Whitetail365: The Deer Hunting Blog From Field & Stream

Well, it’s been fun watching the tremendous buck footage that Wisconsin outfitter Scott Kirkpatrick shared with us last week. And I appreciated the many comments (minus the mean-spirited ones, of course) that piece of film evoked. When Scott first showed me this video, he told me he wanted to air it somewhere “so that people could see the kind of deer we have here in Buffalo County.”

As some of you noted, this is a smart move for an outfitter who wants to keep his region front-n-center in the minds of potential clients. And, I’d stress, Kirkpatrick did it in exceedingly honest fashion; he never claimed this buck was living on one of his properties, nor did he infer that a client might have a better shot at this dream deer than anyone else hunting in the area. He simply wanted to showcase a monster buck as an illustration of his area’s potential.

Some outfitters may not be so above-board. When we scan a brochure, read an ad, or visit a website, we imagine ourselves harvesting a buck like the ones pictured. So exactly what is appropriate advertising for an outfitter? Should only deer harvested by clients hunting with XYZ Outfitters appear in the promotion? What about clip art, video footage or wildlife photography (all of which can be bought) be allowed? How ‘bout harvest photos submitted by friends, relatives and/or employees of the operation, who may or may not be hunting the properties owned/leased by the outfit?

I don’t begrudge any outfitter trying to instill excitement and hope in a potential client. That’s just smart business. But there is excitement and hope, and then there is absolute fantasy. I’d like to know when you think an outfitter has crossed the truth-in-advertising line…

Now with sharper, cleaner video ...


Can this Buffalo County, Wisconsin, behemoth challenge Milo Hansen’s world record typical buck that scored 213-5/8”? Several whitetail experts think it’s possible. Last week Scott Kirkpatrick, owner of Buffalo County Outfitters (715-533-0943) asked me and a small group of whitetail fanatics to view footage of a giant deer he’d filmed while driving between several of his hunting properties. After picking our collective jaws off the floor, we all agreed this tremendous, free-ranging whitetail certainly has a shot at toppling a record that has stood since 1993.

Among the viewers was Ted Marum, a former outfitter and whitetail fanatic. “Scott had told me the buck was ‘closer to 220” than it is 200,’ before I saw it,” Marum said. “But after I saw the video, 220 inches is selling him short. He’s way bigger than that.” Iowan Steve Snow, who has shot two bucks grossing over 200”, says the buck “will gross over 230” in its sleep.” After adding up the estimated tine-lengths, beam measurements and spread, we’ve arrived at a gross-score for this amazing buck around 240”. Interestingly, this buck was likely filmed by one of Scott’s former guides two summers ago, just across the road from this property. At that time, Kirkpatrick felt the buck would gross-score around 200” and was at least 4-1/2 years old.

Assuming someone actually kills the deer, will a buck that grosses around 240” be large enough to reign over the B&C book? Naturally, it will come down to deductions. Kirkpatrick filmed the buck at a distance of over 400 yards on the evening of August 16th at 8:00 p.m., near a property he leases. Even with a window-mount to steady his Canon camera, Kirkpatrick’s footage is just distant and grainy enough to make a detailed estimate difficult. But if our little group of deer freaks is even close with our guess, the buck is a contender. And regardless of net score, he’s certainly among the largest free-ranging bucks ever caught on tape.

For a more detailed discussion of this buck’s story, check out my deer column in the upcoming November issue of Field & Stream magazine.

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