January 10, 2023
By Josh Honeycutt
Kansas deer hunter Isaac Frazier was born and raised in the Land of Oz. He tagged his first buck at age 7 with his father’s Marlin lever-action .30-30. Since then, he’s had some solid hunts.
Fast forward to 2022. He owns one property and leases another nearby. On the lease, he has three years of history with a deer they eventually nicknamed “Double Take.” In the past, he only captured a handful of photos of the deer. Without the right conditions, he spent the early weeks of deer season hunting other areas. But when the time was right, he moved in to hunt this Kansas giant.
With 23 scoreable points, Double Take has incredible character. That time was Oct. 24, 2022, which brought a massive temperature drop from 83 down to 40. The days prior produced heavy rain with high winds and gusts over 60 mph. Once the front pushed through, the conditions were ripe for deer movement. With a recent daylight photo of the deer from Oct. 18, he expected the deer to repeat that behavior.
So, he walked in as the rain quit and settled into his treestand for the afternoon sit. His spot was in a timber row on the edge of a recently cut soybean field. A large pasture with draws stretched out to the rear, and more trees dotted the landscape to the left and right.
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Isaac followed this deer for multiple seasons before finally getting a shot opportunity. “The smell of cut soybeans was in the air,” Isaac recalls. “I saw deer moving shortly after the rain stopped. It was one of the wildest hunts I can remember.”
Does started pouring into the pasture. Then, four different good bucks did the same. One of these was a 4-year-old 8-point that was difficult to pass. Still, Isaac stayed strong and waited on the big deer. After that deer departed, five other bucks gradually walked into view. More does did the same. Then, the 8-pointer’s sudden change in body language alerted Isaac to yet another buck in the distance.
“I looked back and saw Double Take coming across the pasture,” Isaac remembers. “He was the most cautious, slow-moving buck I have seen. It took him 20 minutes to cross the field. I was starting to get worried he wouldn’t make it in time.”
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When Isaac first spotted Double Take, he worried the buck wouldn’t make it within range before shooting light ended because he was moving so slow. Isaac hoped the deer would walk into one of his three trimmed shooting lanes in front of the tree stand. Instead, the deer walked through a thick area and pushed the other bucks off. Then, it walked toward an opening. Isaac came to full draw and waited for a shot. He settled his top pin and sent it. The 18-yard shot connected, and the deer dashed out of view.
Isaac started calling family and friends to let them know the good news. Afterward, he climbed down, retrieved the blood-covered arrow and shined his light into the field. He spotted the deer 60 yards away. Soon, several friends arrived to enjoy the recovery.
“This buck’s size was really a surprise,” Isaac says. “Trail cam pictures did him no justice, as his tines angle in so hard it made them look much shorter than they were. He looked like a big deer in trail cam pictures, but until you put your hands on him, his mass, additional points, and pure size don’t translate. This is my largest deer, and he is riddled with character.”
Isaac Frazier shot this massive buck on Oct. 24, 2022, in Cowley County, Kansas. The buck was aged at 5 1/2 years old. It’s unique rack sports 23 scoreable points. The monster buck scores 191 1/8 inches.
“Deer hunting is year-round for me,” Isaac says. “I love the management all the way from the summer prep and food plots to the trail cams. I have made some of my best friends through hunting. It’s a family affair with my young boys and wife laying down big deer yearly. My wife is extremely supportive of my passion for hunting, and being a fireman allows me time to get out and do what I love.”
