25 YEARS AGO TODAY I SAW THE BIGGEST FREE RANGE BUCK OF MY LIFE

It was 25 years ago today I climbed in my Dads rifle stand in Freestone County Texas while he was in his bow stand just inside the woods from where I was at. Little did I know I was about to see the biggest free range buck I have ever seen in my life, and Dad would put an arrow right through his vitals a short time later. It was his first bow kill ever.

The deer has 18 scorable points, 24.5" inside spread and field dressed 175 pounds (enormous for that area). He was killed on a 100 acre track of land he had hunted for 20 years. Before he even got home from the hunt Ray Sasser of the Dallas Morning News had already found out about it and had called and left a message as well as the local Fairfield news paper. The deers head and neck was so big the Taxidermist had to use a Mule Deer form for the mount.

Nice! Did you age him?

Beautiful buck. And very cool y'all were hunting together when it happened.

Wow. What a deer! Awesome.

Taxidermist said he was about 7 years old but that was before aging was really what it has become today so who really knows.

That is amazing. And at that time no protein feeders. A really great Buck Deer.

Wow! Great buck!

Cool story. Thanks for sharing.

With that mount, you need a bigger room!

Great buck and I remember you posting a photo or two of him before. He has not shrunk any since the last time you posted pics of him

What a buck!!! Like said, glad yall had that together.

awesome buck

This proves it; there are deer out there that we never see.

Nice!!!

Great buck. Better memory.

Great story, very cool that it was his first bow kill and you got to witness it. Did he quit bow hunting after that? Can't get much better!

Man, that's a perfect buck. Nice story too.

Fantastic buck !

wow! great buck and heck of a first bow kill!

Great buck and a great story. This was when most folks were not worried about management, more about the hunting experience.
Adios,
Gary

Was that deer and story in the Texas Trophy Hunter magazine? It seems familiar to me.. Awesome deer!

So true! 25 years ago I was hunting out of a tripod or fork of a tree close to game trails, no feeders just one with nature

Lifetime trophy and family heirloom now! Awesome!

Never get tired of seeing that buck or hearing you and your Dad talk about him. Thanks for sharing on the anniversary of 25 years

Awesome looking deer and moment shared with your dad.

Did y’all ever score him? Regardless of score, he’s awesome

What a freakin hoss! Especially for FreeCo. Seen some good ones over by the coal mine but that one takes the cake!

It was not in TTHA as far as I know. It was in the Dallas Morning News, Fairfield news paper, and at least one book by Ray Sasser.

LOL! No he kept bowhunting and he shot a pretty nice 10 point about 7 years later as well. He has traded the compound for a crossbow now though.

Now, how in the world did he kill that native Central Texas monster wearing that old school camo with no "Dead Down Wind" sprayed all over him? For goodness sakes, he doesn't even have any paint on his face. Photoshop......this just couldn't have happened! LOL.

Thanks for bringing back some memories.

Awesome and great story. I hunted Freestone about 20 years ago for a few years and never saw a good size buck.

Love the old photos.

Thanks for sharing. Cool story and fond memories of those old hunts and woodland camo. I still have a bunch of those old clothes in a box, I know they'll still hunt. Great Buck!

Awesome!

Great story and great buck.

What did he score or did I miss that fact?

Nice deer, and cool pictures

That’s awesome. Freestone has some great bucks for sure.

Don't remember exact score but he was 180ish

An experience like that is priceless!! Glad you have the mount and pics to go with it!!

very cool story

in todays market that would be how much $$$$$$$$$$$$

I'd be proud as a peacock with that buck! Congrats on a lifetime memory!

Heck of a buck. Thanks for sharing!