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Boone & Crockett Crowns New World-Record Pronghorn

Photo courtesy of Boone & Crockett

As a whole, we as hunters have consistently demonstrated (and subsequently defended) our commitment to conservation as long as we've been hunting. And the proof is in the proverbial pudding.

The Boone & Crockett Club officially certified a new world record pronghorn yesterday, beating out the old record of 95 inches held by David Meyer's 2002 Arizona buck and Dylan Woods' 2000 buck, both taken in Arizona. Last year, avid hunter Mike Gallo harvested the record-breaking pronghorn in Socorro County, N.M. At 96 4/8 inches, the inch and a half difference between the new record and previous record accounts for the widest margin between the 3,400 entries in the B&C pronghorn records.

Socorro County is considered to be one of the premier pronghorn destinations in New Mexico for its reputation as a big buck producer. The notable features of Gallo's record lends considerable credence to that notion. With horn lengths of 18 3/8 inches right, 18 4/8 inches left; a total mass of 23 3/8 inches right, 23 2/8 inches left; and prong length of 7 inches right and 6 5/8 inches left there is no denying the big buck potential of the region.

While the record pronghorn is impressive in it's own right, perhaps more remarkable is the conservation efforts that stabilized the pronghorn population and produced the record.

"Records reflect success in big-game conservation," said Richard Hale, chairman of the Club's Records of North American Big Game Committee. "Remember, the pronghorn was once nearly lost, much like the bison, until sportsmen led an era of wildlife recovery. Now the species is flourishing. And the fact that such incredible specimens exist today says a lot about how far we have come, and how bright the future might be."

The record also serves as a testament to conservation efforts when you take into consideration that the severe drought in recent years has been wreaking havoc on residents, vegetation and wildlife alike.

However, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish big game manager Steward Liley said Socorro County was not affected by the drought like many other regions and has continued to produce trophy animals.

Overall, New Mexico is second in pronghorn entries in the Boone and Crockett records, with 627. Wyoming is first with 1,154, while Arizona (339), Nevada (288) and Montana (183) make up the rest of the top five.

In Febuary 2011, I harvested this double drop-tine stag with .270 after my arrow hit drop-tine on the south island of New Zealand using Sitka gear, a Bushnell E2 and Danner boots.

— Steve Lamb

Fifty-five-inch Yukon moose. Shot Sept. 22, 2012, non-guided trophy zone in Alaska.

— Jim Roush

The kudu I recently took in Namibia on Aug. 25, 2013. The rifle used was a Browning A-Bolt Medallion in .338 Win. Mag., topped with Leupold VX-II and shooting a Winchester Accubond 225-grain bullet — one was enough.

— Dean Wirz

It was the last day of a 21-day safari in Tanzania. I was the designated filmmaker and photographer for the trip, on which my good friend completed his Big 5 by taking a nice bull elephant. He had made arrangements for me to take a baboon if the chance presented itself. We were literally on our way back to camp with only a few hours left on our safari when a large troop came blazing across the river bed! We stopped the vehicle, and I grabbed the .300 Remington Ultra Mag. As I tried to steady my aim on the largest baboon in the troop, he disappeared into the brush on the side of a cliff. Disappointment began to set in when all of the sudden he reappeared at the top of a tree 200 yards away. I settled the crosshairs and squeezed the trigger; the big troop leader was dead before he hit the ground and we all celebrated! This being my first and only animal harvested in Africa, I am very proud of him, the shot placement and the entire safari experience! My only regret is changing out of my traditional safari attire and looking more like I was headed to the gym than to hunt! Live and learn!

— Brock Childs

Don Bitz sent in this photo of a gemsbok he took at 250 yards in May 2013 in the Kalahari. Bitz used a Winchester Model 70 Super Grade .375 H&H Magnum with a McMillan Hunter stock and a Broughton barrel.
After 30 years of marriage, my lovely bride, Janice, decided she would begin hunting with me. She had over the years been backpacking in New Mexico and Yellowstone, as well as several wilderness horseback trips. Her first trip was a elk/deer/bear hunt with Heaven's Gate Outfitters in the Rapid River Wilderness of Idaho in 2011. While we had a great trip, the weather was unusually warm and sunny for our entire trip, and the elk and deer remained in the dark timber. We saw one bull late on the next to the last day and I took a small mule deer. Later that year she took a good whitetail on our ranch near Jacksboro, Texas. In 2012, we returned again to Idaho. The weather was completely different, with snow falling every day from noon till dark, which cut visibility to less than 100 yards. After five days of hunting, Janice had seen over 30 bulls and had her rifle fail twice on bulls within range. By Day 6, both she and her guide, Wes, were frustrated by equipment issues and the weather. We decided on the last day to hunt together in a slide, which had been holding elk all week, from before daylight till the snow began to fly at noon. We arrived shortly after daylight came to the slide. Looking up the mountain, we could count over two dozen elk and at least six good bulls! However, all the elk were above us. Janice had already climbed the mountain several times that week and decided that it was my turn to make the climb. I looked at my 19-year-old guide, who immediately turned uphill and started climbing like only 19-year-old mountain guides can. I grabbed my gear and followed close behind — well, close behind as I could. We had gained about 200 feet in altitude and several hundred yards in distance using the terrain to get near one of the bulls when we heard a shot behind us followed by the sounds of a large animal crashing down the hillside. Shortly after we left my wife and her guide, a large bull stepped out of the timber about 200 yards from them and below us. Before the guide could say anything, my wife had grabbed her rifle, lined up the sight picture she had been rehearsing every night in her sleep, and drilled the bull with her Gunwerks 6.5x284. The bull trotted about 30 yards, collapsed and slid 250 yards downhill, coming to rest against the tree in the picture. After two hunts and six days of hunting in snowstorms, my wife had her second big game animal just a few days short of her 57th birthday. You're never too old to start! Oh yeah, I got my bull 20 minutes later.

