Buckeyenut

Here is a trail cam photo of him. As you can see he was a double drop, but broke the longer left one off in the last couple of weeks.

I appreciate the sentiment and the 411. However, I too, am very skeptical of the 195". The spread is indeed 26-6/8", and the beams are definitely 30" and 28-6/8, and the bases are 5-6/8" but I'm still not convinced. Regardless of what he scores, I am beyond thrilled to have had the pleasure to hunt him, and the unbelievable fortune to have harvested him. Thanks again!

Thanks, buddy! Those words mean a lot! RP

Chris- thanks for posting the picture! Honestly, I am still in stunned disbelief. We have been hunting this deer for 3 years. We have tons of trail cam photos, but we only saw him one time during daylight hours. That was 2 years ago, and my 13 year old nephew missed him clean. This particular hunt has an emotional (at least to me) back story due to the fact that my Dad was unable to hunt this year due to an aggressive cancer induced surgery 3 weeks ago. It is the first time he has missed the Ohio shotgun opener in 33 years, and I have never had a season when he wasn't there in my 28 years of hunting Ohio's gun season. It was also the first time my two brothers wouldn't be able to hunt the opener. So, needless to say I had a heavy heart heading to deer camp this year. However, on my way out the door, Dad told me to shoot a big buck for him. I immediately thought of the "wide 12". True story! The story of the actual hunt is very long, so I will try to cut right to it. I had a very eventful morning seeing 8 bucks and about 15 does including this same buck, and a very big 8 pointer that I would have been very happy with, but both of these bucks approached from opposite directions at the very same time (along with a nice 9 and 5 does). What are the odds of that? The big 8 approached from behind me, and ended up picking me off at 15 yards after moving my head about a nanometer, and the wide 12 disappeared into a thicket in front of me about 50 yards. I couldn't believe my perceived misfortune. I thought it was all over, but it was only 11:00 and the deer activity was cranking. Every buck I saw that morning was trailing or bumping does. At about 12:15 I was still trying to figure out how I could have a really big deer, and a truly giant deer both within 50 yards of me, at the same time, and not even get a shot? That's when I heard a twig break in the same spot I had seen the wide 12 a little over an hour ago. When I looked up the hill I couldn't believe it-there was no mistaking this deer, obviously! He was on the same trail heading down the hill that the 9 had bumped the does earlier, and he was fully committed. I picked an opening and just waited for him to step into it. I'm not gonna lie, and I'm still not sure how I kept my composure, but I was quickly becoming unglued. I took the shot and he kicked and took off. I was sure I hit him but he didn't go down, and I watched him run out of sight. I waited awhile, and then climbed down and looked for blood. I found a few drops, and then decided to hike out, and go get my buddy to help me with the track job. As hard as we hunted for this deer during the last 3 bow and gun seasons (I had over 300 hours in stand last archery season alone) it only seemed right to share this with my buddy. To put it mildly there were a lot of high fives at the end of this track job. There is an entirely different long story on getting the buck out of the woods, but I'll just say that I totaled my quad, and was very fortunate to have avoided very serious injury. Talk about going from the ultimate hunting high to scared to death, and just thankful to be alive! My taxidermist and I put a tape to him tonight, and we came up with a rough gross score of 195-4/8" and a net of 181-4/8". He has a 26-3/4" inside spread, and a 29" outside spread. His beams are 28-6/8" and 30". The smallest circumference on both bases were a matched 5-6/8". Sorry to ramble on and on, and thanks for taking the time to read my story.

My 12ga. Benelli loves the 2-3/4" Federal Premium Barnes Xpanders

Sure- come on down. It will cost you a rabbit/pheasant trip though!

Any time Chris! I love those pics. Took my biggest buck (152+") over on the far right edge of the second picture. The stand was originally about 40 yards in that direction. We moved it to take advantage of the break in the fence line over your left shoulder.

I have a MacBook Pro and have no issues with Cuddeback, Moultrie, or Wildview cameras. I load them onto iphoto through my Canon elph camera.

Our deer hammer our mineral sites year round in Eastern Ohio. We have been seeing and killing bigger deer since we started using minerals.

I would say bobcat. I just don't see a long, cougar-like tail even after blowing it up and pausing the video.

Where you on a guided hunt? If so, would you mind saying who the outfitter is and if you would recommend them (although if you saw a 200" typ and shot 193"er I think I know that answer)?

mikeb- we have planted turnips in our plots a couple of times- just down the river from you (Toronto area). The deer absolutely hammered them all Winter long. I recommend them highly!

