You might be familiar with some of the biggest bucks ever killed, named after hunters that bagged them. The Hanson Buck, the largest typical whitetail that still sits atop the record books. Or the Butcher Buck, the second biggest non-typical ever taken, with a rack that looks more like a geological formation than deer antlers.
But, you might be less familiar with Boone and Crockett’s “Picked Up” category, which recognizes some of the world’s biggest dead heads ever found. Yes, these deer still occupy the same list on Boone and Crockett’s record book. They’re just noted as picked up under the “Hunter” category.
The “Picked Up” designation creates a unique way of showcasing these big bucks and their insane antler growth. The fact that these deer weren’t killed by hunters only adds to their legendary status and makes them even more intriguing. It’s a way to recognize these deer without the distraction that can accompany hunters.
While you might recognize some of these deer, others are recent or less familiar. For this article, I used Boone and Crockett’s Big Game Records Live to research these deer and the lucky hunters who stumbled upon them. Here are the five biggest non-typical whitetails in Boone and Crockett’s Picked Up category.
The Missouri Monarch
B&C Rank: 1
State Rank: 1
Net Score: 333 7/8
The largest non-typical whitetail ever recorded, the Missouri state record buck was found in 1981 in St. Louis County, and it’s sat atop the record books ever since. It boasts 44 scorable points, an inside spread of 23 ⅜, and main beams just under 25 inches. Overall, this buck nets a score of 333 ⅞ and currently owns the top spot in Boone and Crockett’s non-typical category.
On November 15, 1981, David Beckman was hunting in St. Louis County and had just shot a buck that morning. He phoned a local conservation agent, Michael Helland, to help him check the buck and save him a trip to the check station. After getting the buck checked, Beckman was driving home when he spotted a large buck rack lying on the ground inside a fence on private property. Beckman again phoned agent Helland to inform him of the rack, knowing he wouldn’t be able to retrieve it from the private property
Agent Helland obtained permission to retrieve it, eventually had it scored, and decided that it should be publicly owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Today, you can view a replica of it at the Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center.
The Hole-in-the-Horn Buck
B&C Rank: 2
State Rank: 1
Net Score: 328 2/8
Ohio claims three spots in the top 15 on B&C’s non-typical whitetail list, but its current state record and the number two buck in the world also falls under the picked-up category. Up until the Hanson Buck, the Hole-in-the-Horn Buck was probably the most well-known deer in the record books.
Found by railroad workers in 1940, this Ohio giant has 45 scorable points, an inside spread of 24 ⅜, and 192 ⁷⁄₈ abnormal points. While there are bound to be bigger non-typicals found or killed in the future, the Hole-in-the-Horn Buck has cemented itself in whitetail history. Of course, the story of how it earned its name sparked intrigue, wild assumptions, and baseless conjecture until the true story came out in 2015.
Kansas
B&C Rank: 13
State Rank: 2
Net Score: 295
Found by James Wanklyn in 2012, this impressive Kansas buck scored a whopping 295 with a 15 ⅝ inside spread. Its mass and 48 scorable points contribute to its nearly 300-inch headgear, which claims the number two overall spot in Kansas.
After finding a set of matching sheds, Wanklyn began monitoring this buck on trail camera until the deer vanished that following summer. He suspected the worst, and after an EHD outbreak in his area, Wanklyn searched a nearby water source where he discovered the dead deer.
Wanklyn was distraught to learn of the deer’s death, but finding the rack served as a consolation prize. What this deer lacked in spread, it made up for in sheer mass. Its rack and Coke-can bases look more like cypress stumps. Maybe that’s why Wanklyn is holding it from some of the kickers.
Minnesota
B&C Rank: 26
State Rank: 1
Net Score: 277 3/8
Jesse Schroeder was shed hunting on his brother’s 32-acre property in 2023 when he stumbled upon the new Minnesota non-typical record. Its 31 scoreable points, 20 ⅝ inside spread, 23-inch main beams, and 100 abnormal points cemented it as the state’s biggest non-typical and a tie for number 26 in Boone and Crockett’s records.
Multiple drop tines, kickers, and gnarly brow tines seem to sprout at will from the buck’s rack. While other hunters had this buck on camera, it’s unclear what circumstances might have led to its rack’s development. Still, it’s a great reminder of why deer antlers are so fascinating and cool.
Alberta
B&C Rank: 30
Providence Rank: 3
Net Score: 275 ⅛
With 76 B&C entries, Brian Ross boasts the largest collection of B&C whitetails. He’s an avid collector and has preserved numerous B&C entries, including Flora Campbell’s famous Trapline Buck from his home state of Maine. So it makes sense that he would also be the owner of Alberta’s number three biggest non-typical of all time, found near Smoky River.
Its 29 points, an impressive 23 and 2/8 inside spread, and some 90 abnormal points contribute to its 275 ⅛ score. While Boone and Crockett doesn’t have a photo of this Smoky River buck, its rack earned it the number three spot in Alberta.
Feature image via the Boone and Crockett Club
Read the full article here