— Mike Wald

Early hunt in scapegoat wilderness in Montana. I took this 24-inch, 4x4 mule deer with my Ruger chambered in .300 Win. Mag. I was at my turnaround and head out point when this nice buck showed up. At 150 yards and a nice rock to rest on, this deer was no match for my Ruger. One shot and it was all over. Now the work begins; thanks to the help of my dad and my best friend, the pack was light.

— Tony Fassio

As a first time subscriber to Petersen's Hunting, I found the Rack Room an interesting read. I thought I might share one of my favorite hunts with the readers. The hunt goes back to 1999. I flew from my home in Piedmont, Ohio, to Anchorage and then on to Valdez where my son, David, lives. David and his friend, Jared, planned a self-guided hunt to get Pops — that's me — an Alaskan Dall sheep.

The hunt started with a three-hour drive, a float plane ride into the Wrangell Mountains and then a three-mile portage that included a whitewater raft to our base camp on a fast-flowing stream near a long mountain ridge. The first two days only produced ewes and small rams. On the third morning, we saw five rams, but they were not accessible. Later that day, we watched two rams bang heads before I got the shot that I came to Alaska for. One Dall sheep down. The next morning from spike camp, I glassed the five rams from the day before coming over the mountain ridge. Three hours later, Jared had Dall No. 2.

On Day 6, we started our two-and-a-half-day float trip looking for legal bull moose on our way to take out point. A few miles down the canyon, I heard the words, "Eddy out, eddy out." Before I knew what was happening, we were on the bank. A pack was under David's 30-378, a ram evaluation, a 275-yard shot and the third full curl ram was ours.

Good homework and preparation by David made this a hunt of a lifetime for Pops. David has led me on several other successful Alaskan hunts including a second Dall.

— Bill Benes

I asked permission to hunt on a property where the rumor had it that a huge 40-point buck was being seen and received the permission. Never believing the rumors, I hunted anyway and after driving back and forth for an hour each way for three days, this guy walked out and I just figured he was the buck everyone was talking about. I was using a .270 Weatherby with a Trijicon red triangle post scope and dropped him where he stood. After walking up on him and still not believing my luck, I loaded him on the truck and brought him to see the landowner who said, "That ain't the one." The big guy is still out there somewhere, and guess where I'll be next year? You guessed it, making that hour each way drive and keeping my fingers crossed.

— Wayne Gates

We had been hunting all month, and then I found this guy at 7 a.m. One neck shot he went down.

— Emmett Robinson

While hunting elk in the "high country" on Missionary Ridge near Durango, Colo., I called in this buck with "doe bleats" and shot him with my Remington 700 .30-06.

— Cole Price

I took this beautiful boar black bear while hunting on the Quinault Indian Reservation in Washington during March 2013 with my Remington 700 .30-06.

— Cole Price

This boar was taken in early September 2012 on the southwest side of Lac Seul in Ontario, Canada. Spent a week with my dad, my two youngest kids and my nephew at Silver Water Wheel Lodge. Wonderful week of hunting and the best fishing I have ever seen! The stand I shot this bear in was one of the most beautiful spots I have ever hunted — rock bottom creek surrounding three sides of the blind, shooting over a bend in the creek at an opening in the trees on the opposite hillside. Amazing experience — and family memories to last a lifetime. He weighed 320 pounds and had a large, unique white patch on his chest and very dark muzzle. I shot him using a Marlin 1895M lever-action chambered in .450 Marlin shooting Hornady 350-grain Interlock bullets and a Leupold scope.

— Derek Schneider

Thirteen-year-old Morgan Smith shot this 8-point on the Brazos River near Granbury, Texas, with her Excalibur crossbow at 30 yards on opening day in Texas.

— Scott Smith

My buddy, Mike, and I hunted this pronghorn in the Texas Panhandle for two days without getting close enough for a shot. On the afternoon of Oct. 2, 2013, as I'm driving around a crop circle, I hear those magic words from Mike: "Stop the truck!" We glassed about 20 antelope grazing near a herd of cattle. They were probably about 1,200 yards from the truck. It did not take long for us to realize that this was the same herd with the same big mature pronghorn we had been hunting.

