Score: 211 inches (unofficial gross score), "This was the first year I had access to this farm," he said. Joe Lacefield's velvet monster green-scored 179 inches. Much to his surprise, the deer returned this summer. It all happened within three minutes. Occasionally, the buck traveled through the 7-acre property. Beach was ecstatic. The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. That's the second big deer killed in that area, we're they are doing construction across from kroger,. His window was narrow, too: Shortly after shedding its velvet, the buck always departed Lacefields hunting grounds. The property hunted wellreally well. "I killed him at five paces," he said, from a portable stand about 25 feet high in a tree. I was going really slowly. Updated: 8:51 PM EST November 17, 2021 DECATUR COUNTY, Ind. We hunted and ran cameras all fall and never saw him. 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. To have a deer that big in gun range, and not be able to shoot? The next time he looked over his shoulder, he spotted the big deer walking toward him. 10 Amazing Photos of a Buck Shedding Velvet, How to Tag a Velvet Whitetail Buck (and the Best States to Make It Happen). His elusiveness led to us joking about him even being real, which is where he got the name Sasquatch. FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) A Kentucky coal miner died Saturday in an accident at an underground mine, authorities said. I rarely hunt with a firearm.". Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. Were trying to get the full story. Score: 155 inches. The hunt started off slowly, and Kirkpatrick didn't see a deer for the first several hours on stand. That got that bucks attention, recalls Settle. Later that night, Lacefield recovered the deerhis biggest ever. An Edmond hunter has killed a deer that likely will be a state archery record and is possibly the highest scoring typical whitetail buck ever taken in the state. That would be the only time Kline ever spotted the buck from the stand. The 360 Buckhammer cartridge is designed for lever-action rifles and will be available in two Remington Core-Lokt loads. "Don't move. I hadnt really realized what Id done because the hunt was so intense. All Rights Reserved. He taught me all the rights and wrongs, dos and donts, and how to be safe in the field, Settle says. I tried to post the video but it didn't work. By Chris Lawrence. He had 15 scorable points, and he would still score over 200 inches. That afternoon, he used HuntStand to check the wind and went back to the same stand, feeling optimistic since the buck had walked through there the previous afternoon. He decided crossbowhunting was the only option to hunt this giant deer this fall. Utah Hunter Arrows Insane Opening Day Mule Deer. He would make a great first buck with my bow.". Date of Kill: Aug. 22, 2021. What is the most dangerous animal in Kentucky? The big 10-pointer ran 100 yards and crashed. We continued to run cameras to prepare for the quota hunt. Enter the 2019 season. LIMESTONE COUNTY, AL (WAFF) - In November, a Limestone County man illegally killed a 25-point deer on private property. Gordon Whittington heads north to his personal Missouri farm for some crossbow action. I turned to Dad and threw my hands in the air, and I promise you have never seen a man climb out of a tree faster than Dad did that day. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. We didnt want anyone to know about him. This amazing story chronicles the life of a giant whitetail deer Don named "Mel" after Mel Johnson's world record typical whitetail deer. Sage Marshall joined Field & Stream as an editorial intern in 2018, when he worked at the publications former office in Manhattan. We have big deer here in north Alabama, that is a big deer anywhere in the country, Lindsey said. The massive deer laid dead only 50 yards from the property line. Later that night, Lacefield recovered the deerhis biggest ever. No one would believe me anyway. I felt the dread of thinking its never going to work out again. After the mandatory drying period, the rack scored an incredible 312-0/8. In the above video, NWTF's Jason Burckhalter talks about the group's accomplishments and future plans with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. One of the things Kentucky deer hunters look forward to is hunting velvet bucks. You know, I was getting excited. Moments later, the deer he was after walked into the open and followed the same path as the first buck. According to Justin Spring, director of big game records for Boone and Crockett, the answer is simple. He shot nice bucks each of the past three seasons, including a nice 13-pointer last year. The whole crew was there to celebrate their collective accomplishment, and one that was years in the making. I couldn't control myself.". How many deer were killed in Kentucky 2019? The fence is broken down right there, and I couldnt see it from where I was.. "I ventured away from deer hunting because of my passion for waterfowl hunting, but there's nothing like harvesting a buck with a bow. "As soon as I made the shot, we heard the thud and the deer took off into the beans," he said. 211-Inch Bluegrass Giant Hunter: Neal Kirkpatrick Date: September 25, 2021 Location: Daviess County, Kentucky Method: Compound Bow Score: 211 inches (unofficial gross score) Kirkpatrick arrowed this buck in