"I was doing everything I could on short notice with food plots, cameras and cleaning up stands," Kirkpatrick said. 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. Then when a game farm reached out and said the antlers looked familiar, Keating knew the whitetail was an escapee. Giant bucks on opening day were taken by Kentucky bowhunters Jamison Standard and Casey Reed. 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. "I had never had a deer quite this size before on the farm.". In the video above, Leopold's Shawn Skipper highlights the features of the exciting new optics with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. I was bringing him along for the ride. It may not display this or other websites correctly. We began looking for sheds daily again, grid searching the 3000-plus acres. Josh Honeycutt Sage Marshall I looked around a little bit and something caught my eye. Ryan Mattingly spends a lot of time chasing whitetails. We found one of his sheds in late January and looked for the other side all spring with no luck. Lance Hill's South Carolina Stud. Right after he got into the blind, he saw something that stirred [his] curiosity., I was getting situated, he says. ELD-X Precision Hunter). In December of 2019, it happened while Kline was there. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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. Then, the big deer came back out, now concealed by a bunch of weeds. That was, until the 2021 Kentucky deer quota hunt at LBL. Settle says the. I owe a lot of this to him., Read Next: Utah Hunter Arrows Insane Opening Day Mule Deer. The area where his stand was hung served as a great staging area as deer moved out to feed. Ken Vitale with Buck Knives chats with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller about two new hunting knives for 2023the purpose-built Alpha and PakLite series. 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. When the wind is blowing toward his home, he knows that its a good time to hunt from the blindlike it was on Saturday, September 11, 2021, when Settle decided to go hunting around 2:30 p.m. 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. The large soybean field was surrounded by hardwoods, and he was hunting on a peninsula of timber that protruded out into the field. Look below you," Moore told him. The velvet was a little damaged from the branches, but Beach didnt much care. Knowing that Kline had actively hunted this deer for years, the landowner was nice enough to let him keep the rack. Kirkpatrick scrambled to get ready for deer season. He hit the woods on Sept. 25 in hopes of arrowing the big buck he had on camera. But on Sunday morning it was just me and Dad. 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. Both bucks were 100% free-range, but the answer is a bit more complicated for this next whitetail. I know this buck being harvested out of one of his stands would have made his day. Josh Carter killed this massive non-typical buck in Logan County on Halloween 2021. The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. 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. It all happened within three minutes. The carcass was picked over by scavengers so there was no way to tell what had actually killed the buck. He just sat there, admiring the deer and soaking in the conclusion of a multi-year hunt. A food plot and lots of edge habitat stretched out in front of them. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. They knew theyd target the giant 12-pointer this year, and they did just that on the Kentucky opener. His rack was just the icing on the cakeitll never happen again to me.. The bulk of Hermans core area was located on a large tract of land owned by a farmer who doesnt allow hunting. My stand was in the top of a tall cedar tree with a good view of the soybean field.". (Photo by Chase Geary). He only wanted Sasquatch. It was cloudy and cool on Sept. 5. Eventually he found waterfowl hunting, which has consumed his time in recent years, but he finds his way back to the deer woods every season. Eventually, the music stopped and the shotgun blasts faded. Deciding on a particular area, he settled into the stand on a 50-acre soybean field surrounded by woods, with a food plot located between the crops and timber. In this edition of "Big Buck Profile," Gordon Whittington talks with young whitetail hunter Reid Crawford about his trophy buck taken in 2017. Several oaks were already dropping acorns, and there was heavy deer sign. I took my backpack off, got a drink of Coke, and just settled in. The arrow struck true, and the deer ran for cover. Hes a union carpenter and lived a couple of miles from his current property. The timber dropped off into a drainage about 60 yards away. Strutter. He shot nice bucks each of the past three seasons, including a nice 13-pointer last year. Thinking his hunt was over, he started to climb down, then decided against it. Dr. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton explain why it's important to know your neighbors when operating a smaller deer property. He especially didnt expect it to happen during his first year on a new farm. Its unclear when the buck escaped, but Keating started getting pictures of it on September 11. Personal defense in the hunting woods could involve taking down a charging bear. Its a moment that will be very hard to top and a memory that will last a lifetime. ), It took me a long time to get over to the deer, he says. Much to his surprise, the deer returned this summer. Land Between the Lakes National Recreation area is about 20 minutes from our hometown of Benton, Kentucky. Here are there stories of those giant bucks. Aug 20, 2007. I immediately had my gun up and the safety off. 