The wind was perfect as we walked toward the herd, keeping the cattle between us and the antelope. Luckily, the cattle did not spook and were the perfect cover as we got to within 264 yards and Mike handed me the shooting sticks. I think Mike was more excited than I was when the buck dropped in the grass! I took the buck with a Ruger M77 .270, Leupold scope, and SLC 15-56 binoculars in Dallam County, Texas. We did not score the buck, but I would guess he is 70 inches gross. This is only my second Pronghorn and I took it 30 years to the day of taking my first — when I was 14 years old!

— William Dye

I applied for 11 years in the Pennsylvania elk drawing until i finally drew a tag to harvest a bull elk. It was like a dream come true. I had seen some huge elk on first few days of my hunt, but nothing compared to this monster. I spotted this one at 7 a.m. the second day of my hunt, but could not get a shot, I hunted him up and down the mountain until 4 p.m. when I finally got within 150 yards. With a good, clear shot, I put my first shot low behind front shoulder and he took off. I hit him with another round from my .300 Win. Mag. in the back bone and he dropped in his tracks.

Hunter: Jesse M Heiple
Method: Rifle
Score: 398 4/8
When: Nov. 1, 2011
Where: Elk County, Pa.

— Jesse Heiple

Since we started hunting whitetails in northern Wisconsin back in the '60's, my wife, Karen, and I have put on hundreds of miles together in the woods. We moved to Idaho over 40 years ago, and we still hunt together.

On this hunt, we had just separated. Karen was hunting up in a big logged bowl and I was skirting another area to the south. Thirty minutes had passed and a shot rang out. Then another shot 8 to 10 seconds later. Then all was silent.

The fog was setting in on me so I worked my way back to Karen. She was standing by a large rock when I reached her and she said, "There's a bull down up by that burnt stump. He hasn't moved." We proceeded up the steep hill about 175 yards to find this nice 5x5 bull. Not bad for a 64-year-old grandma!

Where: Idaho Panhandle
When: Oct. 19, 2013
Score: Unknown; heavy 5x5
Method: Rifle, 7mm 08
Hunter: Karen Korpi

— Jerry Korpi

First mule deer hunt, it was the second day of the second week of the Colorado season. Shot at less than 150 yards with my Tikka T3 in .300 WSM.

