Two Kansas Giants Fall to Father and Son

Jim Coyle and his son, Clayton, of eastern Kansas took their biggest bucks to date during the 2023 archery season. The duo specifically targets and hunts big mature bucks. In the summer of 2023, Jim had recently acquired an 80-acre piece of land he knew nothing about.

To gain some intel on the new parcel, the men established several bait stations with cellular cameras monitoring them. Jim and Clayton initially didn’t have much to go on ahead of the 2023 season, so it was pretty unbelievable that the first deer they got photos of on the new property was a definite shooter. The two hunters guessed he’d score nearly 200 inches.

With the season right around the corner, Jim and Clayton were looking forward to hunting this particular buck, but they knew they needed to wait for the proper conditions. Finally, that day came.

“With a rainy cold front on the way, Clayton called my cellphone and asked, ‘Are we going to go do this?’” Jim said.

The pair usually takes turns filming each other, and this time Jim was up to bat. Arriving at the new property around 3:00 p.m., the two hunters sat in their tree stands patiently watching the evening sun get lower and lower in the sky. Soon deer began filtering from a hedge thicket, and a doe with fawns and a small buck were first on the scene. Around 6:00 p.m., Jim looked up and saw the target buck walking directly to his location.

“It’s him!” Jim exclaimed. 

The giant buck was a mere 17 yards away when Jim drew his Mathews bow and released a well-placed arrow. Feeling good about his shot but still wanting to give the deer time to expire, Jim and Clayton left and went home to eat supper. Upon returning, the two took up the short tracking job. Jim couldn’t believe it — he’d just taken his biggest buck ever, and his son was with him to enjoy the moment! Jim’s Kansas bow buck grossed 198 inches, making it the bowhunter’s personal best.

CLAYTON’S TURN

Not to be outdone by his dad, Clayton was about to pull some magic of his own.

“I’d lost my go-to spot going into 2023,” Clayton says.

Clayton began searching for a new location to hunt, and there was one spot just three minutes from his house that interested him. After a few unsuccessful tries, Clayton finally gained permission by trading a fishing trip for the opportunity to hunt the land. Also part of the deal, Clayton agreed to keep an eye on the landowners cattle, too.

While he monitored the area during summer, Clayton was able to watch two giant bucks on the property from afar. It was at that point when he knew he’d picked the right property.

“I’d run cameras on the property all summer,” Clayton said. “But all I’d gotten pictures of were two spike bucks and a few does.”

With opening day finally arriving in Kansas, Clayton was hunting a different property of his dad’s. During that morning hunt, Clayton says he felt a bit guilty for letting a buck walk by that was around 180.

“I just felt like I could get a crack at something bigger,” Clayton explained.

On October 5th, Clayton went to his newly-acquired property to place some cell cameras.

“I had my girlfriend with me, and after nearly two hours of not finding an ideal location, I just placed it in an off-the-wall spot next to a cedar thicket watching a corn pile,” Clayton said.

The very first deer to show up at that cell cam was a giant.

"I was driving my girlfriends truck down a gravel road when I received the notification that I had pics. Upon opening my app and viewing the deer I nearly wreck," Clayton said with a laug.

With no stand in the location the new giant buck was frequenting, Clayton and a friend drove his ATV to a chosen location on the edge of the cedar thicket the buck was presumably living in.

"We left the ATV running  and went about our business hanging two stands then immediately left, "Clayton said. "That was around noon. We returned that same day for an evening hunt, but all that showed were eight does."

The buck was actively using the area so Clayton knew he had to keep hunting the buck hard. On the third hunt for the buck Clayton and his cousin — who was filming for him — went to the chosen spot. Around 6 p.m. Clayton heard footsteps coming from the cedar thicket down a hill toward the waiting bowhunter. Walking directly downwind of his location, Clayton was sure the buck would catch his wind and retreat back to the cedar thicket. That didn't happen, however.

As the buck made his way out into clear view, Clayton realized that what was approaching was going to be something special. The buck worked his way to 23 yards, but a limb was blocking its vitals.

"All I could do was wait for a bettter shot," he explained.

When it came, Clayton released his arrow from his Prime bow, hitting the buck in the perfect location.

"A flood off emotions overcame me," Clayton said.

The tight-racked giant — which had a 12 0/8-inch inside spread — grossed an impressive 221 3/8 inches, the bowhunters second 200-inch buck in less than a decade.

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