The biggest buck I've ever seen
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: JSW
27-Nov-18
I was really excited about this years whitetail hunt in Kansas but was a little disappointed in the quality of bucks I was getting pictures of. I set out a new camera on October 26 and a few days later was shocked to see a huge 10 point working a scrape two nights in a row. This buck looked to be about 190 net typical. With one small sticker on his right G3 and a short G4 on the left, I felt that he might be upper 190's gross. This was for certain the best typical I've ever had pictures of and if I ever laid eyes on him, probably the biggest deer I've ever seen. I realized that this was a once in a thousand lifetimes opportunity and made a promise to myself that I would do everything I could to get a shot at this buck. That might mean passing up some really good bucks but I had to stay focused and try to make this work. This picture is one of the better trail cam photos that I got of him at the scrape.
From: Native Okie
27-Nov-18
Following this one!
From: Treeline
27-Nov-18
Uh Oh! I think Jim just set the hook!
From: EmbryOklahoma
27-Nov-18
Got my attention... :)
From: drycreek
27-Nov-18
I'm patient, up to a point :-)
....and the biggest buck I've ever seen was across the fence from where I was hunting. :-(
From: JSW
27-Nov-18
I hunted this specific buck for 24 days. I passed up some very good bucks but for the most part stayed away from other areas where killing a good buck would be somewhat easier. I hunted for this buck every day except for Thanksgiving day. I would occasionally give this spot a break for an evening or a morning and also hunted all day some of those days. I had pictures of him, all in the dark, on 7 different nights during this time frame. I would convince myself that I was doing something wrong and think about giving up and then I would get another picture showing that he was still around, just not during the day, in front of any of my cameras. I hunted this buck for 24 days without even seeing him. On the evening of the 24th day he finally made a mistake and showed up during legal shooting hours. He stopped broadside at 19 yards and I was able to make a good shot and finish my hunt. This was the most unbelievable whitetail hunt I have ever experienced and to get that one buck that I had focused on was beyond belief. The highs and lows during these 24 days were sometimes hard to take. Just when I was ready to give up and go after one of those other bucks, something would happen to lift my spirits. Here is my 2018 Kansas buck
From: Native Okie
27-Nov-18
What a brute! Way to persevere, Jim!
Some day I’m hoping to have 24 days to hunt!
From: EmbryOklahoma
27-Nov-18
Wow! Congratulations on your perseverance, Jim! What a beauty!
From: Bake
27-Nov-18
Holy Moly!!! That's awesome!! Congrats on a monster!
From: Jaquomo
27-Nov-18
Way to go, Jim! You earned that one. Super buck!
From: Zbone
27-Nov-18
WOW, beautiful... Many CONGRATS!!!
Guessing he'll be in B&C, please let us know...
From: t-roy
27-Nov-18
Wow! What a hog! Congrats on an incredible buck, and with traditional gear to boot! You definitely earned that buck!
From: WhitetailHtr
27-Nov-18
James, Your story captures absolutely the very best of everything that bowhunting has to offer us. A once in a lifetime trophy taken with a traditional bow after 24 days of dedicated hunting! You are in a class by yourself. My hat is off to you. Congratulations on this outstanding achievement! Awesome!
From: Glunt@work
27-Nov-18
Wow! Beautful deer and great story
From: Joey Ward
27-Nov-18
Awesome. Good job sticking with it. Very nice buck.
From: otcWill
27-Nov-18
Spectacular buck, Jim! Congrats. You earned it
From: Barry Wensel
27-Nov-18
Congratulations are in order. This is what it's all about. A lot of hunters don't have this fortitude, endurance and determination. Excellent, excellent unrelenting persistence and then holding it all together at the end. Well done sir! My most sincere congratulations. BW
From: JSW
27-Nov-18
Another angle of my buck. I know someone will ask and while I seldom do green scores, here is what I got. When I do green score something for someone I try to keep things pretty tight so they aren't disappointed after the 60 day drying period. 190 2/8" net and 199 2/8 gross. Sorry Ed, I had to list the gross score as well. Just like most great bucks he is somewhat uneven. The left side is over 91" If the right matched the left he would be 204. I still can't even believe it. Like I said, this is a buck of a thousand lifetimes and I can't believe I had the opportunity to hunt him.
