Deer of the Day — Missouri Monster, John David Berry

Firearms are often times heritage pieces that are passed down from generation to generation. Each time a gun takes a big deer or is along for an adventure, it’s like a new chapter is being scribed  into the firearm’s history, with each shot offering a new story.

John's buck featured 31 points and scored 228-inches.

13-year-old John David Berry’s rifle belonged to his Uncle, David Shaw, who tragically lost his life in a fire in 1996. The Remington Model 700 chambered in .243 Winchester was a favorite of Shaw’s and he had taken several trophy bucks with the gun while hunting in the deer woods with his father Bill.

After losing his son, Bill poured his attention towards his grandchildren, including John, who he’d pick up from school and take hunting, teaching him everything he could about outdoorsmanship and appreciating every moment in life as “you never know when your last breath will be.”

Young John was planning on putting the deer wood’s lessons he’d learned from his Grandfather on a middle-of-the-rut deer hunt near Harris, Missouri on his great uncle’s row crop and CRP farm. It was the second week of November and family and friends surrounded John in a setting that Berry best described as a “man’s territory!”

For five days, nine hunters would call a 1,600-square-foot-home their deer camp and hunt the area, looking to hang horns on the wall and fill up a deep freezer or two.

Earlier scouting trips had shown there were plenty of deer in the area and several mature bucks, including a huge main frame 10-point that had everyone salivating at the thought.

After seeing and passing on several different deer, John was in his stand the second day of hunting for an evening sit. As he was pulling up his rifle with a pulley rope, he looked out into the harvested cornfield in front of him, and there stood a buck bigger than anything he’d ever laid eyes on before.

John steadied the Remington 700 on his stand and clicked off the safety. The gun barked and the deer dropped — John had shot his buck of a lifetime, certain that those before him were with him now.

The incredible buck sported 31 points and scored 228-inches.

Another great buck for a great gun that without a doubt still has many more stories to tell.



We want your Deer of the Day! Send us an image of your buck along with a brief description of your hunt and the gear you used to whitetail@imoutdoors.com

No Responses Yet

  1. Kyle

    I'm so proud of you John David I love you!

  2. Crystal watts

    Congrats to my sweet brother in law! Love ya bunches John "Daniel" lol

  3. Mom

    John David, I know this was one of the most exciting times for you!!! That night you called home, my heart was pounding for you! It's a feeling you will never forget!!! I love you and I'm so proud of you, in everything you do!!!!!!!

  4. zorin

    hey dude nice buck i wish i could get a chance at a deer like that

  5. ray w

    Congrats on the amazing deer. Amazing story and an amazing deer

  6. John Brookbank

    Unknown but if you reload for a 243 and happen to try this load 65 grain BT HB with 32 grains of 4895 powder have to use the MAG small rifle primer to get to light up but what a group you can shot with it I don't know the case legh right off hand but this load out performs any factory load and blow up anything you hit will not have a deer even move after being hit, i have shot many deer with it and it is the best of the best for shock. Very nice deer tops any i have bagged!!!!

    • Marty Walker

      Who cares John

  7. LeVieux

    He shouldda had a Model 7 in .243 !

    Great Deer, great story; congrats, Dude !

  8. Timothy Wright

    What an awesome deer, i was privileged to have my hands on the rack before it was mounted and seen it hanging on the wall mounted. only thing that would have topped it is if i was the one to have mounted it (LOL). Great deer John David

  9. RetiredParatrooper

    Awesome deer, awesome story, awesome family! That's why I moved to Missouri! I am proud of you young man.

  10. Leon

    You talk about putting the SMACK DOWN on a true GIANT, Congrads to you young man!

  11. John David Berry

    Thanks everybody for the comments and to my family I love all yall and if werent for y'all I wouldn't have got this far

  12. Dennis A. McDade

    Awesome Buck young fella,that will be hard to top.I have been huntin for 50 years and aint killed nuthin like that.

  13. Matthew Grisham

    Wow! Way to go kiddo. God is good.

  14. richard blackburn

    nice deer way to go thank god you have a great family like you good job

  15. Derek Yelton

    Congrats man!!! Thats a deer of a lifetime. Keep at it and keep your great family relationships!!!

  16. James

    Congrats on an awesome deer. I've hunted east of harris all my life and there are true giants around. I'm glad to see you made the best of a once in a lifetime deer. Congrats again.