April 10, 2023
By Cameron Coble
For the past three seasons, Caleb Sunderman had been pursuing a Southern Iowa buck he aptly named “Dolph,” because of its tall and towering tines. The first set of sheds ever picked up from Dolph were found by the neighbors. Those sheds made up a rack that would approximately score 130 to 135 inches.
“In the fall of 2020, we figured he was between 170 and 175 as a 3-year-old,” Caleb states. “Later that spring we found one side of his 3 1/2-year-old rack. I knew if he got one or two more years on him, he’d turn into something special.”
In the summer of 2021, Caleb and his girlfriend, Haley Fundermann, were again able to keep tabs on the buck. After setting up several trail cameras in key locations, they got multiple pictures and videos of the buck.
“Dolph had grown into a giant, and we figured he was at or over 200 gross as a 5x5 with trash,” Caleb says. “Since the deer was only 4 1/2, we honestly didn’t even go after him. I went into the area where I had some tree stands and took them down. It was a gamble, but I wanted to see what he’d do with another year.”
Advertisement
After watching this buck for several years, Haley and her boyfriend determined he’d reached his full potential in 2022. At 39 weeks pregnant, Haley Fundermann shot this incredible Iowa whitetail with her bow. Photo courtesy of Haley Fundermann After picking up one of his sheds in 2022, Caleb and Haley felt that Dolph would make it to the next season. In July of 2022, they put out several trail cameras and it didn’t take long to get pictures of the deer.
“I actually saw him for the first time in 2022 on the hoof,” says Caleb. “Interestingly, he went back to a 4x4 typical frame with a small drop tine and some abnormal points. At 5 1/2 years old now, we figured we’d start hunting him, and I really wanted Haley to get a crack at him first.”
Watching the buck all summer and through the early fall, the pair felt they had a good chance at tagging the buck. At 39 weeks pregnant, Haley had bowhunted four times but hadn’t had any luck. The baby could come anytime, but she was determined to keep hunting.
Advertisement
One particular stand that Caleb had set up was in a strip of woods near a CRP field, where they thought Dolph was bedding often. The wind was finally right for the stand, but Caleb had farm obligations that evening, so he sent Haley to the stand. Arriving around 4:00 p.m., Haley situated herself in the stand with high hopes.
“I just happened to be scanning the CRP field around 5:30, and to my amazement, I actually watched Dolph get up out of his bed 80 yards away,” Haley says. “He was so big I simply turned around in my stand and looked away.”
As the buck walked toward the stand, Haley readied herself for a shot. She had to stand on the tips of her toes to get an opening to shoot through. At just 10 yards the buck was broadside as Haley took her shot, and her arrow found its mark hitting the buck in the vitals. Knowing she hit the buck good, Haley called Caleb and informed him she’d just shot Dolph. Haley waited at the bottom of her stand pacing back and forth for over an hour. Eventually, Caleb showed up with friend Dakin Wilcoxson to help track.
Haley watched this buck stand up from his bed and walk toward her. She actually had to look away because the deer was so big. Photo courtesy of Haley Fundermann A short blood trail led the group to Dolph, and the 3-year quest was over. With a gross typical 8-point frame of 181 2/8 and an overall gross score of 205 7/8, Dolph nets 203 1/8 as a non-typical. Less than a week later, Haley gave birth to a healthy girl named Josie.