From: Barry Wensel
27-Nov-18
Congratulations are in order. This is what it's all about. A lot of hunters don't have this fortitude, endurance and determination. Excellent, excellent unrelenting persistence and then holding it all together at the end. Well done sir! My most sincere congratulations. BW
From: Nick Muche
27-Nov-18
Way to go, what an incredible amount of determination you have. Very nice, that buck is what whitetail dreams are made of. Congrats!
From: HUNT MAN
27-Nov-18
Amazing to me in so many ways. My hats off to you sir!! Wow. Hunt
From: JohnMC
27-Nov-18
Wow great buck! Congrats!!
From: Alexis Desjardins
27-Nov-18
That’s a dandy congrats.
From: Schmitty78
27-Nov-18
Congratulations on an amazing animal! Having a target buck can be very frustrating and a hard task to accomplish, but then you throw in that buck being almost a 200” gross typical deer and man that’s unbelievable!! Way to stick with it!!
From: BigOk
27-Nov-18
Wow!!! Way to stick with it, Congrats on a great buck.
From: Hawkarcher
27-Nov-18
Incredible! Congratulations!
From: CJE
27-Nov-18
Unbelievable, Jim. Way to stay after it, what a truly awesome animal, congrats!!!
From: Turkeyhunter
27-Nov-18
Amazing story thanks for sharing.
From: T Mac
27-Nov-18
Incredible buck! Congrats and well done.
From: Whocares
27-Nov-18
Absolutely beautiful! Congrats and you have unreal determination.
From: kota-man
27-Nov-18
Incredible stuff...Congrats...
From: Old School
27-Nov-18
Congrats on sticking with your goal/dream. That’s impressive perseverance.
-Mitch
From: Treeline
27-Nov-18
Spectacular! Once in a lifetime experience and reward for sure. You have definitely been blessed with a dream season this year! Congratulations on keeping after that target buck till he made a mistake!
From: Brun
27-Nov-18
Wow! Great buck and great story of perseverance, and you made the shot. Congrats.
From: GF
27-Nov-18
Unreal. When you get an Attaboy from Barry, you don’t need one from me, but GREAT GOOGLEY MOOGLEY, that’s a Hoss!
What’s your bow?
From: WV Mountaineer
27-Nov-18
Awesome deer man! You are a stone cold killer. 24 days of not seeing him would have me falling out of the tree after determining I would shoot no other. Mental toughness defined by the feat you just accomplished bud. Congrats!!!!
From: Hawkeye
27-Nov-18
Outstanding!! Like many have said, incredible in SO many ways. Hats off to you sir!
From: bowhunter24
27-Nov-18
Way to get it done on a beautiful buck!
From: Reid
27-Nov-18
A Kansas Beauty - my favorite kind - I have held out for one buck several times in the last 5 years and been on both sides of the coin. It is an amazing feeling when it comes together and it sticks with you for a long long time. Congrats
From: arlone
27-Nov-18
Congratulations on the great accomplishment of sticking to it and coming through when the chance presented itself! I agree, "a buck of a thousand lifetimes"!
From: Zackman
27-Nov-18
Wow!!!
From: IdyllwildArcher
27-Nov-18
Wow, what a buck! Grats Jim! You sure have had an amazing year.
Thanks for posting and thanks for posting the green scores so we didn't have to ask :)
From: sticksender
27-Nov-18
An absolutely amazing buck. Outstanding job on sticking with it and finally gettin' er done!A trad-bow typical netting over 190 surely puts you in rare company!
From: Quinn @work
27-Nov-18
Wow Awesome is all I can say! Congrats in staying on course to take him or nothing. Gross is all that matters. Nets are for fish.
Your story is about as real as it gets. Those types of bucks usually only make the mistake of being on their feet during daylight a few days out of the hunting season and it's usually after the first set of does have been bred. Killing them with a bow is a huge accomplishment. Nice work!