— Todd Hiltner

Arrived in NE Kansas Nov. 1 to hunt public, not a lot of good sign in my honey holes. Knocked on a door and got access to private piece of ground. On Nov. 9 this buck was with a doe on a hedgerow about 100 yards from me. Smaller bucks interrupted him and he didn't like it, so he ran them off the wheat field in front of me. When he can back by I 12 ringed him at 37 yds. He ran 60 yds and piled up. Official Boone and Crockett gross 195 5/8, net 189 1/8. Shot with Matthews LX, Easton axis arrows, Rage 2 blade, medalist silver max clothing. — Anthony Henderson
Sighted this big Aoudad at a mile and a half in the Big Bend region of SW Texas in September of 2013. Temperatures were approaching 100 degrees. Spent over three hours working our way around the base of the mountain to get within 330 yards. Could not get any closer. My Remington B&C Edition Model 700 in .270 Win. with a Leupold VX II 4-12x40 did its job, putting two Barnes TTSX bullets through the heart and lungs. It took us another 45 minutes to climb to him and another two + hours to get him down. He qualifies as SCI Gold. This was one of my best hunts ever. — Art Bradshaw
I have a great spot in my friends back yard in Richmond, VA. I had pictures of 13 different bucks through out the summer and early fall, but this guy was the ONE I was truly after. It took until November 21st until I finally saw him in person. He came into the yard while I was hunting from the ground, sitting against a tree. I double lunged him at 12 yards. He only stumbled another 15 and he was done. It was amazing. He measured 162 2/8" before any deductions. Biggest deer I have ever laid eyes on. Horton crossbow, carbon Gold Tip bolts, Muzzy MX-4 broadheads. Deadly. — Burke Wills
My first turkey ever. Pocono mountains. 870 Remington with #4 shot at 42 yards. — Chris Wilson
I hunted with Wildlife Systems in south Texas. I was using an encore pistol, in .308 Win. We stalked three zebra to about 150 yards when the biggest one stepped out for a clear shot. I took aim and fired; I hit him in the heart, he ran about 30 yards and dropped. — Chuck Forbes
Aoudad — 33" — taken in the Chinati Mountains of west Texas in March, 2013. Hunter: Clay Bonilla Method: Browning A-Bolt .300 Win. Mag. with 4x14 Zeiss Conquest scope Ammo: Federal Premium Nosler partition 180 grain — Clay Bonilla
It was opening weekend of Oklahoma's 2012 bow season. I got down from my tree early on Saturday evening because my son had shot a deer. Walked up on this bruiser on the way to the truck. Shot him at 10 yards with my Mathews Reezon. Using Rage broadheads and Easton Carbon Flat liners. He scored 158 Pope and Young. Good way to start the season. — Daland Brandon
Great opening day of pheasant season in western PA with my two year old brittany. — Jason Birch
Best hunt ever on the now zone in Edmonton Alberta Canada. I spent almost 10 hours in the stand on a snow covered Monday 4 degrees waiting on a monster and about 4:30 this brute showed up! Got within 28 yards before I was able to take a shot trembling! Fortunately he only went 40 yards before collapsing in the 8-inches of white stuff. What a hunt! Check out Wizard Lake Outfitters!!! — Jay Culbertson
My husband and I took our first trip to South Africa in June 2013, we hunted in the Limpopo area. After a few hours of being at our hunting camp, we set out to find an Impala for me. I was using a Tikka T3 .308 and made one shot approx 150 yards away taking this Trophy Impala. We do a lot of hunting locally in the San Diego area, bowhunting mule deer, we love the hunt! — Jennifer Larson Paulson
Hunted by self (no dogs). Shot at 48 yards. Size: 6'3" long, 350 pounds. Had to get 4 men to help get him off the mountain. Hunter: Larry Rogers Where: eastern West Virginia When: Sept. 26, 2013 Score: 18 6/8" Method: Remington XP-100 handgun, .325 WSM — Larry Rogers
First buck in seven years in Massachusetts. Shot on the second Saturday of black powder season with a 50 cal. Black Diamond. He was running toward me with another buck and two doe, approximately sixty yards away! — Mark Romani
First known Central Barren Ground Caribou taken with a longbow. I used a Schafer take-down longbow, handmade cedar arrows and Zwickey 2 blade broadheads. Taken 1 1/2 hours into the first day's hunt. West of Churchill, 1 1/2 miles from Nunavit, and approx. a 25 to 30 yard shot. — Michael Shepard
Dec. 7. Saw this buck chasing a doe. Set up, 45 minutes later doe lead him in to 15 yards. Shot with my Z7 Xtreme Mathews bow. — Rob Manning
Shot Oct. 14, 2013 with my Horton Vision Crossbow using G5 Montec 125g broadheads. He was drawn out of the thick stuff with my Flextone grunt call. I initially thought I missed him. Shot at 18 yards and he just casually walked away. I waited for a 1/2 hour. Climbed down to retrieve my arrow and do the walk of shame back to my truck. Found my arrow covered with good blood end to end. He walked 30 yards and just fell over. Tough old son-of-a-gun got it right thru the heart and never knew he was hit. 125+". — Wayne Hullfish
On the last day of our 10 day safari in South Africa we were hunting my last animal the almighty warthog. There were three out about 30 yards ahead of us, Brian my guide said to take the one on the right when he walks out in the open. Quietly I set up on the shooting sticks, looking through my Trijicon scope I followed the pig as it walked out of the brush. As I was about to squeeze the trigger on my Remington 270 short mag, Brian energetically whispered "ooo caracal, wait shoot the cat" when I looked up a caracal was walking casually toward the pigs, I quickly panned over and took the trophy. Thanks to Two Waters Safaris for a hunt of a lifetime. — Weston Desormeaux