late September, which is a time when most hunters struggle to pattern deer. But on Sunday morning it was just me and Dad. Hope everyone gets to. Within 10 seconds we saw Sasquatch running wide open in our direction. He only wanted Sasquatch. Reed took it and the arrow flew true. EDITORS NOTE: When the photos of this deer were first sent to us by the hunter, Derek Settle, our immediate gut check was: This is a high-fence deer. That started the process, and they followed the trail for about 150 yards before recovering the buck. Taylor knew it to be a great staging area before deer head out to feed in the soybeans. Each photo should be accompanied by the county, date, and approximate time of kill. By last summer the giant buck had grown an even more impressive rack. Courtesy Logan Beach Logan Beach's Bushwhacking Bruiser Buck: 162 inches Date: Sept. 4, 2021 Location: Caldwell County, Kentucky Method: Compound bow Another field and drain stretched out behind him. Copyright 2019 WAFF. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Mike Clerkin heads to the legendary Buffalo County, Wisconsin, in search of early season whitetail action. Which begs the question: Why arent more bird hunters using them? 3,757 likes. Weve had him on camera for several years and watched him grow up, Womack said. I just kind of put him in the back of my mind. This was a great accomplishment considering how many other people hunt sheds in LBL. Words cannot describe the image of him coming in.". But the left side boasted an Social media is abuzz this morning as deer hunters fawn over what might be the new world record whitetail. Published Sep 15, 2021 6:00 PM EDT. When the buck reached 35 yards, Mattingly released his arrow. I thought, Thats not a rack. Saskatchewan Hunter Finds Target Sheds After Looking for Multiple Days, Iowa Bowhunter Goes Stealth Mode with a Tree Saddle to Bag 194-inch Non-typical, Nebraska Shed Hunter's Wife and Dog Find 6x9 Set One Year After Learning About the Buck, Dr. He was laying right where I thought he would be, which is kind of crazy, Kline says. Legendary Whitetails has it on display. We are investigating this story and will continue to publish updates as we learn more. Sasquatch continued to pass by our trail cameras until he lost his velvet, and then he disappeared. Then, it happened. A photo of a dead deer prompted an . Here are a handful of the best velvet bucks to come out of Kentuckys 2021 bowseason. He hoped the buck might return in camera photos, but he knew in his gut that wasnt likely to happen. Word continued to spread, and once social media got ahold of the story it went viral. I've filmed a lot of deer hunts. We found one of his sheds in late January and looked for the other side all spring with no luck. This year he decided to Sign in to access your profile, save content and more. Deer began moving and, later in the day, movement really began to pick up. Knowing that Kline had actively hunted this deer for years, the landowner was nice enough to let him keep the rack. That is one of the best-looking racks Ive seen from last season,beautiful color and all those stickers! But once in the area, he found the buck within minutes. Haynes Shelton discusses what to look for when choosing the magnification range when it comes to the scope on your deer rifle. Dr. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton explain why it's important to know your neighbors when operating a smaller deer property. "I never thought in a million years I would shoot a deer that big," said Zach Meadows, who shot the buck with his bow on Nov. 3 in Logan County. Harvest Comparison by Year. We then went to the entrance of LBL to get a picture with the Land Between the Lakes sign and Sasquatch. Harvest Results by Weapon. 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. Hes a union carpenter and lived a couple of miles from his current property. I looked up at Dad and with tears in our eyes we went crazy, and we said a prayer thanking God for this opportunity. 1 Pope and Young Bucks Before They Were Beat, Illinois Hunter Sprints to Close the Distance On 21-point Bedded Buck, How to Find Big Buck Sanctuaries in the Spring. (High fence deer in Kentucky do not have to be checked in.) Thats the time Id [historically] get the most pictures of him.. Gov. City deer are a different breed. Joe Lacefield accomplished both simultaneously. Currently, I'm filming for Kentucky Afield TV and have been since 2016. Sweet Streams: 5 Hot Rivers for Midwest Smallies, Euro Nymphing 101: Trout Tactics from Across the Pond, Spin to Win: Panfish Secrets for Catching Limits on Spinners, Best New Baitcasting Rods & Reels for 2022, Backyard Ready: Grilling the Perfect Steak, 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. Wish someone had some better pics. He remembers it as a bittersweet moment: Hed finally tagged the buck, but now the hunt was over. I was just elated with joy. Biggest bucks Ive ever seen were in the middle of Louisville. ELD-X Precision Hunter). Speaking of city deer is that fort Mitchell deer still kickin. It was seen last year in the area as well. So while Keatings buck wont be immortalized in North Americas big game books, it will give him a freezer full of red meat and a trophy on the wall hell never forget. It was cloudy and cool on Sept. 5. | "All I did was get lucky," the Kansas bowhunter told The Topeka Capital-Journal this past week . Eric Lundgren of Ruger, which now owns Marlin, highlights the features of both rifles with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Upon walking up on the deer, Standard raised the buck's head from the soybeans and immediately realized how big it was. They waited a few hours before blood trailing and didn't find any blood or the arrow within the first 15 minutes of the search. We also figured out if he saw or smelled your trail camera, he wouldnt use that area again. "This deer has shown me that all the time and dedication that I put into preparing for this hunt was beyond worth it in the end. Kline hoped for the best, but expected the worst. AL man illegally kills record-setting buck. Dad told me to climb down and make sure he was dead. