Special Report by Field & Stream Senior Editor Colin Kearns

On September 4, we posted a video on our Whitetail 365 blog of a monster buck walking around unfenced property in Buffalo County, Wisconsin, that many hunters and deer experts speculated could be a new typical world record. Now, two months later, we have more images of the deer—courtesy of Bob Decker, the Wisconsin bowhunter who shot the deer on November 1.

Decker had been in a tree stand for more than three hours, seeing nothing, before he heard a twig snap below him. There, 40 yards away and coming closer, was a big buck. At the time, Decker only knew the deer was plenty big enough to shoot, so when the deer was 6 or 7 yards below, he released his arrow. The buck ran for 50 yards and dropped.

It wasn’t until Decker and his hunting buddy Paul Olson approached the deer that they realized just how big it was. As soon as they saw the buck, Olson started shouting that Decker had killed “the Field & Stream buck!”

F&S contributing editor Scott Bestul, who reported on the buck in the November issue of F&S, has not seen the actual rack, but based on the photos, he said he is almost certain that the buck Decker shot is the same from the video. However, Bestul believes the deer is not a world record and will be scored as a non-typical.

Decker said a score has not been released and added that it will be a close call on whether his buck will be scored typical or non-typical. “I’ve heard people say it could either way,” says Decker. “It’ll just be a judgment call. I have mixed feelings about [its potential as a world record]. I’d love it if it was the record. But if it’s not, maybe I can quietly ride off into the sunset and get out of the spotlight. Either way, I’m proud to have taken the deer.”

What do you think: World record or not? Typical or non-typical? And keep checking whitetail365.com for the latest on this story.