When Hunter Schmittou gets out his measuring tape, it's not always for someone else.
As an official scorer for Buckmasters Trophy Records, Hunter Schmittou gets to see giant bucks fairly regularly. Impressively, some of those bucks were taken by Hunter himself - and the giant he took in 2020 came from public land!
What's more, the public parcel Hunter targeted is heavily regulated to the point where only certain sections are open and for hunting at a given time. And the DNR gives just a week's notice when a property is going to open. What's more, you can't leave stands or blinds on the property overnight.
Maybe all those restrictions are what allow a few bucks there to grow older. You still have to tip your hat to a guy willing to jump through all the hoops required to hunt there.
After missing a quality buck with his bow - there was a branch involved – Hunter was fortunate to draw one of the area's rare muzzleloader tags.
The result was the state's new No. 2 typical taken by blackpowder. You can read all about Hunter's 184 5/8 giant in the fall issue of Rack magazine.
— Read Recent Blog! New Script Followed: When two hunters are after the same giant buck, at least one will be disappointed.