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. After lunch, he settled in and waited for deer to begin moving. GILBERT, W.Va . My dad has been hunting, fishing and camping there for over 30 years, and my brother and I have joined him all our lives. "I had never had a deer quite this size before on the farm.". The velvet was a little damaged from the branches, but Beach didnt much care. Logan Beach arrowed this 162-inch giant in Logan County, Kentucky. Gentry Roof first deer ever. Jamison Standard started getting trail-camera photos of a huge buck just a week before deer season and started scouting diligently to try and determine a pattern. By mid-October he was gone again, so we started scouting the area with cameras trying to find him. Put in his scenario, we would have done the same thing. Few states offer a good shot at a velvet buck, but Kentucky is one of them. Back before the construction went full bore that is. He didnt disappoint On November 4 at 6:40 p.m., Dustin Huff of Greensburg, Indiana, shot a caliber of whitetail that normally only occupies a hunter's dreams. Full story on this beast coming soon from Dean Weimer, more I look at that rack, what a buck. The Model 336 is expected to be launched soon; the Model 1894 should launch this spring. To have the opportunity to take a buck like this is a dream come true.". Then, the big deer came back out, now concealed by a bunch of weeds. Hunting season started and we still received random pictures of him, but we never had an actual sighting. It was broadside and slightly quartering away from Settle. During the summer of 2019 we started getting pictures of him, but we never received pictures in the daylight. He was an impressive 160-inch 12-pointer. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Neal Kirkpatrick started hunting deer at the age of 9 and credits his grandfather with getting him into the outdoors at such an early age. I immediately facetimed my girlfriend, who was at home with my mom and Luke, to tell them we just killed Sasquatch. Jacob, his brother and father pose proudly with Sasquatch. Fortunately, Kline has permission to hunt a 7-acre parcel that borders the sanctuary. Location: Calhoun County, S.C. We thank God for giving us the perseverance and dedication to always press on no matter how frustrating it got. "As I pulled the soybeans away to expose his rack, I told my dad, 'This is like unwrapping a Christmas present,'" Standard said. The 25-point deer may be impressive, however the way it was killed, is not. On Sept. 4, well before daylight, the Arkenaus eased into an elevated Muddy blind positioned on a wood line. All rights reserved. He moved frequently during daylight, but they knew they didnt have all fall to make something happen. Jason Kline has spent much of his life chasing whitetail deer. We finally got a picture of him, and he blew up that year into a 180-inch 15-point. But, its also possible that the old buck succumbed to the stresses of the rut, possibly getting wounded by another buck and going down to infection or coyotes or both. "It was emotional because this was [my girlfriend's] uncle's old stand. The illegal killing of a trophy deer in Northern Kentucky led to the arrest of a hunter, Kentucky officials said. Were not opposed to that hunter shooting that deerwed actually encourage hunters to remove the buck in those situations. This man pleaded guilty to hunting without permission and hunting by aid of bait, which are both class C misdemeanors. (Photo by Chase Geary) On Saturday, Dad and Luke hunted together with me and Jason in other trees within the same area. Skis are easily the most efficient way to cover snowy ground on foot in winter. Opening day of deer season 2021 didn't disappoint with reports of Bluegrass State bucks taken by bowhunters measuring 170-plus inches. Im sad that he died and wasnt killed by someone, but I am glad to have him., Read Next: An Elevated Shed Hunting Experience. His broadhead zipped through the vitals, and the buck took off. "It became a yearly tradition for me," he said. 5 Common Deer Abnormalities Caught on Camera, Oklahoma Hunter Shoots Target Buck That's Locked Up with Another Giant, Potential Kentucky State Record Crossbow Typical Shot in Hemp Field, A Look Back at No. ELD Match, and 175 gr. This winter, he found the bucks rack, By Kline and other hunters hoped that the 2020 season would be the year. Settle immediately felt confident about his shot placement. 