When Chandler Hatfield woke up Friday morning, Nov. 4, his wife, Emily, announced she’d be taking their 4-year-old son, Liam, to school (pre-kindergarten), usually his task. En route to work, he also routinely picks up a coworker, who was running late.
The extra time gave the amateur wildlife photographer from Haysville, Kansas, a chance to drive the area’s rural roads in search of subjects. It was a warm 75 degrees that day in Butler County.
“For three or four years now, I’ve kept a camera in the truck just for this,” said the 35-year-old. “You never know what you’ll see.”
One of his most prized photos is a group of nine bald eagles sitting on ice, demolishing a duck, practically in his back yard.
While driving, Chandler encountered a road construction project, forcing him to detour a mile north from his planned loop. When he was 150 yards from the noisy road machinery, he spotted a buck standing in a field less than 20 yards from the road.
“I watched it for almost 30 minutes; even drove as close as 4 feet from the deer,” he said. “It was just standing there, its left ear drooping; making no effort to run.”
Convinced the animal was sick or injured, Chandler called the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, who referred him to the Butler County Sheriff’s Department.
“I wasn’t comfortable just leaving that deer out there for the coyotes,” Chandler said. “I’m too much of an animal lover.”
A deputy arrived shortly afterward and watched the dazed animal for five minutes before agreeing the whitetail should be dispatched. When the deed was done, the sergeant asked Chandler if he’d like a salvage tag to claim the deer.
Indeed.
Chandler dragged the buck to the road, and the deputy helped him load it in his truck. After dropping the deer at a taxidermist’s shop, where the meat was also processed, he went on to work.
Barry Raugust, Chandler’s high school field biology teacher, measured the 20-pointer for Buckmasters, arriving at 202 4/8 inches. The mainframe 6x5 carries a jaw-dropping 43 2/8 inches of mass.
Chandler’s personal best, as a hunter, is 157 inches.