I had the pleasure of hunting a 180+" KS buck this year and had only had one opportunity to kill him when he was late to go to bed at daybreak chasin a hot doe. Crawled 600 yards on my belly in a CRP field only to be busted at 35 yards by his doe while I was drawing on him when he stood up out of his bed. Successful hunt 100%.
From: JSW
28-Nov-18
Thanks everyone for the kind comments. Especially from Uncle Barry. That might be the best compliment ever. Nets may be for fish but the official P&Y or B&C score is the benchmark of any trophy. It's the system we've used for decades and it's likely not to change. It will be hard to wait 60 days to find out for sure what the final number is. Experience tells me that this late in the year, there should be very little shrinkage.
From: Surfbow
28-Nov-18
Beautiful buck! Way to stick it out...
From: Kodiak
28-Nov-18
Amazing animal. Wow!
From: Matt
28-Nov-18
Congrats on a tremendous buck.
Just know that B&C, whose scoring system P&Y has coopted, publishes gross scores. There's no shame in referencing it.
From: Franklin
28-Nov-18
"Nets" are for fishing....This kind of kills the "50% recovery rate" to bed for trad hunters. He looks bigger dead than in the pic....great buck.
From: Quinn @work
28-Nov-18
That buck could be measured in meters and it's still a TROPHY! Who cares what P+Y says the official score is. Awesome deer!
From: wvbowbender
28-Nov-18
Great deer, great hunt, great perseverance! Bowbender
From: Grunter
28-Nov-18
Way to have the dedication and stay with it! Congrats on a great deer! I never even see the one I'm after! Well done Sir
From: David A.
28-Nov-18
Congratulations, you won't ever forget this hunt that's for sure...!
From: pav
28-Nov-18
Amazing buck! Congrats Jim!
From: hitmanatgym
28-Nov-18
What a beauty!!! The longer/harder you hunt the sweeter the reward!!! That is one for the ages!
From: Butternut40
28-Nov-18
Incredible buck. Congrats !
From: Charlie Rehor
28-Nov-18
Dreams realized! Congrats!
From: Forest bows
28-Nov-18
Great season! Exactly what the guy in charge should be doing!!
From: midwest
28-Nov-18
Wowzer! Congrats on a fantastic trophy!
Crazy to think if it weren't for the cams, you wouldn't even know that buck existed! What was he doing when you finally got the shot? Was he trailing a doe or just cruising?
From: Quailhunter
28-Nov-18
Congratulations on an incredible deer!
From: Maverick7
28-Nov-18
Congrats and a buck of a lifetime. Way to stick to your plan. Giant
From: sitO
28-Nov-18
You're right Jim, buck of many lifetimes! Congrats, looking forward to seeing you both in Feb!
From: ScottyC
28-Nov-18
Awesome, just awesome. Congratulations
From: Iowabowhunter
28-Nov-18
Fantastic, huge congrats sir!
From: M.Pauls
28-Nov-18
Unbelievable. Persistence has paid off! Congratulations on successfully hunting that fine specimen and making the shot when it counted
From: scentman
28-Nov-18
Now that is a buck I would definitely cry over... nice job!
From: cnelk
28-Nov-18
Wowzie. Awesome deer
I especially like the photos where you didnt do anything to 'stage' or 'pose' the deer like so many do.
From: orionsbrother
28-Nov-18
Congratulations!!! That’s a dream buck. And your commitment of 24 days of effort has to make it more of a captivating story.
Don’t hesitate to post up any more pics.
From: mountainman
28-Nov-18
Impressive resolve. And great deer. Congrats.
From: Bou'bound
28-Nov-18
now that is spectacular
well done
From: GBTG
28-Nov-18
That's a true trophy hunt! Please tell about your bow, arrow and broadhead setup. Thanks Congrats again. Dave
From: Wayniac
28-Nov-18
Congrats!
From: 1boonr
28-Nov-18
You will never get tired of shootin 190 typicals
From: dakotaduner
28-Nov-18
Wow, way to get it done. No ground shrinkage there, Looks even more impressive than the trail cam photo.
From: Smtn10PT
28-Nov-18
Wow, dream buck for sure! Congrats on your success.
From: LBshooter
28-Nov-18
Congrats!! What a trophy and using what looks like a longbow makes even more of a trophy, way to go.
