After Ryan Reynolds ranged this Nebraska giant at 570 yards, he had a decision to make. He decided to shoot, and dropped the 9 1/2-year-old buck in his tracks!
March 09, 2025
By Clifford Neames
“My neighbor and I have been practicing long distance shooting at his range,” Ryan Reynolds began. “It’s fun and also a great way to learn what you can do with a rifle!”
Ryan put that skill to use in Nebraska this year, when he took a monster whitetail at a distance not many would consider.
“The buck I tagged had been around for years, but I had always finished my season earlier in the year so I couldn’t go after him,” he continued. “He showed up late every season and last year he was a 190-inch buck!”
Ryan remembered that in 2024, and when he had a tag left and heard the buck was around again, he decided it was time to see what he could do about filling it.
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On November 9th, the buck was in a field with a doe about four miles away. But by the 17th, the rut was winding down and Ryan figured the bruiser was ready to put on some weight before hard winter set in. The huge fields of alfalfa are a big draw for hungry deer, so the plan to take him moved forward. A massive hail storm had caused devastating crop damage in the area, and the field Ryan planned to hunt is the closest large food source from where the buck was last seen. So, it seemed likely to be where the deer would show himself.
The wind — which seems to always be blowing in Nebraska — was all wrong when he got to the big field, so Ryan had to move to the far side. That move put him well over a quarter of a mile from where the deer might enter the field.
“A slow feeding deer may never get to where you are set up before sunset,” he added. “So, I sat up with my bipod on top of a bale expecting a fairly long shot.”
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About an hour and half after he arrived, Ryan spotted the 9 1/2-year-old deer as it jumped the fence more than 500 yards away! The bruiser buck fed steadily, staying in the same general area for long enough that Ryan had a decision to make — shoot or pass?
“I ranged him at 570, and knew I could make the shot,” he explained. “And when I pulled the trigger the 6.5 PRC dropped him right where he stood!”
The great 6x6 buck was down a few inches form his previous years, but still measured 176 6/8 inches. Good shooting, Ryan!
