In the late 1950s and early '60s, Buck Ashe of Chamblee, Georgia, earned the nickname "Stick Man" because of his exclusive recurve bow work on whitetails. However, in 1961 fate would play an unfair trick on him.

Early that November the 27-year-old was out working his bird dogs in Monroe County, Georgia, near one of his favorite whitetail haunts, when Olin Hunter, one of Buck's closest friends, approached him and said, "Several of us are going deer hunting in the morning and we want you to go."

"I'd love to, but I didn't bring my bow," Buck answered.

"No problem," Olin said, shoving an iron-sighted Marlin .30-30 into Buck's hands.

Buck was extremely reluctant to hunt with a rifle. Nonetheless, he accompanied the group the next morning--and shot a massive 16-point megabuck with a 22 3/8-inch inside spread. The giant weighed 360 pounds. Buck never sought any type of recognition for his achievement. In fact, the antlers were not officially scored until thirty-eight years later, in 1999.

Despite more than twelve inches in deductions for several abnormal burr points, the great buck officially tallied up 191 4/8 typical B&C points, becoming not only a new state record, but also the largest typical buck ever taken in the southeast.

Antler Vitals (B&C method)

Total Points: 16

Greatest Spread: 24 3/8

Inside Spread: 22 3/8

Main beams: 30 7/8, 30 4/8

Longest Tine: 13 6/8

Antler Bases: 5 7/8, 5 2/8

Abnormal Points: 12 5/8

Gross Typical Score: 210 2/8

Deductions: 6 1/8

Net Score: 191 4/8