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. It was seen last year in the area as well. Fortunately, Kline has permission to hunt a 7-acre parcel that borders the sanctuary. That was also when we finally had a daylight picture of him, making us think this could be the year. Of the elk harvested, 21,000 were bulls. It was showing up regularly and seemed very huntable. 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. Read Next: Shed Hunting: Secrets of the Shed Masters. We climbed the same tree with our Summit climbers, and Dad was about six feet higher than me. LBL is also home to a wide variety of recreational activities. Kline hunts Sandusky County, Ohio, which is located in the northwestern region of the state. This big buck had historically spent the early and late seasons on the Arkenaus property, and spent the rut elsewhere. Deer. Some were saying 230 or 240 pts. The massive deer laid dead only 50 yards from the property line. Photo Gallery See all Photos Jamison Standard's Beanfield Behemoth "I've got close to an hour and a half before dark," Kirkpatrick said to Moore. "I enjoy being in the great outdoors. Date of Kill: Aug. 22, 2021. About 300 yards away, in the corner of a soybean field south of me, the light shined on his rack right when I was looking that way. Hell of a buck. We had kept Sasquatch a secret from almost everyone; even our closest friends had no idea we were hunting this buck. The illegal killing of a trophy deer in Northern Kentucky led to the arrest of a hunter, Kentucky officials said. Many deer end up bedding on the end of big ridges, which are everywhere, and this makes it difficult to pattern them. Settles biological father, Terry, passed away earlier this year. All the while, a 162-inch deer showed up on a different farm. Copyright 2019 WAFF. It had 5-inch bases and carried between 5 inches and 4. After that season, he decided to focus all his energy on hunting that deer. KENTON CO., Ky. (FOX19) - An illegal killing of a trophy deer in early November has led to a hunter's arrest for wildlife-related charges and drug charges. But to put something like that in our record books would skew the data.. 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. LaRue's Ethan Alexander talks about the Siete's features with Game & Fish's Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Later that night, Lacefield recovered the deerhis biggest ever. In the video above, Leopold's Shawn Skipper highlights the features of the exciting new optics with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. His story started several years ago, when a big 9-pointer graced his trail cameras. However, that isnt always the case. They watched it feed along as the sun began to dip lower behind the trees. After the mandatory drying period, the rack scored an incredible 312-0/8. This man pleaded guilty to hunting without permission and hunting by aid of bait, which are both class C misdemeanors. Kline and other hunters hoped that the 2020 season would be the year. He was laying right where I thought he would be, which is kind of crazy, Kline says. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. 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. "This involves stand location, cellular trail cameras, making sure your hunting clothes are as scent-free as possible, not contaminating the area around your stand and, most importantly, always hunting the wind.". "When I reached for my bow, the deer jolted about 35 to 40 yards into the bean field and stopped on a dime. Id like to dedicate this deer to him and his memory. Stephen Tucker killed the deer in Sumner County, TN. Spot and range targets without wasting valuable seconds switching between gear with Luepold's new rangefinder binocular, the BX-4 Range HD. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. We finally found the other side in mid-March. His treestand was positioned on the ridge, with bedding cover at the end of the point. He climbed down and walked over to the downed deer. It got real intense from 50 to 12 yards, he says. Or, do I go hunt a deer thatd be the biggest deer Ive ever killed?, I ended up shooting the 162-inch deer, Kline says. But now that I actually have him at home, its crazy. My dad and Jason talked daily about Sasquatch, diving into different topo maps, aerial views and theories of what the deer might do next. Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries law enforcement officers say this is the biggest deer theyve seen all season. 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. An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky . But the buck took a full step to the right. This summer, the buck used a consistent travel route, and Taylor quickly patterned the deer. So what do the record keepers do about a deer like this? He decided crossbowhunting was the only option to hunt this giant deer this fall. The whitetail had a three-point right side, the size of which wasnt anything special. He knew it was a big buck, but he wasnt certain that it was Sasquatch. I rarely hunt with a firearm.". Few states offer a good shot at a velvet buck, but Kentucky is one of them. An intensive, four-year pursuit of an elusive buck dubbed "Sasquatch" at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area (LBL) ended in celebratory tears, hugs, and shared joy between father and son. "You must take the time to do all the preseason scouting," Reed said. To have the opportunity to take a buck like this is a dream come true.". They next day, it showed up in front of another treestand, but both the Deckards were sitting in the blind. 