However, his obsession and hard work were ultimately what put us on Sasquatch. During the five-year hunt for the buck, Jacobs father always said that they would take a picture in front of this sign if they killed Sasquatch. He saw only two deer that evening: A 3-year-old buck traveling with the big 4.5-year-old he was hoping to see. Some were saying 230 or 240 pts. This year, the rifle will be chambered in 7mm PRC, the hot new load that was a hit at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Sasquatch continued to pass by our trail cameras until he lost his velvet, and then he disappeared. Winchester's Nathan Robinson talks features with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. I rarely hunt with a firearm.". The new Frontier, available in 8x42 and 10x42, has all the range-finding capabilities a hunter needs. Dr. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton explain why it's important to know your neighbors when operating a smaller deer property. The broadhead struck true, and the giant bolted for cover. This was a great accomplishment considering how many other people hunt sheds in LBL. Settles biological father, Terry, passed away earlier this year. He went to the point of impact and found bright red, bubbly blood. For any game and fish questions or reports call 1(800)272-GAME. Knowing that Kline had actively hunted this deer for years, the landowner was nice enough to let him keep the rack. Mike Clerkin heads to the legendary Buffalo County, Wisconsin, in search of early season whitetail action. Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller gets more info from Hawke's Paige Shipe at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. They watched it feed along as the sun began to dip lower behind the trees. The number of times I thought Dad was going crazy over this deer was countless. But almost immediately, skeptical hunters started asking what everyone was thinking: Was it a high fence deer?. Total Harvest Results. My dad and Jason talked daily about Sasquatch, diving into different topo maps, aerial views and theories of what the deer might do next. That was four years ago. He was by far the smartest deer we have ever pursued. The arrow struck true, and the deer ran for cover. Opening day of deer season 2021 didn't disappoint with reports of Bluegrass State bucks taken by bowhunters measuring 170-plus inches. Guner Womack killed one of the most perfectly symmetrical whitetails. I was hoping Id maybe see him again. Hornady's Seth Swerczek goes in depth about the new cartridge with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. It is my girlfriend's family's farm, and her uncle hunted occasionally, but, sadly, he passed away five years ago. I just kind of put him in the back of my mind. Then, it happened. Skis are easily the most efficient way to cover snowy ground on foot in winter. I would only move when it got windy. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. He hoped the buck might return in camera photos, but he knew in his gut that wasnt likely to happen. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. But he never got the chance. But nothing prepared Settle for the buck he started getting trail cam pictures of in July 2020 at one of his mineral plots. This deer is big, he carries a big, non-typical frame. However, after now reading Facebook comments and seeing photos of his deer that were posted on the page of an Indiana deer preserve, one thing is clear: Someone is not telling the truth. Hell of a buck. The Model 336 is expected to be launched soon; the Model 1894 should launch this spring. "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. Last year, the buck was 60 yards away, but wouldn't come any closer. Tag already filled; Kline couldnt help but wonder what had happened to Herman. Then he retrieved his gear from the blind returned home to pick up his 16- and 18-year-old boys, who Settle calls his little tracking dogs. They went back to look for the buck. It truly felt like I was supposed to be in that stand.". "I've got close to an hour and a half before dark," Kirkpatrick said to Moore. The massive deer laid dead only 50 yards from the property line. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. I could tell that a lot of deer were running through here, he says, noting that the neighbors also allow him to hunt their adjoining land. In fact, the closest game farm is nearly 10 miles away from where he arrowed the whitetail. Northwestern Ohio has blocks of fields and woods, Kline says. The large soybean field was surrounded by hardwoods, and he was hunting on a peninsula of timber that protruded out into the field. Word continued to spread, and once social media got ahold of the story it went viral. We started receiving messages from people all over the country. Currently, I'm filming for Kentucky Afield TV and have been since 2016. Geo resource failed to load. He drew back, anchored, settled the pin and took the 42-yard shot. 