From: elkstabber
28-Nov-18
Congratulations! This has to be one of the greatest successes ever.
From: Southern draw
28-Nov-18
Congrats ! What a buck !
From: Scoutin'
28-Nov-18
Wow is right!! An amazing animal and story. Thank you for sharing. I apologize if I missed some of the details, but did you know that buck existed prior to this year and do you have any idea how old the buck was? Such an amazing experience, would just love to hear more about it. CONGRATS Again!! MO
From: Kodiak
28-Nov-18
Not that it matters, but I wonder what it ranks in the trad category all time. Got to be right up near the top.
From: 12yards
28-Nov-18
Wow! Congrats on a great effort and buck!
From: Pyrannah
28-Nov-18
wow man.. congrats and way to persevere
From: Junior
28-Nov-18
Wow! Awesome deer! To harvest the buck your after with traditional equipment, has to be the best feeling ever. Congratulations!! I killed a similar nocturnal buck a few years ago. The difference was we could only hunt him on a sw wind. Did you have a few different stands to hunt him or a tent? We can't get the wind right 3 days in a row here, not alone 24.
From: SBH
28-Nov-18
Its all been said above but WOW. This is incredible. What a deer...and to do it with a stick and string! Huge congrats
From: Brotsky
28-Nov-18
Amazing buck and a great story Jim! Congratulations!
From: trackman
28-Nov-18
You should be able to and points for putting in all that time. Jim is a hell of a hunter
From: SJJ
28-Nov-18
The first thing I noticed was the Recurve!
James that is wicked
From: 320 bull
28-Nov-18
Congratulations. Must have been a pretty emotional few moments after 24 days of hunting and finally getting a shot. Hats of for sure!
From: bohuntr
28-Nov-18
Amazing animal Jim, congratulations! And a free range Bison in Utah, you are the man! Hope to get a chance to visit with you at the P&Y convention in Omaha.
From: JM
28-Nov-18
Congratulations Jim that is definitely a buck of a lifetime!
John
From: OFFHNTN
28-Nov-18
WOW. Congrats on many levels! For staying after him for so many days, for sticking it out, for being smart, and for making the shot! Well done is an understatement!
From: Gator
28-Nov-18
An epic adventure you'll always remember, Congratulations on such a fantastic experience.
From: grubby
28-Nov-18
amazing! great job sticking it out!
From: lewis
28-Nov-18
Congrats great buck and kudos for the perseverance Lewis
From: JSW
28-Nov-18
About my set up. I shoot a bighorn takedown in one of a couple of versions. The last new one I bought was in 1999 when they came out with the shorter 15" riser. I had it made with 56", 52# at 27" limbs. These limbs had the reversed lower limb wedges that really increased performance. They shoot really hard for 52# I shot a heavier bow on my elk and bison hunt and I never switch bows mid season. I changed that this year and switched back to the 52# bow because I shoot it really well and there's the whole cold as hell in the tree stand issue. So I'm using a 52#, 56" bow that has killed dozens of animals. I make my own cedar arrows starting with closely matched 55-60# port orford shafts. I hand taper the back 9" for better clearance off the shelf. I burn in the spirals to give it a camo appearance and to make them original. I like all white feathers but in order to tone them down I die the front 2/3's of 2 feathers brown. That way I'm seeing white during flight but they are just a little more camoed. I shoot a 125 grain 1 1/4" magnus glue on head most of the time but occasionally get nostalgic and use an old bear razorhead. Total arrow weight is 520 grains. After 35 years of shooting a recurve I'm fairly comfortable out to 40 yards. FYI, I know plenty of guys feel that they have to have a 3 or 4 blade to ensure a quicker kill and it makes sense but my 2 blade setup brings them down really fast. This buck only went about 80 yards. My bison went maybe 100, my elk went 20 and I spine shot my antelope. I can't remember the last time I had a double lung hit go over 100 yards. All of this years trophies went down within sight. I didn't see this deer go down because of overhanging limbs and low light but if I had gotten back in the stand the next morning I could have seen where he fell. Thanks again for all the kind remarks. I'm still in a daze about this hunt.
