Big Buck Tales

Larry Reece Buck

Larry Reece Buck

By Mike Handley

Larry Reece was desperate. With shooting light quickly fading and a "decent" buck almost within range (at least it was before it disappeared into a pine plantation), he glanced at the grunt tube in his hand. The 57-year-old deer hunter from Benton, Miss., considered the little gadget long on hype and short on magic. He'd never had a deer respond to... READ MORE

David Melton Buck

David Melton Buck

By Mike Handley

It was no small miracle that five Alabama men didn’t drown in the Tombigbee River back in 1956. Since none of them are alive today to tell the story of what happened 52 years ago, it isn’t known whether their johnboat was aluminum or wood, although it must’ve been powered by an outboard motor. The river is simply too strong to nav... READ MORE

Ricky Caldwell Buck

Ricky Caldwell Buck

By Greg Hicks

“There’s no place like home.” Dorothy said it in “The Wizard of Oz” in 1939. Louisiana’s Ricky Caldwell spoke those same words on the Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge in 2012. Ricky was born and raised not far from what would eventually become one of the best public hunting tracts in North America. Under his... READ MORE

David Laster Buck

David Laster Buck

By Mike Handley

You might not find David Laster’s name on the speakers’ list at any deer hunting seminars, but don’t be surprised if you see the 28-pointer he shot last year hanging shoulder to shoulder with Mississippi’s finest whitetails. The buck didn’t make a big splash outside of the 57-year-old’s hometown of Columbus, Miss... READ MORE

Dean Dwernychuk Buck

Dean Dwernychuk Buck

By Buckmasters Online

Dean Dwernychuk of Calgary, Alberta, had established tree and ground blinds in five strategic locations around the perimeter of an alfalfa field west of Calgary. He had been within bow range of excellent bucks on several occasions, but some minor complication always prohibited a shot. On Sept. 25, 1984, he prepared again for the hunt with renewed ... READ MORE

Dave Ross Buck

Dave Ross Buck

By Brady Smith

Soon after he'd gained permission to hunt a vast piece of ground in Greene County, Ohio, Dave Ross set out to do some preseason scouting. The area was full of promising deer sign, so he wasted no time in setting up an automatic game feeder about 20 yards from the edge of a soybean field. He also erected a ladder stand a few yards away from it. The... READ MORE

Kyle Simmons Buck

Kyle Simmons Buck

By Mike Handley

Because he rarely asks for time off from his job, inclement weather usually dictates when Kyle Simmons can go hunting. The demand for firewood near Spragueville, Iowa, keeps him busy for 60 or more hours a week. But last October, the 24-year-old saw the stars aligning and asked his boss for an uncharacteristically long weekend. Rain had ushered in ... READ MORE

Shawn Sears Buck

Shawn Sears Buck

By Ted Rose

On opening day of the 1990 firearms deer season, Shawn Sears was up early enough to get to his favorite treestand before daylight. He had no idea that this foggy, cool morning would produce a lifelong memory and a prominent place in the deer hunting record books. Shawn explained that he had been hunting for a number of years with a bow. He had bee... READ MORE

Copyright 2024 by Buckmasters, Ltd.

Copyright 2020 by Buckmasters, Ltd