Aoudad — 31" — taken in the Chinati Mountains of west Texas in March, 2013 Hunter: Stephanie Bonilla Method: Browning A-Bolt .270 Win. with 4.5 x14 Leupold scope — Stephanie Bonilla
We got this Mt. Lion in Alberta Canada. Took it with a Marlin .30-30 after it jumped out the tree and the dogs bayed it on the ground. Had to shoot it from 2 feet away. Quite an adventure. — Jeff Crochet
Took this free ranging lioness in South Africa in 2007 with my scope sighted Contender in 45-70 using the Cor-Bon 350 Gr. jacketed soft point. — Edward Folmar
This was an October hunt in the Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia. Animal taken is an old Gobi Ibex on the last evening of the hunt. Rifle used was a Savage 270 with 130 grain Winchester Ballistic Silvertips. Distance of shot was 240 yds. The ibex made the SCI record book. — Glenn Vondra
After passing up tons of mule deer bucks, I shot this nice 5x5 on the last day of my hunt in October of 2013 while hunting with Jons Outdoors, out of Buffalo, WY. I dropped the mule deer in his tracks at 301 yards with a perfectly placed 165 grain Nosler Accubond bullet from my Thompson Center Dimension rifle in .308 Winchester. — Michael O'Kane
My wife and I were hunting on the Eastern Cape of South Africa in June 2008 with Swartkei Safaris. The rifle is a Ballard Arms "high wall", chambered .330 Dakota, stocked with a very nice piece of English walnut. I was shooting a 225 grain Barnes TSX. The scope is a Leupold 3 1/2 -10 in Talley mounts. We saw this red lechwe bull early in the hunt one day but I had declined the shot, telling my PH that it just wasn't in the budget. After a long night I handed my PH, John Birch, a revised "target list", including red lechwe! Although I was assured it was most unlikely we would ever see the same animal again we were both surprised to find him later that week in the same general region. — Larry Hassell
Another nice Iowa whitetail taken in south central Iowa. Taking this buck was the longest shot I have ever taken with my Knight muzzle loader. The 170-yard shot was on the money and my buck dropped nearly in his tracks. My Nicon BDC scope really made the difference. I was using 100 grains of Triple Seven powder with 245 grain Nosler MZ bullets. I have tried more powder, but this is the combination that works for this rifle. — Robert Colby
I harvested this beautiful Mule Deer in Carbon County, WY in October 2010. This was my first mulie buck after six years of hunting in Wyoming. I was using my coveted Remington Model 700 BDL chambered in .30-06. I spotted this buck while glassing a large area of tall prairie grass from atop an adjoining ridge. He was bedded down and as the wind blew the grass to one side I caught a brief glimpse of his symmetrical antlers. I then shed my pack and moved into a closer position opposite another ridge. While contemplating how to move on the buck he suddenly appeared atop the ridge and I was able to swiftly acquire him in my crosshairs and made a clean shot at approximately 125 yards. — Richard Leunig
2014 spring turkey in the bitterroot valley of Montana . Taken with Ruger red label 12 gauge. I used the THUNDER CLUCK'N PURR. — Tony Fassio
This deer was a Delaware state record for a buck in velvet. Where: Delaware When: Sept 2011 Score: 161 & 3/8 Method :Hoyt Bow Hunter: Dean Scarborough — Dean Scarborough
I harvested this sheep in the Talkeetna Mountains of Alaska on August 12, 2013. To reach my hunting area, I used a 4-wheeler to travel 25 miles into the mountains. I shot this sheep at 350 yards using a Remington model 700 titanium with handloads using 130-grain Hornady interbond bullets. I was not able to take a shot until 6pm in the evening. I finally arrived back at my 4-wheeler at midnight very tired but happy. The ram measured 145 inches. — Greg Otto
The Hunt was in the beautiful Catskill mountains in New York State. My gear was Mossy oak break up camo , with Rocky mountain boots. I used a 3006 FN Mauser rifle and stood in a standard cabela tree stand. — Robert Privitera
Urban hunting at a local park on Nov. 1st. Spent an hour and a half grunting & rattling and other such seductions before I had him in bow range, about 20 yards. Used my PSE DNA, Injexion arrows, NAP Bloodrunner & TruFire release. — Guy Adams
It was Nov 15, 2013 in Kingston, Ky. This was my first season hunting and only my third day. I headed to the woods later then I had the first and second day, because this time I was hunting alone and in new area. I had scouted the area a few weeks before and several people told me I blew my shot at getting a deer because of disturbing the area. However, I didn't give up. When I was scouting I had found some huge scrapes and rubs, so I knew there was a big buck up that mountain. I didn't know how big he was though because I was new at this whole hunting thing. I taught myself everything I knew with a few tips from friends. After hiking up a mountain for 45 minutes and only being in the woods for 30 minutes a doe ran out and stopped 5 feet from me. I reached for my Remington .243, I was going to shoot her. However, I noticed by the way she acted that a buck was hot on her trail, I had seen that on the hunting channel. So I scanned the line and found the buck high up the mountain behind the thick trees. I could only see the tip of an antler and 3 inches of skin. I fired my gun and he dropped to the ground. I hiked up the mountain and was shocked at what I found, there laying on the ground was a 12 point buck. — Lana Artley