From: njbuck
28-Nov-18
What an incredible deer, congrats!
From: lunatic
28-Nov-18
Just unreal !!! Huge congrats !
From: BOWUNTR
28-Nov-18
Whopper x 10... Congratulations Jim. Please, please, please bring him to panel! For those of you who do not know, Jim is the President of the Pope and Young Club and has set an example for bowhunting on many different levels... this is just one of them. Way to stick with it and persevere. Ed F
From: GBTG
28-Nov-18
Thanks for the setup explanation in detail...... well thought out.
From: Duke
28-Nov-18
Awesome story, Mr. Willems! -“Luck Is What Happens When Preparation Meets Opportunity" -You are "Lucky"!
From: Ron Niziolek
28-Nov-18
Amazing buck as well as persistence. Huge congrats Jim, on a buck of a lifetime.
From: obx
28-Nov-18
Congratulations on what has to be one of the top all time bucks taken with a recurve. Glad it all came together for you. Thanks for posting
From: Destroyer350
28-Nov-18
Buck of a lifetime! Congrats!
From: t-roy
28-Nov-18
I was not aware of that fact, Ed. Thanks for pointing that out.
Jim, you stated that you never saw this buck go down, but could have, had you gotten back in the stand the next morning. I’m assuming that you waited until the next morning to track him.? If so, I’ll bet that was one LONG, sleepless night!
From: wooddamon1
28-Nov-18
Wow, beautiful buck! Congrats!
From: Steve Leffler
28-Nov-18
Awesome! This represents everything that’s great about bowhunting. Well done.
From: Catscratch
28-Nov-18
Great story, great dedication, great buck! Congrats man!
From: Ironbow
28-Nov-18
I love big typicals, and that one is fantastic! Great job Jim.
I remember scoring a 172" (net) typical for you many years ago. Shot with a Bighorn.
From: Northwoods
28-Nov-18
Wow. Great deer, I'd love to see more pictures.
From: Inshart
28-Nov-18
It's all been said .... absolutely a magnificent Deer and hunt! Definitely a "shooter".
From: Boatman71
28-Nov-18
Absolutely incredible! Congratulations on your success and persistence paying off. WOW!!!!
From: JSW
28-Nov-18
T-roy, I did leave him over night and you're right about the sleepless night. I got up at about 4am and went out and started tracking him. It didn't take long to find him so I was able to start taking photos just as the sun was coming up.
From: JSW
28-Nov-18
I've been going through pictures to try to figure out the one that goes on the wall. Here is another view.
From: JSW
28-Nov-18
Another angle
From: JSW
28-Nov-18
From: Craig
28-Nov-18
Awesome deer congrats
From: EmbryOklahoma
28-Nov-18
Man, what a great buck! Wonder if that will make the P&Y traditional books? :)
From: JSW
28-Nov-18
Sadly Rick he won't make it into the next Traditional book since the cut off is December 31. I can't have him measured officially until January 23. He will be in the 4th edition in 6 more years.
From: doubledrop
28-Nov-18
Awesome! Great story, pics, persistence, etc. This one has it all! Congratulations! It truly takes determination to beat your own mind at times and it's always good to see and hear stories such as yours, it's good fuel for the motivation when things get tough.
From: Trial153
28-Nov-18
congrats Jim
From: APauls
28-Nov-18
What an awesome awesome specimen! I echo everyone else's congratulations and being able to hold it all together at the moment of truth. What fine deer. If you are looking for votes, I like the last pic best followed closely by 3rd last ;)
From: Marty
28-Nov-18
Wow! Nice pictures and great story, congrats!
From: The Kid
28-Nov-18
Too awesome!!!! Congrats!!!!!!!!!
From: Lee
28-Nov-18
Wow! Awesome deer - few will get the privilege of even seeing a whitetail that big - much kess shooting him!!
Congrats,
Lee
From: yeager
28-Nov-18
My Lord, what an incredible buck. Congratulations Jim!!!!
From: Bake
28-Nov-18
I like ALL the pictures!!! Golly what a deer
From: Inshart
28-Nov-18
My vote goes to the one where you are all smiles (rightly so) looking through the antlers - great pic.