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. Brian Butcher shot a deer with massive antlers, but he won't let that give him a big head. Word got out fast, and we had people calling and wanting to come see the deer. From seeing him to when I shot him it was a three-minute thrill ride, Huff told MeatEater. Before daylight, Standard slowly eased along a low-impact entry route and slipped into his treestand undetected. He was a disabled veteran who served the country in the Army and was commended by Kentucky Senator Robert Mills for making many lasting contributions to his friends, family, community, and nation before his passing on March 25, 2021. Terry was never able to join Settle in the field when he was alive because of his disability. The hunt started off slowly, and Kirkpatrick didn't see a deer for the first several hours on stand. We observed a 2% increase from the 2018-19 season (145,745) and the 2019-20 season is 11% above the 10 year average (133,524). Even if he can't reach the Hanson or Johnson buck, Womack will likely beat the current Oklahoma typical record of 194 inches. But Settle says he felt his presence this September. About an hour later a small buck chased a doe from the same direction Dad had seen Sasquatch. He turned his head in my direction and turned it back straight. In the video above, Matt Willson of Ruger highlights the features with Game & Fish's John Taranto. Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller gets more info from Hawke's Paige Shipe at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. In January we got one picture of him, nearly two miles from where wed found his previous years sheds. Kline hoped for the best, but expected the worst. That's crazy! Clark's huge buck carried 23. Personal defense in the hunting woods could involve taking down a charging bear. Here are a handful of the best velvet bucks to come out of Kentuckys 2021 bowseason. It stretched the tape to 179 inches. With lessons learned from past seasons, Beach was excited when a familiar buck started showing up on his trail camera this summer. The number of times I thought Dad was going crazy over this deer was countless. All thanks to the good Lord above.". It was also the opening of dove season, and after climbing into the stand, he heard gunshots everywhere. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. I would only move when it got windy. Kline had years of trail camera photos, and a decent idea of how to kill the buck. This buck was killed yesterday in Richmond in front of Krogers. It was on Sept. 4 when Jamison Standard and Casey Reed tagged two of the biggest deer from opening day. Like its namesake, glimpses of this 16-point deer were only captured in grainy photos. FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) A Kentucky coal miner died Saturday in an accident at an underground mine, authorities said. The National Wild Turkey Federation's mission to conserve wild turkey and preserve hunting heritage is still going strong after a half-century. Then, it happened. 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. He hung around on the side near camp catalpa last year. A total of 159,962 deer were harvested. The whole crew was there to celebrate their collective accomplishment, and one that was years in the making. I was thinking, Do I keep hunting this giant? Kline says. It started with a friend of ours getting one trail camera picture of him in December 2017. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. 0:05. This was a great accomplishment considering how many other people hunt sheds in LBL. The hunt started with sightings of two does and three fawns. I came in on his left rear flank.. Post anything thread - piss n on lefties version. He shot the deer on a Saturday morning as it moved from water to a bedding area, Whitt said. 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. 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. That looks like a wood pile on his head! This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. By Chris Lawrence. I was going really slowly. 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. He says it was one of the most intense moments of his life. The next morning Dad called me broken-hearted; he found the deer, but it wasnt Sasquatch. This man pleaded guilty to hunting without permission and hunting by aid of bait, which are both class C misdemeanors. All North American Whitetail subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. We then went to the entrance of LBL to get a picture with the Land Between the Lakes sign and Sasquatch. 3,757 likes. Your honesty about the situation is more impressive than this genetic freak's antlers. Kirkpatrick says he rarely hunts in September, though he does when the weather feels like October. in early November. "My heart about beat out of my chest as I watched him make his way in my direction," Standard said. 