Shiras Bull Moose taken on 11/6/2014, on the west side of Priest Lake, ID. Taken around 8:30am, with a Browning BAR 270 Semi-Auto, using Remington 150 grain core-lokt ammunition. Width measurement in field was 50-1/2", final Boone and Crockett Scoring 156-4/8. I was wearing my Columbia Wool Pants, Under Armor Coat, Shirt, Gloves, Boots, and Under Armor Cold Gear. Pulled this monster moose out whole with our Polaris 500, equipped with factory winch. I had great help from my husband and 12 year old daughter. — Melissa Spaulding
This 10' 1/2" Gator was taken in Silver Springs, Fl. Using my KODABOW crossbow with 200# limbs and a Rage 100 grain broadhead. Weighed in at 800 lbs. Hunt was guided by Gator Country and Trapping Outfitters. — Rick Bylo
Crossbow hunting in mid November in northeast Oklahoma. Measured 143. — Kenny Dunagan
Took this hippo in South Africa with my Sabatti MDL 92 Double in 9.3x74R. I was using Hornady DGS .286 GR jacketed soft points. — Edward Folmar
This was an afternoon evening hunt in South Africa. Eric used a Remington 7MM with a Nikon scope. — Michael Ballou
Took this old boy from about 200 yards with a Howa rifle chambered in .308 W and a Swarovski scope. — Michael Ballou
It was Dec 28 and we were doing some dog drive in southern Alabama! It was a very cold morning and we were jumping deer left and right! This deer ran from one side of the club to the other! I took a shot at it with my Remington M887! It is a main frame 9 point great AL buck. — Ricky Rock
Rocky Mountain Elk taken in Fairplay, Co. on October 19th, 2013. Rifle used was a Sako Finnlite in .280 Remington using a Nosler 160 gr accubond. Bull scored 341 B.C. — Jerome Valenti
My son Scott's first hunt, age 13 at a private ranch near Patterson, CA. He used his Savage .243 youth rifle with factory scope to take a Barbados Ram. A great father/son trip and we are looking to book a hunt again this fall. — Scott Shumard
We watched fighting bulls the night before our hunt until dark. I passed on "loser" at dawn. We found "winner" (with cows) at 8:00 am out at 800 yards. We closed to 400 yards. The herd came from trees to brush hillside. He was ranged at 420 yards. Bull last out from trees. Ballistics really messed with my head. Uphill and calculated bullet drop. Not as much as anticipated. Severe mountain terrain so I chose A Christensen Arms Summit. Carbon fiber everything. Barrel, stock, and even carbon fiber magazines. The two pound savings was worth every dollar. I topped the rifle with Zeiss 3-12X56 with 30mm tube. I planned on a low light shot. The cartridge is 300 RUM. My load is a 165 grain Swift Shirocco II on top of 88 grains of IMR 4831 for a muzzle velocity of 3420 fps. The bullet performed perfectly. I hit a rib going in and a perfect mushroomed 147.7 grain bullet was re covered on opposite side. I am pushing 60 years old and this was the finest outdoor experience yet. To be with my wife and son was truly a once in a lifetime hunt. You really have to experience Utahs' public land, fair chase, hunts. — Greg Smith
Where: Dallam County, TX
When: October 6, 2014
Score: Unknown
Method: Ruger M77 .270 Win. rifle / Leupold VX-III scope / Hornady Custom 130 gr. Interlock ammunition
Gear: Swarovski SLC 15x56 binos, Mossy Oak Brush Camo, Primos Tripod, Nikon Rangefinder, Montana Decoy moo cow
Hunter: William Dye Stalked the antelope to within 257 yards behind the Montana decoy and made the shot with my friend Mike. — William Dye
Wife and I watched bulls and cows night before season opener. Bulls were fighting. We stayed after dark and went off into the forest with headlamps. Next morning got to trail and started walking. Two hundred yards into hunt and the nights loser was going for water. Hurt, limping, and alone. Passed on him for a broker brow tine. An hour later we find the herd and winner bull. Range 840 yards in the trees. We snuck 400 yards closer and set up for a shot. Out of the trees they came, cow, calf, cow, cow, three more cows. Then the 400 inch bull. My son says "shooter." I say ears. That's the sign to plug one ear and turn head. I pulled the trigger on my Christensen Arms Summit in 300 RUM with a carbon stock, carbon wrapped barrel and carbon fiber magazine and he dropped. Awesome rig built for the best outdoor experience to date. I am old and out of shape. I needed to shave two pounds off the gun if I was going to the mountains. Every scouting trip my son pushed me to the limits with this old body. Spotted this bull from three miles away two weeks before the hunt. We photographed him again from one mile away one week before the hunt. Public land in Utah is fantastic. I never saw another hunter. — Greg Smith
Late muzzleloader season in Iowa on public land last season. It was colder than the North Pole. We had a small buck and a doe in front of us. The buck left, I told him to take the doe but he said he wanted to wait for the buck. We waited and the small fork horned buck presented a 50 yard shot so I told him to take him. Dylan replied, "why cant I shoot that other buck," well, I did not see this buck. This buck gave me buck fever and I didn't have a gun. I told him yes but it is a long shot and to take his time. He pulled the trigger, and the deer did a death kick before running 100 yards. When the deer was found the other father and sons all had buck fever in there eyes as they gazed at a 10 year old boys fist season ever late muzzleloader first buck ever. The deer was a 150 + class 10 pointer that had a broken G4. We used a TC and a Leopold scope at a 120 yard shot. Way to go, son. — Dylan Veigulis