From: pointingdogs
28-Nov-18
congrats
From: Beav
28-Nov-18
Wow what a buck! Congrats on such a great accomplishment!! Also thanks for sharing.
From: bighorn
28-Nov-18
Awesome buck! Way to hang in there!
From: Shug
28-Nov-18
Congratulations Jim... outstanding!!
From: GBTG
28-Nov-18
Hard to make that buck and your projecting the sense of accomplishment and dedication look bad.... it's all good. Congrats again.
From: patdel
28-Nov-18
That's an awesome buck. Congrats!
From: Lucas
28-Nov-18
Congratulations, he's a beautiful buck!
From: W8N4RUT
28-Nov-18
Wow Jim. Amazing. Congrats!
Scott
From: drycreek
28-Nov-18
Well, that was worth waiting for ! Big congrats !
From: Billyvanness
28-Nov-18
Incredible! Congratulations Jim!
From: Lovehunt11
28-Nov-18
Awesome, Congratulations
From: Aces11
29-Nov-18
Awesome buck! Awesome story! Congratulations!
From: deerslayer
29-Nov-18
What an incredible adventure. Once in many lifetimes. Congrats, congrats, congrats!
To do it all with trad bow is simply amazing! Excellent job and persistence.
My vote is for that 2nd pic. Really shows the whole rack and how awesome it is!
From: luckydraw
29-Nov-18
Just like everyone else says - Truly Awesome! Way to stay devoted to your sport. Great early mourning pics!
From: weekender21
29-Nov-18
Giant, congrats!
From: JW
29-Nov-18
Awesome buck! Congrats Jim!
From: fishfry
29-Nov-18
GREAT buck,never give up
From: Bowboy
29-Nov-18
What a beast. Congrats!
From: McCree
29-Nov-18
Amazing deer and an awesome story! Way to stick with it! Congrats!
From: GhostBird
29-Nov-18
Congratulations on a stud.
From: Jon Simoneau
29-Nov-18
This is the best deer story of the year. Hardly anyone would have what it takes to hunt him for so many days straight. Getting him with a recurve makes it even better. Outstanding.
From: Rut Nut
29-Nov-18
All I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (and CONGRATS! ;-)
Just curious- do you own property in Kansas? Or lease? Just wondered because it says you are from New Mexico. And were you planning to hunt that long to kill that deer?
From: ki-ke
29-Nov-18
Great story, fantastic animal! Many, endless congrats. Cool reward for all you do for bowhunters and bowhunting! Thank you for that
Thanks for sharing your story
From: Slate
29-Nov-18
beautiful congrats
From: Iowa_Archer
29-Nov-18
Wow, what an amazing animal! Congrats on the trophy of many lifetimes!
From: Mark Watkins
29-Nov-18
Discipline!!!
Goals!!!
Congrats Jim on your buck of a thousand lifetimes!!!
Mark
From: JSW
29-Nov-18
Rut Nut, I do own land in Kansas. I grew up there and took over the family farm for a while before I went broke. I bought some land when I was 19 and managed to hang on to it through the hard times. I moved to NM for all the other big game opportunities and to start over. I bought a lifetime license in Kansas before I moved so I've hunted deer in Kansas every year since I was 16. I now have significantly more acreage and work on it about a week a month from spring to August to make it as deer friendly as possible. I also bought a little house in BFE so I can get Lisa to go with me, which allows me to hunt that long. I've been unemployed for about 10 years and try to spend about a whole month deer hunting starting the end of October. When I discovered this buck, I joked with Lisa that the season lasted until 12/31 and I wasn't going home until I got him or ran out of time. I actually had about 1 more week to hunt before I had to make that decision. I realize that few people have the opportunities that I have and believe me I thank God every day for that.
From: Rut Nut
29-Nov-18
That’s cool Jim! Glad you got him before you had to make that decision- I’m sure that would have been agonizing!
Wow- I give you credit sir- not many kids are buying land at age 19! At that age most are spending all their money on beer and condoms! ;-)
Sounds like you love your property and put a lot of hard work into it every year- I envy you! And the amount of time you get to enjoy it.
