North American Whitetail

Shooting a huge public-land whitetail often comes down to a single moment when the stars finally align. Two years after first seeing this unique buck in southern Ohio, Randy Dewalder got him on an after-work hunt on Oct. 6, 2008. The net 227 3/8-inch beast finally gave Randy a 10-yard shot — which he made despite the fact his crossbow was still lying on the ground 20 feet below the tree stand when the deer appeared! Fortunately, the giant hung around long enough for the gear to be pulled up and a perfect heart shot made. Tom Cross authored this dramatic story, titled "The Ghost Buck of Dry Ridge," for North American Whitetail's Dec.-Jan. 2010 issue.

How far above sea level can whitetails live? Dean Ross tagged this net 191 5/8-inch 11-pointer — the No. 1 typical in Wyoming — at an ear-popping 8,000 feet above sea level. The quest for this giant began when Dean and a friend spotted a bachelor group of good bucks while on a summer 1986 fishing trip in Laramie County. Dean returned on the Oct. 4 rifle opener, and that afternoon he used his .270 Win. to drop the record whitetail in his tracks at around 400 yards. The hunter wrote the story of his high-country success for North American Whitetail's October 1987 issue.

Illinois is known for world-class typical bucks, and bowhunter Joel Eggers added to that reputation on Oct. 23, 2007. Joel knew this buck was out there but didn't think he'd ever get a chance. Then the beast proved him wrong, offering an 18-yard opportunity as he trailed a doe. The broadhead quickly did its work, resulting in a net 190 6/8-inch basic 5x5 for the record book. Despite summer damage that had interrupted growth of the right main beam and thus hurt symmetry, the deer tallied a phenomenal gross typical score of 208 7/8. Five tines from 12 3/8 to 14 3/8 inches make this farmland trophy a genuine skyscraper. Joel wrote his dramatic story for North American Whitetail's July 2008 issue.

The American dog tick is common in much of the whitetail's range, and hunters often encounter them while checking trail cameras or doing off-season habitat projects. Fortunately, this species doesn't trigger the "red meat" allergy spread by the superficially similar Lone Star tick; nor does it spread Lyme disease, as does the blacklegged ("deer") tick. But the American dog tick can spread tularemia ("rabbit fever"), as well as several other nasty infections that including deadly Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. So take sensible steps to avoid being a target of any kind of tick whenever you're in deer habitat, and stay alert to the symptoms that could point to big trouble later.

Using his grandfather's hand-me-down lever gun, Missouri's Tim Phillips finally dropped the 32-point mega-buck he called "Walter." Tim had begun chasing the St. Charles County non-typical in 2014 but didn't win the battle of wits until the November 2017 season. Joe Martino's story in North American Whitetail's October 2018 issue detailed how the quest finally came together, resulting in a net 233 7/8-inch Boone & Crockett monster.

When Milo Hanson downed his No. 1 Boone & Crockett typical near Biggar, Saskatchewan, in 1993, he set a mark that officially still stands. News of Milo's recent passing at age 80 has led to fond reflection by many in the hunting community, including those of us who broke the hunt story in the February 1994 issue of North American Whitetail. In the magazine's current issue, then-editor Gordon Whittington offers some thoughts on the deer and Milo's unique legacy.

Among the enduring mysteries in whitetail history is this huge buck's identity. We know the hunter was Harold Smith. We know the location was Ta Ta Creek, near the Kootenay River in southeastern British Columbia. We know the hunt date was Dec. 1, 1951. But what we still don't know is whether this was a pure whitetail, a pure mule deer or a hybrid. Harold died in a work accident in 1956, apparently leaving behind no field photos of his trophy. In addition, it's unknown if the whitetail cape used on the earliest mount was the original. But Boone & Crockett accepted the deer into its record book as a 279 3/8-jnch non-typical whitetail, so we made him the star of a "Big Buck Profile" on North American Whitetail TV. We also featured him on the cover of our December 2000 magazine. Whatever the truth about the Smith buck might be, his wide, tall and heavy 32-point rack is genuinely elite.

On this most solemn of U.S. holidays, North American Whitetail honors the ultimate sacrifice made by millions of patriots. Over a quarter-millennium of fighting to achieve and maintain our independence, these have been the truest of heroes. We humbly thank them all.

If a typical archery buck exceeds Pope & Young's minimum entry score by nearly 65 inches, he's huge. When his score even beats the state's existing record for firearm non-typicals, he becomes a certified legend. Scott Borden's 1995 trophy from Monmouth County, New Jersey, is one such monster. Grunting lured the 189 4/8-incher to within 23 yards of Scott's tree on the morning of Nov. 17, and a sharp broadhead did the rest. Scott's thrilling story first appeared in North American Whitetail's August 1996 issue.

From Zebra to Whitetail, this .22-caliber rifle has earned its place as a go-to hunting rifle.

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