I harvested this 150-inch class whitetail in Alberta, Canada on 11-16-2013. It was 15 below zero and snowing very heavily when he appeared, trailing five does through a spruce choked draw. He stopped at 85 yards and turned slightly to check his back trail, giving me a one shot opportunity. My Remington 700 chambered in .300 Win. Mag. sent a 180 grain Black Talon down range and my buck dropped where he stood.
Hunter: Raymond Gray
Where: Indiana
When: 2012
Score: 171/5/8
Method: Remington 870 12 ga.
Rifle, Chase Bradley, 15 years old. — Vicki New
This is a nice 11-pointer I shot on Oct.17th of 2014. — Tim Harinck
This is my 13-year-old daughter on her first hunt. She completed Nebraska hunters education 2 months prior. She was hunting on private ground shooting my Ruger Mini 14. Her perfectly placed shot at 90 yards expired this trophy after running just 30 yards. — Rodney Bell
Nunda, NY - Ithaca. Model 37 Deerslayer 20 gauge Hornady SST 60 yards. He was trailing 4 does. — James Raby
Was walking a logging road and spotted him 230 yards away and shot him freehanded with my Remington. 700Vtr, .308. My best ever. — David Anderson
Buck was harvested October 8th, 2014. Bow used: Hoyt Spyder Turbo. Arrow: Gold Tip Velocity. Broadhead: Rage Extreme 125 grain. Gross score: 145". Net score: 137". Harvested in Northeast Arkansas. — Zack Yancey
It was early morning and had just become light enough to shoot. I saw this buck with two other bucks and about eight does around 120 yards away. I could tell the buck's antlers were pretty wide and high but I wasn't able to count points due to light. His body size indicated he was a good sized mature buck. I decided to shoot what I was certain was a nice four or five point buck. I was surprised to find out I had shot a two point. However, the buck it isn't like any two point I have ever seen before. I sent my family a text and told them I had shot a two point. One of my daughters replied and told me I must have been desperate to shoot a two point. She was surprised when she saw the two point I shot. It is a nice buck and a unique trophy. — Ron Bird
Where: Southeast Colorado.......used 270 Weatherby Mag.....used 150 grain partition ........Hunter was Larry Conway. — Larry Conway
Even after 46 years of hunting coming eye to eye with a cougar is definitely a heart stopping experience. My husband, Jerry, had a glimpse of what he thought was a cougar a couple of days before and we figured it must have had a kill in the area. I was walking an old logging road early in the morning when a strange form appeared in the long grass. It took me a moment to realize what was coming out on to the road just ahead of me. Now things began happening faster than lightening. I raised my rifle and fired not sure if I had hit it. My husband was hunting another closed road a half mile away, and in a short time he was there to help me search. We found a bit of hair on the road and the cat was about 30 yards down the steep embankment. I was hunting near Priest Lake in the Idaho Panhandle on October 20th, 2014 with my Remington Model Seven 7mm-08 with a Leopold scope and Hornady Super Performance CMX 139 gr. bullets. ...Someone told me that most 65 year old Grandmas stay home and bake cookies.....I did not know that! ;-) — Karen Korpi
Well, we have seen this deer for 4 years now and I finally got the opportunity to lay the smack down. The first year we saw him, he had splits on each G3 and being from a big baseball family, we decided to call him "double play". We decided to let him grow and breed into a fantastic 6 year old buck. My best buck ever, and most likely best buck ever! Gear: .270 Thompson Center Rifle with Nikon Scope, Chippewa Snake Boots — Marshal Trainer
While home for a quick break from an overseas contract, my friend and business partner allowed me to hunt his farm since mine was over an hour away and I needed to say closer to home as my wife was pregnant with our second child. On 10 Oct, I climbed into a freshly hunt stand set and with an hour I was fortunate to take this true brute. Gross score 183. I took him with my Mathews DXT, a blood sport arrow, and a muzzy broad head. The buck offered me a walking broadside shot at 22 yards. He didn't go more than 30 yards before piling up. 10 October is a day I won't soon forget. — Rick Franco
Shot on a Texas hunting trip with my father. This 138 Pt deer was taken on a free range ranch with outfitter Steve Brugman. — Dave Caldwell
Saw a big deer my first day out this season and saw him periodically over the next two weeks but never had a good shot. Passed on quite a few lesser bucks in hopes of shooting the big boy I saw the first day. Two weeks in I found a shed on the ground so I posted up near a game trail and sure enough he walked right up to the game trail. From twenty yards away I dropped him in his shadow where he stood with my Benelli pump 12 gauge loaded full of buck shot. — JT Sloan
7x6 Bull. I shot him October 25, 2014 opening day of Montana's general season in Unit 104. I found them looking to fill my moose tag a few days earlier and went back and nobody had bothered them. I shot him with a Remington M700 Stainless in .300 RUM. — Steve Ayers
I shot this Muley on November 11, 2014. I kept seeing a bunch of muley does when I was in this area looking for a bull moose. I figured I would keep checking to see if a big buck would show up and on this single digits cold morning there he was at 100 yds following a doe. I shot him also with my Rem M700 Stainless in .300 RUM. — Steve Ayers
