Indiana's 3rd Largest Non-Typical Crossbow Kill Grosses 229 7/8"

The first time Chad Campbell laid eyes on this buck was back in the summer of 2022 — he crossed the road in front of him, a buddy and his nephew. He was probably 20 inches wide and Chad figured he was a 140-class buck with a few kickers coming off his G2s. The buck definitely had Chad's attention, but needed another year to see what he would turn into.

Locating the buck in 2023, Chad said the buck had grown substantially and was seen with several other bucks in a bachelor group throughout the summer months. Deciding it was time to get some cameras up to get a better look at the buck, Chad got to work placing serval cameras where the buck had been seen. Not a week went by, Chad says, and he was getting pictures of him.

"The buck was obviously the same buck from the previous season with flyers and drops in the same locations," Chad said. "But this year's rack was much bigger — we figured he was around 190 inches."  

As more weeks went by, Chad says he wanted to figure out the bucks core area by placing more cameras around his hunting property. He was hoping to gain more insight on the bucks habits.

With the season approaching fast, Chad was still getting multiple pictures of the buck. Figuring he was in the bucks core area with all the pictures he was getting, Chad was heavily anticipating opening day.

When Indiana’s season opened up on October 1st, Chad started applying pressure to the buck when the wind would allow it. He hunting hard, but after several unsuccessful tries for the big buck the deer had yet to daylight. The buck was still in the area, but the pictures he was getting were all at night up to that point.

Not wanting to burn the area out, Chad switched gears and went to hunt a high 150-class buck, knowing full well there was a much bigger one in his area.

While hunting a different wood lot, Chad's phone went off one afternoon. It was a notification from his cell camera — the big buck was there in daylight at his other location.

"I was sick to my stomach," Chad said. "The giant buck was there while I was off hunting elsewhere."

Several days passed after that and no more pictures of the buck were coming in.

"With the rut approaching, I knew the buck was probably out cruising elsewhere," Chad said.

November came along and Chad got an opportunity to take a nice 150-class buck he named "One Eye" that was often seen throughout the summer with the bigger buck he was hunting.

Three days later, the giant showed up again on Chad's camera, with both Chad and his dad being tagged out. The only one left with a tag was Chad's wife.

"I put her in the stand the buck was frequenting," Chad said.

One evening the buck showed up while she was hunting, but with the buck pushing around a doe no shot opportunity was to be had that day.

After the gun season ended, one of Chad's friends saw the buck bedded with a doe not far off the road — the giant had made it through!

In the summer of 2024, Chad once again placed several cameras trying to locate the buck. But as September neared, he still had no buck pictures of him.

"I was worried that the buck had not survived," Chad explained. "Maybe he got hit by a car or something."

But one day as the fall season was approaching, Chad's phone notifications went off again. It was him — the buck was back and he couldn't believe it. The buck had blown up into a true giant.

October 1st finally rolled around and it was opening day in the Hoosier state. Chad was at work, but 15 minutes before daylight the giant buck showed up on his cell camera. The deer hunter knew were he had to be later that day. 

Arriving to his stand early, Chad sat in the rain for six hours but no deer showed up. The next day the weather was a carbon copy as the day before.

"My dad told me I was nuts if I didn’t hunt the same stand again," Chad joked.

Taking his advice, he was back in the same tree for the second day in a row.

As the evening unfolded, Chad says he looked over to see his first deer — a little buck walking around milling on leaves. Five minutes later, a doe and two small bucks appeared browsing on honeysuckle bushes. An hour passed and light was beginning to fade.

“I was getting ready to pack up my gear for the evening when I heard a stick pop,” Chad said. "A deer was coming from the swamp in front of me."

Turning to pinpoint the source, he couldn’t believe his eyes — it was the giant buck. Slowly reaching over for his Ravin crossbow, Chad readied himself for a shot as the buck was walking straight at him. He deciding he was going to shoot him in the chest at first, for fear the buck would cross his scent line where he walked in.

All of a sudden, the buck turned 90 degrees and decided to begin walking in the honeysuckle.

"I knew it was now or never," Chad said, as he took careful aim at 22 yards.

Letting out a bleat to stop the buck, Chad squeezed off the shot.

His first call went to his father after that, telling him he’d shot the giant buck and asking him to bring some lights. Chad's second call was to his best friend, Zack, who also helped track the buck.

After a short tracking job, the three men finally reach the buck. They couldn't believe it, but he was actually bigger in person than they could've ever imagined.

The Indiana trophy buck featured 29 points, grossed 229 7/8 inches, and had a net score of 223 7/8 inches — good enough for the third biggest non-typical crossbow kill of all-time in the Hoosier State!

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