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. It stretched the tape to 179 inches. Sasquatch went down in his tracks! You can scout and hunt hard and not see a deer for days. Among the accomplishments includes the recently concluded Save the Habitat, Save the Hunt initiative, which in 10 years conserved or enhanced 5.3 million acres of critical wildlife habitat, recruited 1.5 million new or lapsed hunters, and opened new access to 750,000 acres for hunting and recreation. His treestand was positioned on the ridge, with bedding cover at the end of the point. Beach was ecstatic. "I was very excited about opening day," Standard said. The illegal killing of a trophy deer in Northern Kentucky led to the arrest of a hunter, Kentucky officials said. The buck had a huge body, and we guessed him to be 4 or 5 years old. Then he started pulling those long legs out from under him to stand up. Bowhunting is just one of those things that I used to love when I was growing up, Settle adds. "I could tell he would not get as close as the other buck, but would be crossing my shooting area, so I referenced my orange survey tape.". That summer, Dad ordered a topo map of Sasquatchs core area, which was about 3,000 acres. Kline hunts Sandusky County, Ohio, which is located in the northwestern region of the state. At SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Access. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. "As soon as I made the shot, we heard the thud and the deer took off into the beans," he said. | All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. It was so bad that my dad would take his sheds off the mantle and hide them if we had company. Clark's huge buck carried 23. "He never knew I was anywhere around. Your honesty about the situation is more impressive than this genetic freak's antlers. He is one of the biggest bucks ever taken out of LBL. Sasquatch officially has 15 scorable points that make his gross score 193 0/8 inches. "The farm hasn't been bowhunted for five-plus years. It was kind of dumb for a deer this big, but people would see him every day, either morning or evening.. It may not display this or other websites correctly. The deer frequented a food plot theyd planted specifically for him, and his movements became very predictable. Last year, during gun season, I had him in gun range at about 80 yards. Ever since we started hunting Sasquatch, my dad would say, If we ever kill him, we are getting a picture in front of that sign.. I initially didnt believe it, but she sent me a picture and sure enough they were his. He decided to come back the next morning. I think Herman was already dead by the time I killed mine.. About 15 minutes before dark, the deer appeared yet again, walking toward Deckards stand for a third time. Jacob Carnine, along with his family, hunted this 193-inch giant for five years on public land in Kentucky. By last summer the giant buck had grown an even more impressive rack. #1 - Wisconsin Wisconsin is the #1 ranked state with 1,822 total entries and six counties in the top 20 U.S. counties with the most records produced. I immediately had my gun up and the safety off. He was looking over his back at me. Browning's Rafę Nielsen shares details on the new X-Bolt Pro LR McMillan hunting rifle with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. His window was narrow, too: Shortly after shedding its velvet, the buck always departed Lacefields hunting grounds. What is the Most Important Factor in Whitetail Nutrition? His second shot struck true. He shared the good news with them, and then met them at his house nearby. - Big Deer Previous Next Kentucky Giant Buck, 226 Inches! That is one of the best-looking racks Ive seen from last season,beautiful color and all those stickers! I got a little concerned, Kline says. It had 5-inch bases and carried between 5 inches and 4. Stephen Tucker killed the deer in Sumner County, TN. Jason Kline shows off the beast that he hunted for nearly a decade. That would be the only time Kline ever spotted the buck from the stand. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. According to Justin Spring, director of big game records for Boone and Crockett, the answer is simple. "I remember catching a glimpse of the top of his rack coming through the woods," Reed said. He especially didnt expect it to happen during his first year on a new farm. Its a moment that will be very hard to top and a memory that will last a lifetime. The next morning Dad called me broken-hearted; he found the deer, but it wasnt Sasquatch. It stretched the tape to 179 inches. That was also when we finally had a daylight picture of him, making us think this could be the year. He left everything in the blind except for his crossbow, a brand-new Raven R26, and one arrow. We climbed the same tree with our Summit climbers, and Dad was about six feet higher than me. Then, the buck started to turn. Hoping to hunt the buck on the opener, he decided to set his stand on the edge of some woods that sat high on a little knob. Find Your Arrows and Broadhead. GILBERT, W.Va . It was on Sept. 4 when Jamison Standard and Casey Reed tagged two of the biggest deer from opening day. "I killed him at five paces," he said, from a portable stand about 25 feet high in a tree. The deer started out as a main-frame 8-pointer, but sported a shiny sticker, too. They next day, it showed up in front of another treestand, but both the Deckards were sitting in the blind. We finally found the other side in mid-March. Look below you," Moore told him. "Don't move. I got out of the tree and slowly