Wisconsin Archer Tags 'Ghost Buck'

By Gordon Whittington

For more than two years, Larry Kline of Solon Springs, Wisconsin, pursued a buck that seemed more phantom than real. Larry had shots of the buck on his trail camera, but he'd not seen the deer while hunting.

That changed in dramatic fashion on Sept. 18 - opening day of the 2004 bow season in northern Wisconsin - when Larry not only saw the giant 23-pointer but also arrowed him. The buck was shot at around 7 a.m.

The deer's final score will not be available until mid-November at earliest, due to the mandatory 60-day drying period. But this will clearly be one of Wisconsin's all-time-best archery non-typicals.

Pat Reeve, producer and co-host of North American Whitetail Television, knew Larry had been pursuing the deer. As a result, soon after the giant hit the ground, Pat was there to capture a "Big Buck Profile" for one of next year's episodes of NAW Television.

Even before then, the Kline buck will be featured in North American Whitetail magazine. Readers can look for the deer in one of the upcoming winter issues.