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. What is the most dangerous animal in Kentucky? However, that isnt always the case. 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. "I don't believe I will harvest another one this size," Kirkpatrick said. We continued to run cameras to prepare for the quota hunt. Winchester's Nathan Robinson talks features with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. He knew it was a big buck, but he wasnt certain that it was Sasquatch. Figuring the deer was around 8 years old in the fall of 2020, Kline had been hunting Herman since he was 4 or 5. Skis are easily the most efficient way to cover snowy ground on foot in winter. 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. Hes a union carpenter and lived a couple of miles from his current property. I immediately facetimed my girlfriend, who was at home with my mom and Luke, to tell them we just killed Sasquatch. No one would believe me anyway. I felt the dread of thinking its never going to work out again. Occasionally, the buck traveled through the 7-acre property. The fence is broken down right there, and I couldnt see it from where I was.. After our interview with Settle, we were confident that his story was true. He drew back, anchored, settled the pin and took the 42-yard shot. "It was emotional because this was [my girlfriend's] uncle's old stand. Everything in my body at that moment wanted to give up, he says. All the while, a 162-inch deer showed up on a different farm. On our way back to the truck one day, we came across a scrape at the bottom of a really steep drainage. We knew Sasquatch was big, but to have our hands on his rack was a completely different story. LaRue's Ethan Alexander talks about the Siete's features with Game & Fish's Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. The first couple hours were slow, with only a doe and fawn passing through. Mel's Perfect 66 Illinois deer scored 204 inches. His father returned to the blind, and Deckard went to another spot. We had kept Sasquatch a secret from almost everyone; even our closest friends had no idea we were hunting this buck. Both bucks were 100% free-range, but the answer is a bit more complicated for this next whitetail. Roughly 223,000 Colorado hunters harvested 39,000 elk in 2017, a 17% success rate. "Deer hunting means the world to me. November 11, 2021 - 3:17 pm. This big buck had historically spent the early and late seasons on the Arkenaus property, and spent the rut elsewhere. Few people could really hunt him because of where he was unless he traveled around or went across the road, which he did.. The area where his stand was hung served as a great staging area as deer moved out to feed. Were not opposed to that hunter shooting that deerwed actually encourage hunters to remove the buck in those situations. We are still blown away that we killed Sasquatch. The deer started out as a main-frame 8-pointer, but sported a shiny sticker, too. Total Harvest Results. Officers say a deer this big sends red flags flying. What is the biggest deer killed in Kentucky? I've seen some biggins in the middle of Frankfort. The carcass was picked over by scavengers so there was no way to tell what had actually killed the buck. I figured he took off. I knew this would mean a lot to him. The illegal killing of a trophy deer in Northern Kentucky led to the arrest of a hunter, Kentucky officials said. If you took you vacation every year Nov. 9-12, youre in best window for big bucks moving in day. (Photo by Chase Geary) Eventually, the music stopped and the shotgun blasts faded. We found one side, and it was a mile and a half from the trail camera picture. Big, heavy, long-beamed bucks are the stuff of dreams, but Logan Beach experienced the real thing on opening day this year. He continued to get trail camera photos in 2019 and 2020, and even had numerous in-person encounters that were foiled by farmers or trespassers. Buck after buck walked in and out of view, but each one looked up at Lacefields position. It ran a ways and crashed into the soybeans. So while Keatings buck wont be immortalized in North Americas big game books, it will give him a freezer full of red meat and a trophy on the wall hell never forget. I was telling myself, Its OK. Nobody would blame you to give up right now and not try to shoot because of how crazy this deer is. Full story on this beast coming soon from Dean Weimer, more I look at that rack, what a buck. So what do the record keepers do about a deer like this? We didnt want anyone to know about him. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. The non-typical green scored 211 and was the largest buck by far taken by Maxwell in his 40-plus years of deer hunting. 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. By summer 2020, we had several more pictures of him, and Sasquatch continued to grow. Story is that someone cut it;s head off and left before the F&W guys arrived. Hes killed his fair share of good ones, but theres only ever been one Herman, which is the monster buck he focused on for the past five seasons. 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. Kline had years of trail camera photos, and a decent idea of how to kill the buck. Moments later, the deer he was after walked into the open and followed the same path as the first buck. 