The hunter's first shot was a clean miss. But when he fired again, the big deer reared up on its hind legs, whirled sideways and fell. Seeing that the buck was struggling to get back up, Scruggs hurried closer and finished the deer with an additional shot.

The hunter's initial analysis of the buck's size certainly proved to be correct. The 6x5 typical frame includes a 19 2/8-inch inside spread, main beams that average 25 inches, and impressive tine length. For example, 7 1/2-inch brows (G-1s) are followed by paired G-2s and G-3s, all of which tape between 13 0/8 and 11 2/8 inches.

Darrell Scruggs' great buck is the eighth whitetail from Pulaski County to qualify for B&C's All-Time record book. By contrast, last season's No. 4 typical, a massive 10-pointer scoring 177 1/8, becomes the first B&C whitetail ever recorded from Hancock County. Kevin Lamar, of Hawesville, took the huge buck in a tract of hardwoods he has been hunting since he was a boy.

THE KEVIN LAMAR BUCK
"I was located in a flat of timber along a creek bottom, situated between two high ridges," Lamar noted. "Basically, that particular area acts as a bottleneck for deer moving from woodlands beyond the ridges to agricultural fields within a few hundred yards of the creek bottom. For several years, I hunted the woods line along the field's edge. But after continually seeing only does and small bucks, it finally dawned on me that the bigger deer were staying back in the timber until it was dark.

"After relocating my stands well back in the wooded bottom, I have taken a couple of trophy-class bucks."

During the first few days of gun season, Lamar hunted the area with a bow, nearly taking a big 8-pointer before finally deciding at the last minute to pass on the buck. At the time, he hunter had no way of knowing that decision would prove to be one of the most important of his hunting career.

Around midweek, a severe weather front that included several tornadoes moved through western Kentucky. The much cooler temperatures that followed greatly improved hunting conditions, prompting Lamar to try a late-afternoon hunt in the bottom. Because of the bulkier cold-weather clothing, he decided to swap his bow for a rifle.

"The wind direction that day was totally wrong for me to use my regular stand, so I carried a portable climber in and positioned it on the opposite side of the creek bottom," he explained. "One factor that makes this particular area so good is that it always seems to hold a significant congregation of does. And that afternoon, an hour after climbing into position, six of them walked out of a nearby thicket."

As the hunter watched the does milling about, browsing on honeysuckle, he suddenly heard a buck grunt. Taking out his grunt tube, Lamar responded. Within seconds, a large spike appeared and began chasing the does. Eventually, all of the deer moved out of sight. However, he could still hear the chasing going on farther back in the thicket.

"I continued to do some grunting from time to time, but the sounds of the deer got farther and farther away. While I was sitting and listening, I suddenly heard a noise from a cane thicket directly behind me. Just as I glanced around to take a look, a very big buck walked into view about 100 yards away."