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. All of those four are among the top 15 in the state in their respective category. He would make a great first buck with my bow.". Making the legal and ethical choice, he let the buck walk out of sight. Whitt. Access the newest seasons of MeatEater, save content, and join in discussions with the Crew and others in the MeatEater community. No one would believe me anyway. I felt the dread of thinking its never going to work out again. Give a Gift He went to the point of impact and found bright red, bubbly blood. His sons took some good deer as well. At least 74 people in Kentucky have died after a weekend tornado outbreak across eight states flattened homes and businesses in the Midwest and South. After seeing those few trail camera pictures of him, we became obsessed with finding Sasquatchs sheds. But nothing prepared Settle for the buck he started getting trail cam pictures of in July 2020 at one of his mineral plots. Ruger's popular American bolt-action rifle has been a hit with hunters for years. Around 5:30 p.m., he decided to call his friend, Kyle Moore, to see if he wanted to come sit the remainder of the evening with him. "I ventured away from deer hunting because of my passion for waterfowl hunting, but there's nothing like harvesting a buck with a bow. Hope that's not the case cause I would like to see some better pics of it. Buck after buck walked in and out of view, but each one looked up at Lacefields position. This makes for heavy hunting pressure and many deer become nocturnal at an early age. Beach was ecstatic. Were trying to get the full story. The deer started out as a main-frame 8-pointer, but sported a shiny sticker, too. Marlin is back in the game with the re-introduction of the classic 336 and 1894 lever-action hunting rifles. Kline hunts Sandusky County, Ohio, which is located in the northwestern region of the state. This page is designed to showcase bucks from the Bluegrass State. According to Keating, the 50-point buck was not killed inside of a high fence. This amazing story chronicles the life of a giant whitetail deer Don named "Mel" after Mel Johnson's world record typical whitetail deer. Hes so much bigger in person. 10 Amazing Photos of a Buck Shedding Velvet, How to Tag a Velvet Whitetail Buck (and the Best States to Make It Happen). As proof of the effort's success, in 2020 two new records were set with the largest typical and non-typical archery bucks ever taken . It was on Sept. 4 when Jamison Standard and Casey Reed tagged two of the biggest deer from opening day. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. Which begs the question: Why arent more bird hunters using them? Still, he and others regularly glassed the giant out in the open on the big farm that wouldnt allow hunting . When bow season rolled around, we seldom got pictures of Sasquatch; and when we did, they were never during daylight. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Reflecting back on his many years of pursuing this deer has been bittersweet. Score: 211 inches (unofficial gross score), "This was the first year I had access to this farm," he said. We are investigating this story and will continue to publish updates as we learn more. The NWTF is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Warren County, Mississippi Turns out the area around Vicksburg, Mississippi, is more than just an attraction for Civil War history buffs. Public Land Results. There are some giants out there especially the 300" deer at the end of this video. During the summer of 2021, we had several pictures of Sasquatch, and he was still impressive. 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. He was still in early velvet, but I could just tell he had a lot going on under all that fuzz., The deer returned to the mineral plot at different parts of the day for nearly six weeks. I just couldnt get a good shot at him, and to be perfectly honest, he was standing right on the property line. "It became a yearly tradition for me," he said. LIMESTONE COUNTY, AL (WAFF) - In November, a Limestone County man illegally killed a 25-point deer on private property. Then, on August 28, 2020, weeks before the archery season opened, the buck visited Settles property for the last time in a long while. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Eastons first deer 2021 Posted: 3/19/2022. 2019-2020 Total Harvest Summary 148,395 deer were harvested during the 2019-20 deer season, which is the second highest harvest on record. 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. I was able to get a perfect shot within a few seconds.". Settle immediately felt confident about his shot placement. Lacefield slowly drew back. It was amazing to have this experience with my family; it was a day I will never forget. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. After finding the buck, a game warden arrived to check everything out. Jason Kline has spent much of his life chasing whitetail deer. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. I was so mad about last year, Kline says. My dad, Luke, family friend Jason Divita and I covered miles almost every day, and we found one of his sheds in late January. "Don't move. And there are several roads throughout the area, so many areas are easily accessible. Read Next: 10 Amazing Photos of a Buck Shedding Velvet. 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. It was broadside and slightly quartering away from Settle. Dad always says, Hunt harder, go deeper, stay longer and when you want to quit, youre almost there. LBL does offer a three-day rifle quota hunt in November that you must apply for and draw a permit. The 2021-22 deer season is a wrap, and some big whitetails fell between the opening and closing bells. 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. Soon after settling into the stand, deer began moving. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Story is that someone cut it;s head off and left before the F&W guys arrived. The rack is still in the drying phase before it can be officially scored B&C. "I stood up and watched him run about 150 yards, falling over just short of a ditch. Kentucky Big Bucks. Standard exercised patience, though, and waited for the giant to appear. This winter, he found the bucks rack, By The afternoon started off slow, with very little deer movement. Its a thick, secluded creek bottom.. 2:33. In the video above, Matt Willson of Ruger highlights the features with Game & Fish's John Taranto.
biggest deer killed in kentucky 2021