Big Buck Tales

Johnny Thacker Buck

Johnny Thacker Buck

By Ed Waite

When Johnny Thacker called his wife on Nov. 18, 2006, the tremor in his voice prompted her to ask, “What’s wrong?” “I’ve just killed a huge 14-pointer,” he blurted. “Are you sure?” she pressed. “Well, that’s what I think,” he said. “I counted at least seven points on the side I... READ MORE

Ryan Cox Buck

Ryan Cox Buck

By Mike Handley

Neither nature’s call nor a need for fuel caused Ryan Cox to suddenly veer off the highway and pull into the nearest gas station on Oct. 16. The 18-year-old from Eagleville, Mo., was on his way back to Columbia from St. Louis, where he’d gone to look at a truck for sale, when his brother, Kris, sent him a photograph via cell phone. The ... READ MORE

Kody Skinner Buck

Kody Skinner Buck

By Kody Skinner

My girlfriend, Chelsey Keylor, and I spent the evening of Oct. 30, 2010, in an elevated box blind, watching a food plot. We’d barely settled in when three does came onto the field and began browsing. "Do you want me to record them?" asked Chelsey, who was operating the camcorder on her very first time in the deer woods. "No, that’s ok... READ MORE

Wayne Leazier Jr. Buck

Wayne Leazier Jr. Buck

By Mike Handley

Few deer hunters would trade big woods serenity and fresh air for the ambient noise of a nearby highway and a breeze tainted by diesel fumes. But one bowhunter from Fort Wayne, Ind., has learned that aesthetics have little to do with one’s chances of taking home a buck. Wayne Leazier Jr. logs a lot of miles each fall in his quest for whitetai... READ MORE

Bruce Lane Buck

Bruce Lane Buck

By Bruce Lane

Rather than striking out for my deer stand in the pouring rain on Oct. 31, I crawled back under the covers. The storm was supposed to move out by noon, which meant I could still spend half my Saturday in a tree. I’d hung my stand several months earlier, after spotting a huge whitetail bedded on a brushy hillside. The buck’s travel route... 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

John Klucky Buck

John Klucky Buck

By Mike Handley

When John Klucky first laid eyes on the buck that would be New Hampshire’s state-record Typical, it wasn’t a Kodak moment. He revels in telling the story. In fact, he rattles off the details so quickly that his tongue begins to knot. But the hunter from Bow, N.H., freely admits that he had no clue as to the caliber of whitetail he twice... READ MORE

Joseph Shields Buck

Joseph Shields Buck

By Mike Handley

If five antler scorers were to lay their tapes on the antlers of a buck hanging over the late Logan Sewell's mantel in Vidalia, La., they might very well come up with five different tallies. That's because the non-typical rack carries what many would consider as multiple main beams, and the choice of a typical mainframe will affect spread, symmetry... READ MORE

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