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Hey Guys,
While I have shared the story of harvesting this trophy with many of my friends, including several members of this site, I have never posted any pictures or reports on-line since I harvested this Monster Non-typical 16pt back in November.
I had been waiting for the rack to dry, to get a final score, and to allow Mike the opportunity to share it with world on his blog first.
JC
http://www.mikehanback.com/
While I have shared the story of harvesting this trophy with many of my friends, including several members of this site, I have never posted any pictures or reports on-line since I harvested this Monster Non-typical 16pt back in November.
I had been waiting for the rack to dry, to get a final score, and to allow Mike the opportunity to share it with world on his blog first.
JC
http://www.mikehanback.com/
Giant Oklahoma 16-Point Buck!
Posted On: February 16, 2010 | By: mike hanback
Jeff Herrmann, a hard-core hunter who moderates our BIG DEER forum, guest blogs:
Hey Mike: Last November I had what I am certain will be one of the most memorable hunts of my lifetime. While I have been on a few semi-guided hunts over the years (including one featured on your blog where my girlfriend took her first buck, a 130? 9 pt) I had not yet harvested a trophy-class deer.
Last year I focused on doing whatever it would take to finally get an opportunity at a great buck. Hoping to take advantage of low, last-minute booking rates due to the weak economy, I intentionally waited until the fall to make my plans. The goal was to find a prime booking in one of the Midwestern ?sleeper? states that was on my list, where I could get access to a sizeable tract of land required to hold trophy deer. I wasn?t looking for a big lodge or fancy food, all I wanted was opportunity.
Amazingly, the stars lined up when I responded to a classifieds posting from a member of one of my favorite hunting forums. A state that was highest on my list was Oklahoma. Sure enough, the gentleman knew a landowner that was looking to book a few hunters to stay on his working cattle and oil ranch. After a few phone calls, and noting the location of the ranch and the excellent mid- November hunt dates, I quickly reached an agreement with the landowner.
After landing at the airport in OKC and driving 3 hours to the ranch, I was ecstatic to find only the ranch owner, his wife, a few family friends, and one other hunter at the property! The accommodations consisted of a spare guest house in the middle of the ranch--perfect! Better yet, I knew for certain I would be one of only two hunters on the 6,000 acres the next day for the start of rifle season!
On the second morning of the hunt I pulled the trigger on a buck I knew to be at least a very nice 10 pt. The shot was 197 yards with my .280 AI. I was absolutely amazed when I walked up on the buck, which had fallen less than 50 yards from where I had taken the shot.
He's a main-frame 10 pt with a 12? plus third main beam on his left side, kickers on his right G-1 and G-2, as well as 3 more scoreable stickers on his right bases. The buck officially scores as a 16 pt non-typical. It nets 171 5/8? and grosses 176 1/8?.
I had the hunt of a lifetime, and I was able to do it with the help of a local fellow hunter and a down to earth cattle rancher who himself hunts as much as he can.?Jeff
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Wow, great buck! How smart was Jeff to network and wait to plan his hunt like that? Private ranch deals like this (no outfitter per se but a place to stay and access to prime un-pressured land) offer some of the best and most affordable hunting in the big deer world, so be on the lookout for such opportunities. Great job man! And another spectacular photo I might add. Mike Hanback..
