207" from Clinton County MO

[356]

With the change in CRP planting plans this weekend, I was able to take time to attend the Show Me Whitetails (the replacement for the old Missouri Deer Classic). It was great reconnecting with several friends from the hunting community. While there I ran into a gentleman and his son who live about 5 miles from our place who harvested this 207 2/8" deer (gross) on his property this season.

 

[Telemark]

Impressive. I've never seen anything even close to that in person.

 

[356]

Impressive. I've never seen anything even close to that in person.

I had no idea we had deer like that in our county, but hey, this is NW Missouri :-). We exchanged contact information, so I look forward to seeing the mount when it is done. The gross score was a dry score....this one was likely 210+" when green. The antlers look like the buck did a lot of sparing, I got the basic story of the harvest (they originally saw the deer in 2024, then there was a 2025 bow season miss, followed by harvested the deer during rifle season).

 

[Telemark]

That rack it gorgeous. A big heavy frame with tons of character. For me that would be a trophy of a lifetime.

You should ask the guy if he does any supplemental feeding or food plotting. I'd like to know what the deer are eating to get that big.

Missouri seems to.be in the same hadiness zone as Ohio. I'd love to plant and feed like Baker does, but it's not feasible for me. I can't even reliably plant beans every year. I'm trying to put together a northern recipe for the highest protein perennial plots I can plant.

I've seen a couple heavy framed bucks on camera in Ontario. If I can get the right plants in the ground and maximize soil health, I might be able to boost their nutrition a bit and grow something approaching that picture you posted.

 

[Bill]

If I killed that on my farm you guys wouldn’t see it let alone everyone at a show……

 

[Mortenson]

If I killed that on my farm you guys wouldn’t see it let alone everyone at a show……

I get that, but I'd have a few or more frothy hand grenades down at that point and several texts would be going out. At that point it's outta my hands. Honestly there's not a farm in the Midwest where a 200 hasn't been killed within a few miles.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Certainly impressive, and I am sure they wouldn't be toting it around claiming it scored that, but with that being said I would never in a million years guessed that deer scored over 200". Would I have shot it, hell yea. Just doesn't look like any of the 200" bucks I have seen in person before.

 

[Bill]

I get that, but I'd have a few or more frothy hand grenades down at that point and several texts would be going out. At that point it's outta my hands. Honestly there's not a farm in the Midwest where a 200 hasn't been killed within a few miles.

Absolutely none in my neighborhood. None, nada, zip, zilch.

 

[Bill]

Certainly impressive, and I am sure they wouldn't be toting it around claiming it scored that, but with that being said I would never in a million years guessed that deer scored over 200". Would I have shot it, hell yea. Just doesn't look like any of the 200" bucks I have seen in person before.

Mass and points. I get 22 scoreable points when I zoom in. And we can’t see what’s poking out the back.

 

[Telemark]

Honestly there's not a farm in the Midwest where a 200 hasn't been killed within a few miles.

That wouldn't surprise me. I'm pretty sure I know who's killing them where I hunt in Holmes County. He's a pro, and his website is full of pictures of him with top-tier bucks.

In Montgomery County, I will see mediocre bucks on camera all year, and then suddenly, one day during the rut, a beast shows up, and I get a picture or two, and then he's just gone. No idea where it came from or where it went. I have the proof that they're out there, but holy cow they're mysterious.

The Ontario property isn't great for hunting season , but I'll get an occasional random picture in the summer of a huge buck in velvet. One year, I tracked an absolute giant through the snow all day as it did a loop through the property. Never saw the deer or another track. I got a photo from a friend up there a few weeks later that a neighbor to the south had shot it during muzzle loader season, and it was a real trophy.

The big ones are out there. I just haven't managed to figure them out yet.

 

[Mortenson]

I had no idea we had deer like that in our county, but hey, this is NW Missouri :-). We exchanged contact information, so I look forward to seeing the mount when it is done. The gross score was a dry score....this one was likely 210+" when green. The antlers look like the buck did a lot of sparing, I got the basic story of the harvest (they originally saw the deer in 2024, then there was a 2025 bow season miss, followed by harvested the deer during rifle season).

You say it looked like it did a lot of sparing. By that do you mean the scratches all over the rack? I have heard that racks with scratches like that usually come from a certain situation.

 

[KY wild]

Certainly impressive, and I am sure they wouldn't be toting it around claiming it scored that, but with that being said I would never in a million years guessed that deer scored over 200". Would I have shot it, hell yea. Just doesn't look like any of the 200" bucks I have seen in person before.

I agree. Super buck but condensed area of mass makes it not jump out as 200 inches. Wow true giant though

 

[Bill]

You say it looked like it did a lot of sparing. By that do you mean the scratches all over the rack? I have heard that racks with scratches like that usually come from a certain situation.

Perhaps his wife doesn’t want to speak to the scratches.