Articles: Features
Likely new State Record Whitetail Buck Harvested in Texas
With all the rain that blessed Texas over the last 12 months, all the industry experts predicted a record year for antler growth in the Lone Star State. But wow, no one expected such a monster to be harvested on opening day that will almost certainly become the largest native whitetail ever produced in the state’s history. And, what makes this 300 plus inch buck so unique is that it is a 100% native deer with no scientific influence at all.

Mark Barrett of the Las Raices Ranch is the proud hunter that harvested this magnificent animal that will undoubtedly jump to the top of the all time leader board in the Texas record books. The buck’s score is reported as 311 4/8" green gross, in full velvet. This score is not official, but is almost certain to replace the current state record that was set just 3 years and 1 day earlier by none other than Mark’s son, Marko, who is known to Whitetail Domains users as “Encinal”.

Macy Ledbetter, Co-Founder of Whitetail Domains, has been communicating with Marko since shortly after his father downed the giant buck. Macy indicated that Marko was excited for his father, and proud of the fact that the buck was harvested (in Marko’s words) on a “family owned and operated hunting ranch in Webb County, Texas that has exclusively ‘non-manipulated nor transported’ native genetics. Marko went on to say that the deer was a “100% native pasture deer that had not been manipulated in any way. Rain, protein, feed and patience..."

Our hat is off to the Barrett family for this incredible accomplishment, and Macy would particularly like to thank the Barrett’s for allowing him to sit on the front row and be a part of the excitement! All of us at Whitetail Domains also want to thank the Barrett’s for sharing their story with us first on Whitetail Domains!

For more photos and information on this buck and other bucks on the Las Raices, check out the Las Raices Ranch webpage on Facebook! There are more than 20 photos to ogle at on this new record book buck alone!

Oh, and if you want to keep up with all the chatter on the latest information on this giant buck, follow New Texas Record Whitetail on our Forums page.

Amos's ranch does it again...Awsome!!!!!!!

Mark Barrett, Las Raices Ranch, Harvests 1st ever 300" Native Texas Whitetail

A buck was harvested yesterday, October 2nd, in Texas that will most likely be the new state record for the biggest buck grown and harvested ever by a hunter in the state of Texas! Mark Barrett of the Las Raices Ranch is the hunter, as well as father to our friend Encinal on Whitetail Domains.

The buck’s score is reported as 311 4/8" green gross, in full velvet. This score is not official, but is almost certain to replace the current state record. In Encinal's own words, "Las Raices is a family owned and operated hunting ranch in Webb County, Texas that has exclusively non-manipulated nor transported native genetics. This is a 100% native pasture deer that has not been manipulated in any way. Rain, protein feed and patience..."

For photos and more info on this ‘almost guaranteed’ new Texas state record whitetail buck, and to hear the “back story” on the buck this is being dislodged from the top spot, read Record Whitetail Buck Harvested in Texas. And, to keep up with all the chatter on what other hunters are saying about this 'native genetics' super-buck, check out Potential New State Record Buck in the Forums section on WhitetailDomains.com.

Whitetail Domains congratulates Mark Barrett and the Las Raices Ranch on this magnificent buck, and for their shining example of what superior management can accomplish with no scientific influence whatsoever!

Walt Powell, Co-Founder
Whitetail Domains

Anyone have pics of this???

Pics are on texasbowhunter.com

Good Lord what a buck !!

Pics. are also at whitetail domain...What a great buck and an oustanding program.

That is a beast of a buck.

They will have to remove the velvet in order to be recognized by B&C right?

Awesome, just awesome

The ranch is high fenced so they'd have to do more than that. Great buck!

Awesome buck, how old was he?

Doesn't penning them in a high fence and adding tons of protein to their diet constitute .....SCIENTIFIC INFLUENCE!!!!

Not impressed. A free ranging 160 class buck is more impressive!

That is an awesome buck. But it is absurd, and a slap in the face to say there was no scientific influence. This place is clearly very well managed, as you can see all the great bucks he posts. You don't just get lucky, there is definitely science at work. Management is science!

I believe they are under 4K acres. They can't escape, but that is not a pen by any means. Deer under 4000 acres have plenty of cover and are as challenging as any free range buck. He doesn't pen them up, then release them...

x2

x3

If it is as challenging on 4000 acres as they would like you to believe, isn't is a bit odd they he got him the first day of the season?

Because its prerut and they patterned him? I don't know. If he was taken on the last day, would that have changed your mind?

Get ya checkbook ready!

7.5...

those genetics are natural and native, no breeder bucks and no brought in genetics, or DMP pens for that matter.

Amos(marko) spends more time in the stand then 99 percent of the people on this board.

that ranch is no different then any other ranch in the area as far as food, and for the record he didn't fence it his niebhors did, which doesn't matter any way 4k acres is a little over 6 square miles.

Only science to that deer is keeping his deer numbers under CC via harvest of his does and making sure no one hunting gets trigger happy until his bucks get old...

Congrats again to marko... hell of a deer and hell of an awsome job managing native herds!!!!

Good question...and probably not.

Guess that is why there are 32 flavors at Baskin Robbins! Nice deer regardless.