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. When I found him, I didnt know what to think. That was, until the 2021 Kentucky deer quota hunt at LBL. Below, you can see the total number of deer harvested by county and by weapon, according to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife's numbers. He's killed his fair share of good ones, but there's only ever been one "Herman," which is the monster buck he focused on for the past five seasons. Total Harvest Results. Id never seen anything like him before. After seeing those few trail camera pictures of him, we became obsessed with finding Sasquatchs sheds. That number includes about 12,000 bowhunters who registered 3,000 deer. It was on Sept. 4 when Jamison Standard and Casey Reed tagged two of the biggest deer from opening day. Conservation officers said if you see something, say something. This year, on opening day, Reed got the southwest wind he needed and decided to hunt a hilly ridgetop. I thank God that I got to experience the hunt with my dad and to celebrate it with my wonderful family. Buckmasters Whitetail Trophy Records (BTR) scorer Hunter Schmittou measured the beast of a buck and gave Huffman the final tally. 4 pointer killed in butler co while hunting with pappy Posted: 11/26/2022. Settle says the impressive whitetail has at least 57 scorable points and rough-scored it at 289 5/8 inches B&C. So, now that you have a brief history of LBL, here is the story of the buck we named Sasquatch.. The internet celebrity, who is a member of Officials say that increasing the moose harvest is Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. It had a 20-inch inside spread with 24-inch main beams and gross-scored 170. Marlin is back in the game with the re-introduction of the classic 336 and 1894 lever-action hunting rifles. The carcass was picked over by scavengers so there was no way to tell what had actually killed the buck. Public Land Results. LaRue's Ethan Alexander talks about the Siete's features with Game & Fish's Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Eventually, the music stopped and the shotgun blasts faded. ( Photo: Fort Campbell Fish and Wildlife) But the average age of deer, especially bucks, depends a lot on the choices hunters make. It was so bad that my dad would take his sheds off the mantle and hide them if we had company. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Winchester's Nathan Robinson talks features with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Land Between the Lakes National Recreation area is about 20 minutes from our hometown of Benton, Kentucky. After finding the buck, a game warden arrived to check everything out. It ran a ways and crashed into the soybeans. It worked out, though. Nathan Simmons of Browning and Game & Fish's John Taranto take a closer look at both cartridges at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Give a Gift The broadhead struck true, and the giant bolted for cover. Bowhunting is just one of those things that I used to love when I was growing up, Settle adds. Andy Beshear told . But nothing prepared Settle for the buck he started getting trail cam pictures of in July 2020 at one of his mineral plots. I drive down the bypass all the time and me and my cousin once counted 10 in that grew up ditch at one time. 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I want that to be a rack but must be brush or a pile of sticks, or something., Settle got out his Bushnell Powerview 7-1525 binoculars for a better look. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. In the video above, Matt Willson of Ruger highlights the features with Game & Fish's John Taranto. Ruger's popular American bolt-action rifle has been a hit with hunters for years. How Many Whitetail Bucks Do Hunters Kill Across America. He spotted this giant in person for the first time in 2019, but didnt close the gap. Marlin is back in the game with the re-introduction of the classic 336 and 1894 lever-action hunting rifles. I didn't have high expectations for the hunt. After several weeks of scouting, hunting and running cameras, we finally got a picture of him about a mile and a half from his summer location. Brian Butcher shot a deer with massive antlers, but he won't let that give him a big head. It was seen last year in the area as well. Hes so much bigger in person. Standard exercised patience, though, and waited for the giant to appear. He left everything in the blind except for his crossbow, a brand-new Raven R26, and one arrow. Josh Carter killed this massive non-typical buck in Logan County on Halloween 2021. "I don't believe I will harvest another one this size," Kirkpatrick said. Of course, since the deer was so visible, everyone in the area knew of him and wanted a crack at the giant. Sasquatch went down in his tracks! Last week, when Field & Stream published a story about a huge 280-plus-inch whitetail buck that Derek Settle said he shot in Henderson County, Kentucky, on September 11, 2021, we expected the. Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) is reporting an unusual harvest of large whitetail bucks as this season came to a close Feb. 10, with some true giants showing up on social media and. The buck ran about 50 yards and died in the brush. I used that to stay in the bucks blind spot. Key features include muzzle velocities of 2,215-2,400 fps. You can scout and hunt hard and not see a deer for days. We even had a friend drive three hours to come see Sasquatch in person. He says it was one of the most intense moments of his life.