Finally, after 37 days of hunting I found the first bull moose of the season on November 24, 2014 with only 6 days of season left. He has a 42" spread, and as hard as I hunted for this moose he might as well be a world record. Because of this tag, I was in the woods to find one of my biggest bull elk, my biggest Mule deer and biggest moose, and a freezer and a half full of the best game meat on the planet! I used my old S&W M1500 in .338 Win. Mag for the 30 yd. shot. 225 gr. Barnes TSX bullets handloaded. — Steve Ayers
I had asked to hunt a small property next to some other property that I used to hunt but couldn't any longer because the new owners - hunting rights, LEASED HUNTING. Hats off to all of you folks that still ask to hunt the old fashion way... (NOT PAY TO HUNT). Well, you guessed it, I saw the new group head into the old hunting area I used to hunt next to some public property and this is what they must of been looking for. I had 4 groups of deer move across the area I was hunting. In the last group to move across he was the last one. One shot one kill. What I did not use was any sent control clothing, no trail cameras, on sent attracting rut lures or any other high fie crap you see on fancy land pay to hunt shows. What I did use was LaCrosse standard knee boots, some sheds for rattling, 10 year old grunt tube, some 20 year old WALLS reverse camo, my old trusty TC 50 cal. and a new Leupold VX-7 2.5-10. My son shot his fist buck with this gun 4-5 days after I shot this; he is also in your rack room. Took me 20 years to get my first BC buck but had a great time doing it. Thank you Walls, Lacrosse, Thompson Center and Leupold. — Mike Veigulis
Here my son, Austin, with a buffalo kill in 2014. 1 shot with a 7 mag 300 yards. We would like to put in your magazine. It would mean so much to him. Thank You — Leon Reams
After hunting for at least 30 days this season without seeing a mature buck we finally got it done on Jan. 1, 2015. A winter storm with freezing temps got this big 8 pt moving early afternoon in Mason Co., TX. Gear: Ruger M77 LH 270 Win. Rifle, Swarovski 15x56 binos, Hornady Custom 130g Ammunition, Nikon Prostaff Rangefinder, Cabelas and Mossy Oak clothing, Cabelas 1200gm boots. — William Dye
Shot with a reminton 700 ADL with leupold boone and crocket 50 mm scope. Hunting was cold this year with most days at 4 to 15 degree days. Shot the deer at 175 yard from a haybale blind at 10 AM in the morning. This is the larges deer I have harvested and has taken 22 years to achieve this goal. Shot on the Niobrara River in NE. This hunt was shared with my son and a friend on small 240 acre ranch I own were I have been planting food plots for the last 10 year. We have practiced QDM which has resulted in our seeing more and larger bucks each year. — James Donatelle
This is my nice 8-point buck I harvested during Michigan's gun season in 2012. — Tim Harinck
After three years of watching this buck grow up from the age of three. Sure enough he turned into a buck of a lifetime. It was definitely worth the many hours in the stand to shoot him. So thankful that God finally gave me the opportunity. This buck got his name "TPX" for his Louisville Slugger size bases. He scored 191 1/8. Shot him at 25 yards with my PSE. — Jody West
Northern British Columbia Canadian Moose Official Score -209 2/8" Boone and Crockett Harvest date - Oct. 9 - 2014 After calling in numerous bulls, all which were not legal, persistence paid off. This bull was spotted about a 1000 yards away, and a perfect spot and stalk was performed to sneak up to 150 yards. He was with a cow and would not come to any calls. A perfect shot with a Nosler Accubond put him down, and then the work had begun. Packing him out by foot, it took numerous trips, and over 11 hours. A lot of work, but worth every moment! A bull of a lifetime! Cheers! Equpiment used:
-Leupold rangefinder
-Pentax Binoculars
-Bushnell Spotting Scope
- Nosler Accubonds
-Browning X-bolt .270 WSM
-Rocky Camoflauge
-Redwing Hunting Boots — Greg Johnson
I monitored this buck through trail cam pics early August til fall 2014. I opted to hunt him late Oct since my pictures were always at night. I hunted 2 times in Oct with no luck but went back to hunt on Nov 5th. the north wind was perfect and I climbed into my stand around 4 pm. At 5pm I saw 2 does come out of a thicket down below and then I saw a huge white rack emerge from the thicket! He followed the does and I used my grunt tube to get his attention then I used my Knight and Hale pack rack to bring him running in full bore,he slowed down a bit bristling up ears laid back and licking his lips! He stopped broadside at 15 yards, I had the bow drawn and centered the pin low on his chest, released the arrow and made a perfect heart shot!he only made it 25 yards before tipping over and expiring! I went to recover my trophy and had realized that after 25 years of bowhunting I had just harvested my best bow buck ever! What an amazing feeling!! After the 60 day drying period an official Boone and Crockett measurer taped him out at 173 7/8 inches and field dressed 230 lbs! I used a Mathews helium bow, Muzzy 4 blade 100 grain heads, Carbon Express arrows, Scent Lok camo, Scent Away spray, API hang on stand, M.A.D. grunt tube and Knight and Hale pack rack. I'd like to thank god for allowing me to be a part of this thing we call 'THE GREAT OUTDOORS!!" — Eric Sprigler
Hunted in Hidalgo Coahuila, Mexico. Big Whitetail and heavy, nice shooting. The region is close to Laredo, Texas. — Carlos Cepeda Diaz




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