205-Inch Ohio Giant From the Ground After Late Arrival

Living in the rural areas of Darke County, Ohio, I spent every possible second I could in the woods or on the water fishing. Growing up, deer hunting was just something I saw on TV, and many of the houses I went to had some sort of deer mount hanging on the wall; it was also something my best friend and I always wanted to try as kids. So, when I was old enough, the 2016 season was the first year I was able to go hunting.

On opening day my dad and I went out to scout where to set up a tree stand. I know I was a little late to the party, but I was just excited to finally be a deer hunter. While scouting, we jumped up a doe and very nice 8- or 10- point buck. Ever since that first encounter with a mature whitetail buck, I’ve wanted one big enough for my wall.

I have been lucky enough to get a few deer over the years; that first season I shot my first-ever deer (a doe) in late October. I remember feeling on top of the world, and everyone was just as excited for me. Finally, during the 2021 season, I harvested my first buck that I deemed big enough for my wall. He was a nice 7-point, nothing crazy big, but my first buck that I was comfortable with shooting. That memory is still vivid, and I was as excited as could be to finally lay my hands on a decent buck after years and years of trying.

The beginning of my 2023-2024 hunting season was the toughest to date. I purchased an either sex tag and started hunting hard on opening day. I was out at least four to six times a week. My buddies and I had a special early gun season hunt, and after scouting, I decided I should buy a doe management tag which was cheaper than a normal tag but expires in mid-November. Everyone else in our group shot deer, and I was the only one that did not see a deer to shoot all weekend. I was crushed, because I had spent countless hours out and not a single deer presented me a shot, except for some super small and young bucks. Luckily, after knocking on 40-plus doors in the early season, I landed permission on a property that the landowner was allowing me to hunt for seven days from Nov. 12 to Nov. 19.

I have fished the creek that runs through the property before and noted that almost every time I was fishing, I’d see deer, usually does or smaller bucks. But the one evening I remember seeing a nice buck. The landowner told me that there was a very nice buck running around the area; he said it had at least 14 points. I was excited and asked him repeatedly if I could shoot it. He told me every time to shoot what I wanted.

Initially, I had an encounter with an 8-point slightly larger than my 7-point on the wall, but I wasn’t really after a buck. I wanted to punch that doe management tag that expired at the end of the week. I decided to pass him up multiple times that morning, waiting for a doe or a true monster buck. On the evening of Tuesday

Nov. 14, as I was walking to the woods, I jumped what I considered to be a freak of nature — the biggest buck I have ever seen in my life. Later that evening, I had a huge buck come out and stay at the edge of the woods for two hours. I knew if he walked over I was going to shoot him. He was big, probably a 160-plus-inch deer. I was in awe as he sat there and only would move his head from side to side. I didn’t see much activity for the rest of the week.

Saturday morning was the beginning of the youth hunting weekend, and the weather was looking to cause a great morning for deer movement. They hadn’t moved much for the last two days, and I knew it was going to be a great hunt.

I had to fill up on gas, which caused me to be late getting to the property, but on the drive I saw a ton of deer next to the roads. That got me even more excited to be in the woods. I threw all my gear on because it was a chilly, foggy morning. I checked the time and realized by the time I’d get to my blind shooting light would’ve already began, so I was fast walking while doing my best to be quiet; that’s when I heard a gunshot.

I knew shooting light had begun. As I was walking, not a minute after I heard the boom, I looked up through the tree line toward the edge of a tractor path I was walking on. I saw a dark spot that I knew from previous hunts was not normally there. I was quick to realize the dark spot was moving towards me at a slow trot. I quickly looked around at my surroundings and realized I had nowhere to hide. So, I checked my phone and confirmed it was a few minutes past shooting light and looked for a shooting lane.

I only found one spot clear enough to make a shot through the tree line, which was about a two-foot circle with no branches or brush in the way. It would offer me a 15- to 25-yard shot. As the deer came closer, I realized it was now or never. I couldn’t confirm just how big the deer was, but I knew it had a huge body, so I decided I should shoot. I knew that when the deer got into my shooting lane I would only have seconds to make the shot.

He slowed his pace but was still headed right up the tree line towards me. I put my bow up in front of me (a Carbon Knight compound), grabbed my release and slowly and quietly pulled it back. He was moving at a steady pace and closing the gap quickly. I kept an eye on him, and he got to about 40 yards when I caught a good glimpse of his rack. My heart leaped! I knew right then it was a giant buck, and I told myself to look away and focus on the sight, no more looking at that white rack!

Next thing I know, I could hear the steps he took on the frosty grass, crunching with every step. I just cracked my lips to make a “meh” sound to stop him when he suddenly stopped on his own, just a few inches off from where I wanted him. I moved my pin about six inches to the right, and I was right on the kill zone. I let the shot go and heard a loud thud, and I knew I had hit him.

He took off and ran to about 50 yards away when he slowed down and just started looking around. I was losing sight of him in the tree line, so I jumped down into the ditch and ran 20 yards through the woods. Standing right where he was when I shot, I watched him for what felt like an eternity, shaking like crazy and breathing fast, the adrenaline had set in! Finally, after about 90 seconds, he waddled and tipped over!

I was beyond thrilled, shaking and panting as if I just had run a mile! I began walking towards him still in disbelief of what had happened: I had shot a true Ohio stud.

I took a couple quick photos, but I was so excited I couldn’t even bring myself to touch him. I quickly counted his points, and I couldn’t believe I’d just killed a 19-point buck! I was so excited that without even touching the deer I walked down to the creek and sat down, still trying to piece together what had just really happened. Finally, after calming down, I went over to him and moved his rack around, looking at every inch in disbelief.

I got Dad’s truck and loaded him up; I was so excited to get back home and show my family what I had just shot. After a few stops I went to my buddy’s house, and everyone freaked out! There was excitement everywhere, and people were calling others and telling them they needed to come see my buck. We got excited and started measuring the deer; we came up to the 190s and realized we hadn’t even measured his spread yet. That obviously created a lot of excitement. We all were freaking out — just a bunch of young men beyond excited!

I decided to use Rick Busse for the taxidermy, and I took the deer to the Ohio Whitetail Expo after the mandatory drying period had ended. The deer qualified for Buckeye Big Buck Club, Pope & Young Club and the Boone & Crockett Club, receiving first place in the contest and was officially scored at 214 5/8 gross while netting 205 5/8.

The rest of my deer season turned around and became a once-in-a-lifetime season for me. I managed to shoot a giant buck with my compound, and the next morning I shot a doe with a crossbow. Then I took two more does with my muzzleloader and one with my new .400 Legend rifle. To finish out the season, I thought I might as well try to kill a deer during late season with my recurve. After four or five hunts, I punched the last tag, shooting the deer from about four feet away! My season had gone from my toughest to best-ever!

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