Kansas, known for its giant whitetails, produces again — this time in the form of Holden Watson's 202-inch monster that was taken in the early muzzleloader season.
October 31, 2024
By Cam Coble
Holden Watson of Northeast Kansas primarily hunts with a bow, having taken four bucks over 170 inch thus far. The 2024 season, however, he broke into the 200-inch club by taking advantage of the early muzzleloader season in his home state.
"In late December of 2023, a co-worker kept telling me about a group of deer feeding nearly every night in one of his fields," Holden said.
Naturally, Holden asked if he could shed hunt the property and was granted permission. In mid-February, Holden and his dad went to the new spot to look for sheds. Not long into the trip, Holden’s dad scooped up an 86-inch double droptine shed. They dubbed the buck "Kickstand," and the duo kicked things into action.
Almost immediately, stands and cameras were placed for the upcoming season. The property, while not large in size, had all the ingredients to hold mature bucks. A small soybean field, an old pasture, and a creek split the property, and to the west side sits a pond with thick bedding cover. In the spring, Holden overseeded the old pasture with some clover, hoping it would help hold deer on the property.
With cameras placed since early spring, pics of the buck were rolling in.
Watson watched the big whitetail all summer, noting that apples — not corn — were his preferred food. “I was putting out piles of corn and getting some pics of the buck, but apples were his preferred food it seemed," Holden said. "So, I was searching everywhere to get as many apples as I could — even posting on social media seeking them."
Finally the 2024 Kansas deer season had arrived, and with the buck on such a regular pattern, Holden wasn’t taking any chances on his opportunity for a buck of a lifetime. Toting his muzzleloader on the first sit, all that showed that evening were four small bucks.
"But when I got back to my vehicle, the big non-typical made his appearance after legal shooting light," Holden explained.
The second sit of the season yielded similar results — small bucks again.
Back in the stand for a third attempt, Holden texted his wife and stated that he was probably wasting his time because it was 90 degrees out that day. Undaunted by the heat, Holden kept hunting.
As the evening progressed, four does walked through the pasture and headed to the soybeans.
"A short time later — around 7 p.m. — I looked out in the pasture and saw the giant buck feeding," Holden said. " I couldn’t believe it."
Watson's target buck grossed 202 inches, helped in large part by main beams that measured 27 and 28 inches, respectively. He was within range — roughly 100 yards away — but Holden was unable to get a shot because of the way he had his tripod set up in his stand. A passing bicyclist happened to be riding by on a trail Holden uses to access his stand, which spooked the buck out a bit further — but still within range.
"I finally found the buck in my scope after watching him for over 15 minutes," Holden explained. "I tried three different times to settle down and take a good shot, finally telling myself to slow down and breathe."
The shot was true, and the buck ran a short distance and piled up.
As he approached the downed buck, it kept growing in size. Originally thought to be a 180-inch class buck, he came in at 202 inches gross thanks in part to main beams of 26 and 27 inches.