I may never own a large piece of land, but I hope to retire one day and be able to hunt 24 days in a row! Maybe by then PA will (finally) pass Sunday hunting so I can! (Legally! ;-)
Thanks for elaborating on “the rest of the story.”
From: Dennis Razza
29-Nov-18
Incredible buck Jim! Congratulations on a dream buck!!!
From: Matt Rehor
29-Nov-18
Congratulations and thanks for sharing your story.
From: Arrowhead
30-Nov-18
JSW, that is with out a doubt a brute. Now I for one would like to here the whole story. They say hind sight is 2020. So what do you think in your mind was the deciding factor in closing the deal. Over the course of your hunt how many stand sights did you try out? Would love to here your hindsight and story. Possibly Pat could do an interview?
From: mtoomey
30-Nov-18
Wow! And congratulations. Mike
From: JSW
30-Nov-18
I am working on a feature article about this hunt so I don't want to give it all away right now. I would be up for an interview and will probably do a few podcast in the next few months.
A buddy asked me last night now many hours I spent on stand for this buck. I'm going to try to figure that out while it's still fresh. The good thing is, Dan and I text where we are and what we are seeing about twice a day so I do have some records to look at.
From: Frank Noska
30-Nov-18
I have to offer my huge congratulations to you also Jim. Harvesting that caliper of whitetail is an accomplishment I cannot even find words to say. That experience is one that will keep a sense of satisfaction and a smile on your face for the rest of your bowhunting life. That bowhunting high is why us crazy bowhunters do what we do, work and hunt so hard, and sacrifice so much. Enjoy my friend, you earned it. Frank
From: Jeff Pals
30-Nov-18
Jim, Huge congratulations! Way to persevere and make the shot when you got the opportunity. That is a buck of a lifetime. Nothing beats a big ten in my opinion and that is about as big as they come. True buck of a lifetime. -Jeff
From: Jack Harris
30-Nov-18
Congratulations - that is that buck of a lifetime for 99.9% of us. What a perfect mature specimen of the species, and you used all your hunting skills to get him and did it trad-style to boot. I don't think there is any aspect of bowhunting ANY game animal that is better than that.
From: Ken Taylor
30-Nov-18
Pretty well everything has already been said, but sincere congratulations and it's great that it was you who got that buck - you deserve him for many, many reasons!
From: buzz mc
30-Nov-18
Congrats. Great buck and a great story. Thanks for taking the time to share.
From: rickh
30-Nov-18
Congratulations Jim and thanks for sharing. You've had an amazing year.
From: Fauntleroy
01-Dec-18
Simply amazing. And with a stick bow to boot!
From: Alaska at heart
01-Dec-18
You were very blessed to have gotten a daylight sighting and especially so at 19 yards. The rest.....the perseverence and shooting skills.....are hard earned....congratulations, sir! What a magnificient animal.
From: maxracx
01-Dec-18
Congrats on an awesome deer. Like you said he is a buck of many lifetimes.
From: Frank Noska
13-Dec-18
I wanted to bring this thread, Jim and his incredible whitetail, back to the top. I think a whitetail of this caliper needed the thread refreshed. Actually, I don't "think" that, I know that! This buck is a SUPER buck. I was pondering and laughing to myself yesterday about this thought. One of my goals is to arrow a net typical B&C whitetail. This is an extremely big hurtle to accomplish, as you guys know. When I do shoot a 170ish whitetail, it will not even come close to comparing to Jim's huge Kansas whitetail! Jim's deer dwarfs a 170" net typical. That is something to wrap your head around. Congratulations again my friend on a once in several lifetimes, super buck. Christmas came early for you. (-;
From: Charlie Rehor
13-Dec-18
Also it’s amazing that Mel’s buck taken in 1965 is still 14+ inches bigger!
From: StickFlicker
14-Dec-18
I must have missed this the first time around. What a buck! Congratulations Jim on the culmination of a lifetime of bowhunting skills!
From: M.Pauls
14-Dec-18
Absolutely right Frank. A whitetail of this caliber just doesn’t grow 99/100 if everything was perfect. All the stars aligned and Jim was able to capitalize and it’s truly outstanding. Also great that it couldn’t have happened to a greater person
From: Kurt
14-Dec-18
Jim, Congrats again!!!!! I missed the thread the first time but saw the buck in an email that was going around. What a hog!!!! And so well deserved. Kurt
From: dirtclod Az.