I am thinking about a new bunny/bird gun. I want a 20ga, but wasn't sure how it would be for pheasants. How far can you stretch out there with that? What loads- 3inch? I'm loving the Browning Cynergy Feather composite stock! See below. http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?value=014B&cat_id=013&type_id=275&content=cynergy-feather-composite-firearms

To each their own. I, however, just want to grow (and ultimately kill) big whitetails and BFO is great stuff for doing just that! He definitely could have handled the competition product claims differently, but it will not deter me from using or recommending the BFO products.

Is that a 20ga Montefeltro?

I fully endorse Buck Forage Products. We have tried Biologic, Evolved Habitats, Antler King, and Buck Forage Products. We have had much greater success with Buck Forage Oats and Chicory as far as germination, growth, and deer usage! Compared to all of the money that I spend on hunting each year- there is simply NO WAY that I am going to try and save a few pennies on a cheap foot plot seed! BFP are simply the best products my group has ever used!

I have several shotguns that I use deer hunting. I have a 12ga Benelli M1 topped with a Leupold which is my favorite. I shoot 1 oz. federal premium barnes xpanders- very accurate, and very little recoil with the Benelli. I also have 2 870's a 12ga and a 20ga- the 12ga has a Bushnell holosight on it and the 20ga has a red dot. I must admit most of the deer I have shot were well within 50 yards, and all of these guns have performed great.

Some deer hits are just puzzling! This past Saturday, during shotgun season, my brother jumped a buck that just didn't seem right. It ran out about 70 yards and stopped. So, he shot it, and it piled up. When he got to the buck he rolled it over and a crossbow bolt was sticking out of it! It was hit just above the shoulder and had been in there quite a while it seemed. No blood trail or blood in its bed! We were shocked that that particular hit wasn't lethal immediately! I can't explain it, but deer do have an amazing ability/will to survive- so nothing really surprises me. Heck, look at some of the freak puncture wound type of accidents that people survive. Sorry this has happened to you two years in a row, but keep after it!

That's the kinda problem I wish I had!

Federal Premium Barnes Xpander out of a Benelli M1= ridiculously tight groups and knock down power!

I agree, and I'll expand on that thought. The beans provide protein, a vital macro nutrient that is used in every cell in the deers body. Protein also helps build and repair tissue (which provides body mass for the upcoming rut), aids in antler growth, and helps to make enzymes and hormones that the body needs- including helping the does with lactation (feeding of their fawns). Lastly, protein does provide some energy, but the body does not have a mechanism to store that "energy", such as the way excess carbohydrates (corn) are stored as "fat". So, during warm(er) weather the beans are just what the deer need. Now, when it is cold the deer need energy to regulate normal body functions, such as heat regulation and respiration. The easiest way to get this energy is to eat lots of carbohydrates (corn)- they provide all the deers immediate energy needs, and any "extra energy" is stored as body fat. This is not to say that deer don't eat beans in cold weather, because they do still need protein in their diet. My suggestion is to plant both, if you can!

Keep your head- it happens to everyone (sadly usually more than once). I arrowed a good 8 last year in the shoulder and didn't recover him- he showed up on camera 2 weeks later no worse for the wear. Oh, and he really has blown up this year! Crazy day on the farm yesterday! Rink passed a wide 10 that we have several photos of. He said he didn't like the tine length, but he's been second guessing ever since. Scott S. had a limb in his way of whacking a "tall- thick" 10 pointer. I saw 18 deer of which 13 were bucks- no shooters for me but a couple pretty decent 8's.

I understand waiting until after deer season- I will be chasing deer until then also. Hopefully, i can anchor one with the Triumph! Rink's Encore shoots those Powerbelts amazingly well. As much as I hate to admit it, he is a great shot. After all, he is a SWAT counter-sniper, right?

Rabbit hunt? Does that mean we are invited back?? If so, let's set a date! Rink's Encore loves Powerbelts btw.

I just patterned my Triumph today. It shot unbelievable groups with 100gr 777 pellets and 240gr Precision Rifle Dead Center Sabots. I was able to cloverleaf 3 shot groups from 50 yards consistently, and from 100 yards they were sub 2 inch groups. I also shot 245gr Powerbelts and they patterened nicely, as well, but I prefer the Dead Centers for hunting. Good luck!