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. Huff made a 40-yard shot with a Stryker crossbow in an area hes hunted since he was 12 years old. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. I knew that if I would get the opportunity, I didnt want to be all out of breath and shaky., He stopped for a longer break around 55 yards from the buck. Photo Gallery See all Photos Jamison Standard's Beanfield Behemoth To be so close, and to not be able to pull the trigger, that was difficult to deal with.. He hoped the buck might return in camera photos, but he knew in his gut that wasnt likely to happen. He even started hearing loud music. I was able to get a perfect shot within a few seconds.". Opening day of deer season 2021 didn't disappoint with reports of Bluegrass State bucks taken by bowhunters measuring 170-plus inches. 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. Then, on August 28, 2020, weeks before the archery season opened, the buck visited Settles property for the last time in a long while. 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. "The sun was starting to sink but there was still plenty of daylight left.". Settle's buck could be a Kentucky state 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. Personal defense in the hunting woods could involve taking down a charging bear. It stretched the tape to 179 inches. After the mandatory drying period, the rack scored an incredible 312-0/8. He had a few stands throughout the farm. Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller gets more info from Hawke's Paige Shipe at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Read Next: How to Tag a Velvet Whitetail Buck (and the Best States to Make It Happen). Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. 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 just kind of put him in the back of my mind. Story is that someone cut it;s head off and left before the F&W guys arrived. Eventually, the buck he was hoping to see walked into the clearing, and Beach took the shot. I was so mad about last year, Kline says. It was a wise decision, because soon he noticed deer started moving. Reflecting back on his many years of pursuing this deer has been bittersweet. Im sad that he died and wasnt killed by someone, but I am glad to have him., Read Next: An Elevated Shed Hunting Experience. He asked where I wanted to hunt, and I told him the same place as yesterday, because I had a good feeling about that spot. He was laying right where I thought he would be, which is kind of crazy, Kline says. They watched it feed along as the sun began to dip lower behind the trees. The buck had a huge body, and we guessed him to be 4 or 5 years old. By mid-October, he was gone. Still, he and others regularly glassed the giant out in the open on the big farm that wouldnt allow hunting . As Herman got older, he turned into a bona fide giant. City deer are a different breed. Much to his surprise, the deer returned this summer. My dad, Luke, family friend Jason Divita and I covered miles almost every day, and we found one of his sheds in late January. 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. But on Sunday morning it was just me and Dad. Then, the big deer came back out, now concealed by a bunch of weeds. Soon after settling into the stand, deer began moving. 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. I just couldnt get a good shot at him, and to be perfectly honest, he was standing right on the property line. I waited until I found a small opening and squeezed the trigger. 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. Id like to dedicate this deer to him and his memory. Huff is just fine with the slow pace of life in the country. Conservation officers said if you see something, say something. This summer, the buck used a consistent travel route, and Taylor quickly patterned the deer. Nathan Simmons of Browning and Game & Fish's John Taranto take a closer look at both cartridges at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Knowing that Kline had actively hunted this deer for years, the landowner was nice enough to let him keep the rack. Some were saying 230 or 240 pts. I kind of got out of it for a while because I went to college and lived in the city, but I made it back out into the country and got back into it. Subscriber Services. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Settle steadied the bow. Having disappeared from cameras during the heart of hunting season, its possible that another hunter wounded Herman. There was a wild sapling pushed right up against the trees on the weed line. This fall, Lacefield knew hed have to target and tag the buck quicklyhe was running out of chances. How many deer were killed in Kentucky 2019? The problem? Right after Deckard settled in, he spotted the buck in the corn running away from his fathers blind and down into a ravine. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. An Edmond hunter has killed a deer that likely will be a state archery record and is possibly the highest scoring typical whitetail buck ever taken in the state.