. The new Frontier, available in 8x42 and 10x42, has all the range-finding capabilities a hunter needs. The Model 336 is expected to be launched soon; the Model 1894 should launch this spring. On Nov. 17, after lunch, he climbed into an elevated blind along the edge of a cut cotton field. Wayne Stevens of Maryland was joined by his brothers on their lease property in Frederick County, Md., during the early muzzleloading season for a hunt they will never forget. ''When I told her it had 35 points, I heard my daughter in the background say, `What's dad been drinking?' He was kissing the deer. According to Masoner the main beams were right about 28 inches and other than a slight variation in the two G-2 antlers, the 10-point buck is almost perfectly symmetrical. A true giant anywhere, but even more so for the Volunteer State. Before long, a second doe arrived on the scene. "I hunt with my two best friends at one of their family farms," Develle says. Early action consisted of two small bucks passing through the area. Right there on the screen was a piebald he had just shot! This year, Develle finally crossed paths with it. "While FaceTiming one of my hunting buddies, he told me to look at the screen. Copyright 2023 West Virginia MetroNews Network. Winchester's new Big Bore ammo, available in 10 mm, .44 Mag., .357 Mag., and .45 Colt, is specifically designed for big bears in bear country. Were talking typical bucks in the 180s and non-typicals that continually threaten the magical 200-class. This was her first archery buck, and she was hunting alongside her hunting mentor, Paul Baker. This year, I decided to hang a camera and put some feed out to take inventory of the deer in the area. John Armfield (1797-1871), Virginia co-founder of "the largest slave trading firm" in the United States, and a rapist. Every deer hunt is different, too. The 18-point buck is estimated at 6.5 to 7.5 years old, with an estimated live weight of 220 pounds. The brute roughscored 171 6/8 inches. Wayne says the property they hunt is not known for big deer, but he surely feels blessed to have had such an encounter with a deer like this one. This deer took first place from a 10-point Wisconsin buck, shot by James Jordan. He was especially thrilled that he got the chance to take the buck so many were after during the 2022 season. But, given the windy conditions, they debated whether a hunt was even worth the bother. John Feazell's 22-point Virginia mountain monster crushed the state record for non-typicals by nearly 24 inches! Bucky Sargent of Logan, W.Va. with the buck estimated to be around 10 years old killed at the height of the 2022 rut. Winchester's Nathan Robinson talks features with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. After carefully assessing the situation, the buck jumped the fence and walked toward Sears. The distance was a bit long for the dated Knight muzzleloader but Sutphin wasted no time. "I thought I had missed my chance. Subscriber Services. Marlin is back in the game with the re-introduction of the classic 336 and 1894 lever-action hunting rifles. Masoner hunts of a piece of property owned by his dad which sits adjacent to public land off the Roanoke exit. ", The buck was aged at 8 1/2 years old.Josh Honeycutt. I have pictures of him from last year when I tried to get my wife a shot at him. Four years ago, Justin Gibson decided it was time for a new challenge. His familiar connections have allowed his boys to get right into the action in Ohio, though. 759 talking about this. As he usually does, he called his wife, Becky, and his 21-year-old daughter, Shelly, to tell them about his kill. The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. On Jan. 13, 2021, official scorers measured the buck at West Virginia Division of Natural Resources headquarters and . When it got to within 150 yards, Rotarius calmed his nerves as best he could and squeezed off the shot, dropping the deer. Another pair of does showed up around 30 minutes later. He knew he was on a time clock with this giant, because Willie only visited the sanctuary for a short period of time before heading back to his home territory. Dustin Prievo. We never saw any deer that even resembled him previously, said Masoner. There are a lot of big deer pictures floating around the Internet these days. Marion, Iowa. The summer of 2017 was ending and still there were no pictures of Willie. The hunt started with several bucks walking through, ranging from in age from 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 years old. The monster buck was approaching quickly, and then it angled off slightly, which ultimately gave Joshua the time to raise his CVA Wolf muzzleloader. It's a spot that holds good deer, but it's very difficult to hunt due to minimal shooting lanes. The deer, killed by Jim Smith of Front Royal, was the largest deer killed in North America in 1992. In the video above, Leopold's Shawn Skipper highlights the features of the exciting new optics with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Ruger's popular American bolt-action rifle has been a hit with hunters for years. Peter Sutphin of Halifax County, Virginia, and a Virginia Tech graduate considers himself blessed to have harvested the biggest whitetail buck in the county's history. At SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. All kinds of thoughts entered Peters mind at this point, but most were of disappointment and discouragement that Willie had again escaped. The buck was supposedly killed around Chase City on October 30th on a large tract of land that borders the town limits where hunting is not allowed. Staying undetected by deer while hunting in a ground blind takes a few easy steps. Gatlin saw the buck last year and had gotten photos of the deer on trail cameras this season at night. Waynes son had suggested he sit in his hang-on stand in a spot they call the "Lower Woods." Thought it would be fun to have a central. He need not worry. Several does and fawns grazed through the area, as did a young 4-pointer. "It is more than just something to do," he continued. And I love opening weekend of firearms season because it's the one weekend of the year where you can see so many people who love the same thing you do. Only when Ivan McLaughlin started counting antler points did he realize he might have killed a record-breaking buck. Then another buck comes out into the field. This deer was killed in Winfield. Twice, she won the Missouri Outdoor Communicator's Buck Rogers Memorial Scholarship. The buck ran 20 yards, tipped over and tumbled down the ridge into the ditch in front of him. Over the two weeks Sutphin hunted only when the wind was right, never back to back and never from the same stand. Already committed, though, he figured he would still give it a try because his son had been seeing a lot of deer movement in that area in all different directions. By law, each successful deer hunter is required to report every deer killed. The youth and apprentice deer-hunting weekend resulted in a harvest of 2,358 deer. LaRue's Ethan Alexander talks about the Siete's features with Game & Fish's Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Foster buck was killed in Roane County in 1959. As Wayne's brothers headed to the rear of the property, Wayne made his way into his son's stand for the evening hunt. It was now Develle's turn to shoot. Shaking uncontrollably after letting her arrow fly, Edmonds managed to tap out a text message to her husband, who was hunting with their oldest daughter at the time and has taught Jessica about deer hunting for the past decade. Joshua prefers still-hunting because it allows him to cover ground and scout at the same time, but he carries a folding chair on his back in case he finds a suitable place to take a stand. The green score is 147 4/8 inches. Another had trail cam images and several visual sightings of the deer but not on the property where it was finally killed.