What is the "estimated or known" scoring whitetail buck that you have either shot and killed, shot at and missed or unfortunately shot at and wounded? For me, on a frigid Dec. morning in 1989 down on the Webb/Zapata county lines, I had the largest deer I've laid eyes on in the field come out. Blackish tall and wide horns with points for days and looking bodywise like a small cow came out to the sendero maybe 600 yards away. At 19 years of age, I gave it my best effort with the M70, .30-.06 Featherweight XTR but all I succeeded in doing was scaring him off with the bullet hitting feet short of him. By far the biggest deer I've shot at and looking back probably a 14-16 ptr. grossing 180s to 190s as my estimate. A buck of a lifetime. This location was within a few miles of the Bruni Ranch which produced the highest or 2nd highest grossing freerange typical in the early 90s, maybe 1991 or 1992, 31" and upper 180s if memory serves me. The East ranch pasture was also within a few miles.

What about others on the THF?

highest scoring

My 181 this year with my crossbow is my biggest.
You still have the M70 3006? Thats all I shoot.
Is the near by buck from early 90s the Springer(Phillip I think) buck?

LF in the lower Texas Panhandle...never officially scored but around 198 gross with 15 scoreables....with around a 187" typical 11pt frame. 4 tines from 12"+ to 14"+. Would probably net upper 160's typical.



The "big" one that got away was a Kansas mainframe 6x6 with 3 extras around his left browtine...21-22" inside and a lot of mass with really good tine length...his typical frame was in the 180's easily if not better. Grazed his lower left leg below the body with my ML at 140 yards in standing corn. Don't know if I pulled the shot, mis-ranged him and shot low or bullet hit corn leaves...but it was still a miss. Watched him trot off with a doe over the horizon on land could not hunt. Still haunts me to this day...would coulda shoulda comes into play after the fact.

Yes, I still have it, Father bought it in 1982 for my 12th B Day. Don't know about the buck but know it was shot by a guest hunter of Bruni and supposedly the mother had a sentimental attachment or something to the buck saying it reminded her of her late husband. Initially I believe the guest hunter was told to leave the deer or something to that effect. Anyhow a judge later ruled that Bruni could make a replica mount or something but had to display a plaque that he did not kill it.

Beautiful deer Ranch!

Just looked up the buck I was remembering. Grossed 200 counting just a few inches of NT. Netted 187 as typical. 26 spread. Biggest recorded in TBGA that year. Zapata county and he was a guest.

very nice

Sounds like the deer. If it is, that background story applies...

Good thread Qdawg

DQ, this is story about that buck. Hope this isn’t off topic but you kinda brought up a possible similar buck.

Honestly Free, not sure if same buck but I know the one off the Bruni involved the legal wrangling and scored typical high 180s I believe. Your clipping may have just not touched on that part as I think it may have been a little after the fact type thing too. Interesting story to say the least.

Thanks bud, you know I like to keep it interesting and fun.

This one back in 2013. I didn’t shoot - was trying to settle down for the shot when he stepped back in the woods. IDK what he would score.

Ha! I see this guy on every sit just before legal light. For some reason there is always a tree and a rock in the same location

Just messing with you of course. That looks like a true stud

That looks like a beast NP, East TX, right?

Yes. Sadly, he’s long dead by now. I’m certain he died naturally though because a deer like that doesn’t remain a secret long if he’s killed in my area.