240" Muley in Utah
Contributors to this thread:Mule Deer
From: Zim
26-Jul-20
Zim's Link
Was listening to the Backcountry Hunting Podcast where he was interviewing Robby Denning on Mule Deer tactics and Robby mentioned there was a ~240" buck killed last year in Northern Utah. I'm not trying to get any details on the hunter (sounds like he wants to be anonymous) but has anyone heard or seen anything on this buck? Would love to hear the story or see a quick pic of the buck. If you goto 1:05:15 in the linked podcast you can hear where they talk bout it. Just goes to show there's big bucks in hidden pockets scattered across the west...
From: Jaquomo
26-Jul-20
Yep, they are out there. I know a guy who killed the potential WR hard horned typical muley year before last, but he won't have it officially scored or entered because he doesn't want the social media flak and publicity that comes with it.
From: BOWUNTR
26-Jul-20
Reported score and official score are usually two different numbers and 100% of the time the reported number is the largest. I believe that most often when a campfire score gets attached to an animal, it stays with it forever. Ed F
From: JL
26-Jul-20
I've always felt there are some massive, record book, free range legal bucks hanging on someone's wall out there. Those folks don't care to advertise or brag about it....they just stay low key like the Utah hunter. It would be nice to see the stories on them.
From: BULELK1
27-Jul-20
Yes, the North Cache unit or Cache has been producing some dandy bow Bucks the last 2-3 years.
Seems like it's the same 2-3 guys and they get posted over on M&M, then they get deleted.
Good luck, Robb
From: Hondolane
27-Jul-20
JL 100% right.. I have manny 200+ deer and know ranchers that have barns full on mega giants that never got a score
From: Matt
27-Jul-20
In this day and age there is unfortunately so much negativity that goes along with killing really big animals, I don't blame anyone for keeping it between the two of them.
From: YZF-88
27-Jul-20
A lot of them get shot over apples with multiple spotters and radios. That could be a reason they don’t want the publicity.
From: CFMuley
29-Jul-20
The spotters and apples tends to be the bucks, and it never seems like those guys are too shy to post them up. I know of a handful of 215”+ general season bucks from the last few years, but the biggest ones I can remember are the ones from the Cache unit.
From: writer
21-Aug-20
Jaq...I can match that with a world-record typical whitetail (firearms) shot by someone I know. It's been measured by an official measurer, but he won't enter it because of the circus it would create.
From: Chief 419
21-Aug-20
Unfortunately, the circus exists in this community. It never fails that some feral human will have to pee on someone's parade. Sometimes the nonsense and baseless accusations cause unwarranted investigations by the game wardens. In today's world, it's the accusations that matter.
From: HDE
21-Aug-20
"In this day and age there is unfortunately so much negativity that goes along with killing really big animals"
Most of the time it's rivelry and jealousy. Sometimes it isn't. Sometimes it is the product of one feeling entitled over someone else. I know some guides that take it personally when someone shoots one of "their" deer. And then there is the whole youth only tag controversy, but that is a discussion for another day...
From: sticksender
22-Aug-20
The dilemma is very real for those who shoot a true world class monster. Most of us will never have to face that problem of course. But in the unlikely case.....I can't fathom entering it or publicizing it, in this age of social media. Not so much due to the skepticism, jealousy, and conspiracy theorists, but mainly to avoid destroying the area where it was taken.
From: Grey Ghost
22-Aug-20
A few years ago, I saw a set of antlers sticking out of the bed of an outfitter's pickup while at the gas station. My first thought was they were elk antlers. Of course, I had to walk over and take a look. Turns out it was a GIANT mule deer buck. I've seen enough big mulies to know that if this animal wasn't a world record, he was close. To my knowledge the hunter and outfitter kept that kill under their hats, probably for the same reasons expressed above.
It made me wonder how I would handle it, if I were lucky enough to kill an animal of that caliber. I concluded that I'd only share it with trusted family and friends, and make them swear to never post anything about it on social media. That would be enough "glory" for me.
Matt
From: W
25-Aug-20
Do people avoid entering animals in the record books because they have something to hide?
From: Habitat for Wildlife
25-Aug-20
If I took the WR, I would sell rights for every hunting products company offering the most money in each category, including ebikes and ecarts to use my endorsement and image.
All in the name of conservation of course.
From: Matt
25-Aug-20
"Do people avoid entering animals in the record books because they have something to hide?"
Some people are ambivalent to the record books and some people dislike them and would prefer not to contribute to them.
I only have 2 animals in the books. One was entered at the request of a close outfitter friend, but the other one was entered to prove I had nothing to hide after some @$$hole started rumors that I must have poached it if I didn't attend to enter it.
From: Ambush
25-Aug-20
Nearly all the “New World Record!!” animals end up falling substantially short of the mark. I’ve heard tons of stories about world records seen in old barns and in garages but none that anybody could remember the directions to. Not much different than every buck seen disappearing over the horizon was “... for sure a 195..”
From: Jaquomo
25-Aug-20
I have a rancher friend on the CO plains who has a basement full of "Oh My God" racks from muley bucks he has rifle killed over the years. The idea of having one scored and entered into B&C is not even in his time zone.
From: Zim
26-Aug-20
Appreciate everyone’s replies. In my experience, regardless of the field, arrogance and true merit are mutually exclusive. Those who are world class at their craft tend to conduct themselves more in line with the “quiet professional” mentality than the loud mouthed “look at me!”. I don’t doubt for a moment there are a number of hunters out there with phenomenal record book animals to their name that prefer to keep it to themselves.
From: 35-Acre
26-Aug-20
It's a shame. I enjoy seeing the big animals but I will say that I truly enjoy a good story of the hunt. And by that I mean "the crunching of the leaves", the "blown setup", the actual luck of it. I have the 3 book series on the biggest whitetails and the stories are great. they are about the hunt and not the prep or the "personality" with nicknames and catch phrases. Just enjoyable fireside stories at my camp before I put my head down and dream of it coming together for me the next day.
From: Shawn
26-Aug-20
I was in a house in NW Kansas and this guy had probably 20 bucks on his wall over 160"s. He told me at this point in time he won't even draw back on a buck that is less than 180"s. He had 2 typicals I am sure that are over 200"s as he had them measured. He has entered none of them cause he doesn't want all the attention and don't want more poachers on his family land than he already deals with. All were bow kills I believe. I also saw the biggest mulie buck I have ever seen on his property, a deer I am sure went over 200"s. I myself won't enter any whitetail unless over 200"s so it may never happen but I will have fun trying. Shawn
From: Ucsdryder
26-Aug-20
If I kill a 400” bull I’m going to get MySpace, facebook, and twitter and become insta famous and get a free set of crispis.
From: Charlie Rehor
26-Aug-20
Mel Johnson, World Record, Typical, Whitetail taken 1965 and still not topped. RIP Sir.
From: Grey Ghost
26-Aug-20
Wasn't Mel's buck topped by Milo Hansan's buck in 1992?
edit: apparently Mel's remains the largest bow killed whitetail. Shows you how much I pay attention to record lists.
Matt
From: JL
26-Aug-20
The old farmer/outfitter where I did my Iowa hunt at had some real big racks in one of his barns. He had a pic of very large and wide buck one of his hunters took. I took a pic of it and will try to find it. It's guys like that is why I will always believe there are potential WR bucks hanging on some low-key person's wall or stashed in some farm house or barn. It is my opinion that one day/year the Rompola buck will come out of hiding just for showing. (Kevin??)