walked over to Sasquatch. Two of the biggest deer recorded in Walton County were killed over the last two years - a 178 non typical killed in 2014 and a 163 killed in 2013. Deer. The whole crew was there to celebrate their collective accomplishment, and one that was years in the making. Its a thick, secluded creek bottom.. Key features include muzzle velocities of 2,215-2,400 fps. Upon walking up on the deer, Standard raised the buck's head from the soybeans and immediately realized how big it was. This year, the rifle will be chambered in 7mm PRC, the hot new load that was a hit at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Right after Deckard settled in, he spotted the buck in the corn running away from his fathers blind and down into a ravine. Josh Carter killed this massive non-typical buck in Logan County on Halloween 2021. The new Frontier, available in 8x42 and 10x42, has all the range-finding capabilities a hunter needs. Features quick-change barrel system. 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. We thank God for giving us the perseverance and dedication to always press on no matter how frustrating it got. We had one camera left, so we decided to put it up by the scrape. Hope everyone gets to. Photo Gallery See all Photos Jamison Standard's Beanfield Behemoth Like its namesake, glimpses of this 16-point deer were only captured in grainy photos. I looked up at Dad and with tears in our eyes we went crazy, and we said a prayer thanking God for this opportunity. Deer began moving and, later in the day, movement really began to pick up. Its like living out a dream from when I was little.. Eventually, the music stopped and the shotgun blasts faded. Personal defense in the hunting woods could involve taking down a charging bear. Jason Kline has spent much of his life chasing whitetail deer. The afternoon before the opener, he glassed a large soybean field and spotted the giant, plus a 150-inch buck and others, as they walked out into the open. So, now that you have a brief history of LBL, here is the story of the buck we named Sasquatch.. Settle steadied the bow. We continued to run cameras to prepare for the quota hunt. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. I never told a soul about him. He just sat there, admiring the deer and soaking in the conclusion of a multi-year hunt. "I had never taken a buck with my bow before and was strongly considering taking this shot. With a 31-inch spread, many who see this deer will claim it's the biggest deer they've ever seen. We looked for his sheds and never found those either. Congrats on the once-in-a-lifetime hunt, Blake. Then, after seven or eight bucks walked through, he spotted giant antlers moving through the timber. Six weeks before the opener, he fell from a 12-foot ladder stand, and broke or fractured his wrists, ribs, and ankles. Fast forward to January. Spot and range targets without wasting valuable seconds switching between gear with Luepold's new rangefinder binocular, the BX-4 Range HD. By 2021, it had grown into a stud 4.5-year-old. Stan Potts doubles down in Montana and Wyoming. No one would believe me anyway. I felt the dread of thinking its never going to work out again. Thinking his hunt was over, he started to climb down, then decided against it. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Dad told me to climb down and make sure he was dead. It was a wise decision, because soon he noticed deer started moving. We are still blown away that we killed Sasquatch. We didnt want anyone to know about him. Fortunately for Kirkpatrick, a cold front had recently passed through, spurring deer movement. His story started several years ago, when a big 9-pointer graced his trail cameras. The timber dropped off into a drainage about 60 yards away. They recently built a new high fence and they think the deer had gotten out when they were moving deer into the pen.. 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. Many deer end up bedding on the end of big ridges, which are everywhere, and this makes it difficult to pattern them. Within 10 seconds we saw Sasquatch running wide open in our direction. That got that bucks attention, recalls Settle. ELD-X Precision Hunter). "I ventured away from deer hunting because of my passion for waterfowl hunting, but there's nothing like harvesting a buck with a bow. Location: Calhoun County, S.C. I looked around a little bit and something caught my eye. While Kirkpatrick loves to hunt whitetail deer, and chasing giants is part of that, he never imagined hed wrap his tag around a 5-year-old, 200-plus-inch buck this season. Gov. This page has. I was thinking, Do I keep hunting this giant? Kline says. I just wanted to see what it was like in that stand a few hours before dark.". Deer hunting in Tennessee started strong during the summer and finished strong in January with the harvest almost 20% larger than the previous season. After graduating from college, he worked as a freelance journalist for two years before returning to the F&S team full-time in 2021 as the brands News Editor. Almost anyone can hunt LBL, all you need is your statewide hunting license, tags and an LBL user permit. It was cloudy and cool on Sept. 5. Nathan Taylor started getting trail camera photos of a nice typical in 2019. All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Reed had in-person encounters with this giant deer in 2019 and 2020. There was a wild sapling pushed right up against the trees on the weed line. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. "When walking to my stand, I crossed through the soybeans to avoid the edge of the woods where they may have been bedded or would cross my path coming out of the woods," Standard said. One of the best messages we received was from a local woman saying she may have found three of Sasquatchs sheds while squirrel hunting. "I was doing everything I could on short notice with food plots, cameras and cleaning up stands," Kirkpatrick said. On Saturday, Dad and Luke hunted together with me and Jason in other trees within the same area. He pulled out his phone to try to take a quick video of the deer, but then a squirrel started barking at him. All the congrats to the hunter on taking that buck, but from our record book standpoint, its not an eligible deer, Spring said in an interview with MeatEater. 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. 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. Reed has owned the farm he hunts for eight years and has spent a lot of time developing it into what it is. Then, around 7 a.m., the big deer walked out, and Ed took the 25-yard shot. Standard took a deep breath, drew his bow and took the 40-yard shot, hitting the buck square in the vitals. This amazing story chronicles the life of a giant whitetail deer Don named "Mel" after Mel Johnson's world record typical whitetail deer. Taylor knew it to be a great staging area before deer head out to feed in the soybeans. We had kept Sasquatch a secret from almost everyone; even our closest friends had no idea we were hunting this buck. "I still can't believe that I was blessed enough to harvest this mature buck," Reed continued. For Release: Friday, April 23, 2021. I drive down the bypass all the time and me and my cousin once counted 10 in that grew up ditch at one time. I wasnt really getting many pictures of him, though, and my only good chance to kill this deer was during the rut, Kline says. While in the hospital, he learned about the temporary crossbow permit for injured and disabled hunters. Public Land Results. That's the second big deer killed in that area, we're they are doing construction across from kroger,. Imagine hunting a buck for four years without ever seeing him in person. The National Wild Turkey Federation's mission to conserve wild turkey and preserve hunting heritage is still going strong after a half-century. Logan Beach arrowed this 162-inch giant in Logan County, Kentucky. 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. At 200+ inches, Huffman's deer becomes the new Kentucky state record for typical bucks taken with a crossbow. "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. It was also the opening of dove season, and after climbing into the stand, he heard gunshots everywhere. Still, he and others regularly glassed the giant out in the open on the big farm that wouldnt allow hunting . The buck was bedded down. Strutter. That's crazy! By summer 2020, we had several more pictures of him, and Sasquatch continued to grow. Give a Gift This buck was killed yesterday in Richmond in front of Krogers. I felt like my dad was with me like an angel on my shoulder, he says. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. Each year the buck packed on more antler growth, but Lacefield couldnt get within range for a shot. I had an incredible year in 2021, from my dad and I taking trophy-class mule deer on a DIY public land hunt in Wyoming, to killing a buck of a lifetime near home. Giant bucks on opening day were taken by Kentucky bowhunters Jamison Standard and Casey Reed. It was Dads biggest LBL deer ever, a 170-inch buck that we had two years of sheds from, but it wasnt the deer he was after. Eventually, the buck he was hoping to see walked into the clearing, and Beach took the shot. 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. Of the elk harvested, 21,000 were bulls. Whether you hunt or not, you take notice of an animal like that, Lindsey continued. (Photo courtesy of Jacob Carnine) I looked up at Dad and with tears in our eyes we went crazy, and we said a prayer thanking God for this opportunity. Before daylight, Standard slowly eased along a low-impact entry route and slipped into his treestand undetected. Few people could really hunt him because of where he was unless he traveled around or went across the road, which he did.. Legendary Whitetails has it on display. More than 300,000 Hoosiers are sitting in their deer stands, looking for their dream buck this hunting season. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. It was showing up regularly and seemed very huntable. Womack's buck will certainly be close, but he'll have to wait another 59 days to get an official Boone & Crockett measurement. The big velvet buck ran a few steps, tangled its antlers in a tree, and collapsed. This year, while Saturday's number of 20,263 was lower, hunters made up for that on Sunday with 12,126 deer harvested, for a total of 32,389. After giving the deer plenty of time, the Arkenaus took up the blood trail, and found the buck. Winchester's Nathan Robinson talks features with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. He had never seen an animal quite like this one beforeand neither had the rest of the world. All Rights Reserved. One of the things Kentucky deer hunters look forward to is hunting velvet bucks. Officers say a deer this big sends red flags flying. When I saw him on the ground, Ive never really acted like that in my adult life, says Settle. We found one side, and it was a mile and a half from the trail camera picture. I owe a lot of this to him., Read Next: Utah Hunter Arrows Insane Opening Day Mule Deer. 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. Speaking of city deer is that fort Mitchell deer still kickin. While checking one of the cameras, Dad saw a mature deer cross a saddle. That was, until the 2021 Kentucky deer quota hunt at LBL. The Model 336 is expected to be launched soon; the Model 1894 should launch this spring. He shot nice bucks each of the past three seasons, including a nice 13-pointer last year. Full story on this beast coming soon from Dean Weimer, more I look at that rack, what a buck. None of them fully spooked, but they didnt like what they saw, either. The carcass was picked over by scavengers so there was no way to tell what had actually killed the buck. Needless to say, LBL is not for the faint of heart. The buck ran a short distance and tipped over. Josh Honeycutt 0:05. Right after he got into the blind, he saw something that stirred [his] curiosity., I was getting situated, he says. He knew it was a big buck, but he wasnt certain that it was Sasquatch. City deer are a different breed. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Read Next: 10 Amazing Photos of a Buck Shedding Velvet. FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) A Kentucky coal miner died Saturday in an accident at an underground mine, authorities said. But on Sunday morning it was just me and Dad. In the beginning, the deer was mostly typical, but that changed with time. Deer: Balancing Expectations for Small Properties, Get to Know Your Neighbors for Better Deer Herd Management, Big Buck Profile: Reid Crawford Kansas Buck, Choosing Correct Magnification for Rifle Scope, Big Buck Profile: Troy Metzger's East Illinois Giant. Kirkpatrick immediately called his friends: Chase Geary, who shot a 167 4/8-inch deer earlier in the season; Nick Huff, who's shot plenty of mature deer; and Jake Peveler, someone who knew the land well. Few states offer a good shot at a velvet buck, but Kentucky is one of them. Available in 180- and 200-grain sizes. 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. After several tense minutes, he finally offered a broadside, 30-yard shot opportunity. ELD Match, and 175 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. Nathan Simmons of Browning and Game & Fish's John Taranto take a closer look at both cartridges at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. seizing and destroying hunter-killed deer brought in . On September 15, Blake Keating killed a Kansas buck that would likely dethrone Luke Brewster's whitetail as the biggest in North American history. Spot and range targets without wasting valuable seconds switching between gear with Luepold's new rangefinder binocular, the BX-4 Range HD. At each spot, I tied a small piece of orange surveyor's tape to the tops of soybean plants so they would be visible from my stand and make it easy to know my yardage. "I don't believe I will harvest another one this size," Kirkpatrick said. That is one of the best-looking racks I've seen from last season, beautiful color and all those stickers! Kansas bowhunter Brian Butcher couldnt believe his eyes when a monster whitetail snuck into sight in the eastern part of the state on October 10, 2019. Most of those acres are open hardwoods, with many hills, hollows and some crop fields scattered around. The 360 Buckhammer cartridge is designed for lever-action rifles and will be available in two Remington Core-Lokt loads. I never showed the trail cam pictures to anybody I knew what he was., Settle recently set up an elevated ground blind on the corner of his property closest to his house. When the buck walked through an opening, and the younger Deckard shotand missed. Browning's Rafę Nielsen shares details on the new X-Bolt Pro LR McMillan hunting rifle with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. The next morning, Sept. 4, brought cool weather and light southerly winds. It was amazing to have this experience with my family; it was a day I will never forget. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. 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. This summer, the buck used a consistent travel route, and Taylor quickly patterned the deer. Both bucks were 100% free-range, but the answer is a bit more complicated for this next whitetail. On our way back to the truck one day, we came across a scrape at the bottom of a really steep drainage. His elusiveness led to us joking about him even being real, which is where he got the name Sasquatch. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. The rifle has five caliber offerings, two barrel choices and three different riser stocks. His desk-mate was a mounted warthog. Here are there stories of those giant bucks.