Family photos with a great buck make the whole hunt even more memorable. (Photo courtesy of Spencer Hartings.)
March 19, 2026
By Clifford Neames
Spencer Hartings was after a special buck in Ohio when the 2025 archery season opened. He had been watching it for the past two seasons and knew he had better hurry if he wanted to wrap his tag on it, because everyone in the area would likely be hunting it.
The uniquely marked buck had popped up on his radar when it was carrying it’s first set of antlers, far from a shooter then. He had tried for it in 2024, when it had developed a tall and tight rack, but never could close the deal.
“I definitely would have shot him if he would have given me the chance then”, Spencer says. “But he managed it elude my best efforts.”
By October of 2025, Spencer had the buck well patterned when it kept showing up to chew on an old stump doused with minerals. “He was on a three-day rotation”, he continues. “Gone two days, then back for morning and afternoon on the third.” That regular schedule was going to be his downfall. Spencer added some corn to sweeten the deal, and that proved to be the magic bullet.
Advertisement
The 3 ½ year old buck sports a 142 5/8ths inch rack and a beautiful hide. (Photo courtesy of Spencer Hartings.) On October 3rd, the buck showed up on Spencer’s cell camera, and he knew where to sit for the afternoon hunt. “I thought to myself, tonight’s the night!”, he smiles. And he planned to video the hunt, to shut down any naysayers if he got it done!
Slipping into his ground blind at 4:20pm, Spencer set up the camera then sat quietly waiting. It was a warm 82 degrees, but he knew the buck was coming ---- And he was on a mission….
Two hours later, he spotted the two bucks that hung out with “The Ghost” headed into the oak flat. And, not far behind them was his target…
Advertisement
The rare deer has an amazing coloration and will be enjoyed for a lifetime in a full body mount. (Photo courtesy of Spencer Hartings.) Spencer turned the video on and grabbed his bow. The Ghost came in on a string, but he stopped with some saplings blocking the shot at first. “When his shoulder cleared the trees, I saw my chance”, Spencer says. “And I knew right away that I had made a great shot!”
The piebald buck made a short dash, then collapsed just out of sight of the camera.
The 3 ½ year old buck sports a 142 5/8ths inch rack and weighed right at 200 pounds. It has an extremely nice coat full of white with brown dappling. Spencer is getting a full body mount done of the once-in-a-lifetime buck.