14-Dec-18
Son of A Buck!Frontal view shows how much the beams curve in.
From: JSW
14-Dec-18
Thanks again for all the kind words. I mount all of my own trophies and I'm having the tannery do a rush on the cape. I plan to have it mounted right after Christmas. I'll post a photo when it's done.
From: Straight Shooter
14-Dec-18
Jim- All I can say is that's just awesome! He looks great at every angle, but from side he really looks amazing. Congrats.
DJ
From: Stoneman
14-Dec-18
Great accomplishment resulting in an amazing buck! Well done. Would be great to see this one at the spring CBA banquet.
From: goelk
15-Dec-18
Wow Jim, awesome buck. I will be looking for his kids down the road. What was the finaly score.
From: JSW
15-Dec-18
I will be presenting a seminar at Colorado Bowhunters in March and plan to bring the mount. I'll see you there.
From: t-roy
15-Dec-18
Please do post some pics when you get him finished, Jim!
From: JSW
15-Dec-18
Charlie mentioned above that it's amazing that Mel's buck is still 14" bigger, which is a lot. There have only been 2 typical bucks killed by a bowhunter that measured over 200" Mel's 204 4/8" WR and Tiggy Collins 203 3/8" SAS buck. My buck is big, but it's still well below those deer. It's interesting that if you take the biggest side of my buck which is the left antler at 91 6/8, double it, then add the inside spread it would be 204 3/8. If it were absolutely perfect it would be close to WR. None of this means anything except it should give us hope that if we stumble onto one of those truly world class typical bucks and he just happens to have a perfect rack, it's possible. The right G4 on my buck is 4" shorter than the left one. Almost every top end rack that I measure whether it's elk, mule deer or whitetail has something on it that doesn't match. Those small anomalies keep them from being the biggest. Even Mel's WR has 7 2/8" in deductions. Every few years, someone finds a set of sheds that would break the archery WR. It's fun to dream about such things but until I stumbled onto this buck, I didn't think I would ever have the chance to hunt a world class buck. You never know where one might pop up.
From: t-roy
15-Dec-18
I’m assuming from your first post on this thread, that you didn’t, but thought I’d ask anyway. Did you have any pics of this buck from previous years?
From: JSW
15-Dec-18
I may have had 1 picture of him last year but it was not good enough quality to tell for sure.
From: Charlie Rehor
15-Dec-18
One more point, these giant typicals are almost always 4.5 to 6.5 years old. After that age they grow “stuff” which is usually “abnormal points”. These will knock the final score down or kick the rack to the non-typical category. Jim is aging the teeth so it will be neat to find out the age. Deer like this are like 7 foot humans. RARE
From: EmbryOklahoma
15-Dec-18
That was on the top of my questions to ask, was age. Looking forward to hearing his age. Fine buck, Jim! Congratulations once more and I'm sure won't be the last.
From: jjs
15-Dec-18
Charlie, that is funny about 7' humans is rare, just seen an NBA team that say different. The age factor would be interesting, remember going to a Wi deer commentee and their age study on bucks killed was 0 for 4 year olds.
From: Milhouse
13-Jan-19
Incredible buck and great story. Congrats on a beautiful deer. Tremendous pictures as well.
From: Jeff Holchin
14-Jan-19
Well done on all counts. I like the side view with golden sunrise glow the best.
From: Ole Coyote
14-Jan-19
Holy crap! if I ever got a shot at a deer like that i doubt my old heart would survive, lol. Congrats!!
From: JSW
02-Feb-19
I finished the mount today. I'll be shamelessly showing him off at a few convention/banquets. CTAS, Kansas Bowhunters Association and Colorado Bowhunters. They might even let me display it at Pope and Young in Omaha.
I'll get chills thinking about this hunt for the rest of my live.
From: itshot
02-Feb-19
i dont say it often, but OMG.....
hats off to you JSW!
From: EmbryOklahoma
02-Feb-19
Looks great Jim!
