Seeing the local legend in your own back yard can turn an average-Joe deer hunter into a wide-eyed, frothy-mouthed fanatic. Or so says one man’s wife.
That happened to Steve Plattner last November, according to his missus, Becky.
Steve had only a passing interest, a normal curiosity, about the supposedly huge buck being photographed a couple of miles up the road until his own cams began yielding photos. That’s when he realized his neighbors weren’t exaggerating.
This was a for-real Nemaha County, Kansas, giant.
The 57-year-old purchasing agent retrieved the first images in early November. He knew it had to be the buck photographed in velvet at a farm nearly 2 miles away, and not just because of its tall-tined antlers.
Locals were referring to the deer as Ol’ Spot because of a light patch above the buck’s left shoulder. It looked like bare skin, possibly scraped by a barbed wire fence.
Steve learned later the patch wasn’t hairless. It was as if someone had spilled a cup of Clorox on the area.
Interest fully piqued and his imagination stoked, he couldn’t wait for the 2019 rifle season. Dec. 2 couldn’t arrive soon enough.
The first 11 days of the season were a bust for both Steve and his college-aged daughter. He got lucky on Friday the 13th, of all days.
Steve had gone to his favorite treestand, which is only 300 yards from his home. Just when he was ready to call it a day, he caught a glimpse of a deer – Ol’ Spot – 80 yards away, plenty close enough for his trusty .243.
BTR master scorer Terry Rethman is writing the story for Rack magazine. He scored Steve’s deer at 187 2/8 inches, typical.
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