There was a time when deer hunters in North America were absolutely enthralled with big bucks
A buck’s weight in pig’s clothing is still a badge of honor for hunters in the Northeast, Upper Great Lakes and Canada
Lee Lakoski shot a buck he called “Gnarls Barkely” a few years ago
This deer tipped the scales at about 300 pounds on the hoof
(Photo by Lee and Tiffany Lakoski of The Crush TV)
#1 Heaviest Buck Ever Shot Annette Buck, 1977
From what we can gather, the heaviest whitetail ever was killed by bowhunter John Annett of Ontario in 1977
The deer field dressed at 431 pounds on government certified scales
That would bring him to an estimated live weight of over 540 pounds
#2 Heaviest buck ever shot Leonard Buck, 1926
Second place appears to belong to the 402-pounder from Minnesota, killed by Carl Lenander Jr in 1926
Conservation officers estimated the live weight at 511 pounds
This giant buck was shot near Gaspé Quebec in the fall of 2005
It was field dressed at 260 pounds, giving it a live weight of about 300 pounds
#3 The heaviest yard ever filmed Hinckley Buck, 1955
Third place will go to a Maine Coon killed by Horace R
Hinckley reportedly spent three days searching for a scale large enough to properly weigh his sheep
In the presence of a witness at the Maine Scales, the buck officially tipped the scales at 355 pounds, giving him a live weight of 451 pounds
Horace Hinckley Buck of Maine, 1955
#4 Heaviest Buck Ever Filmed: John Doe Buck, 1938
Fourth place goes to a 321-pound doe killed in 1938 in Bayfield County, Wisconsin
We don’t know the hunter’s name, but the weight has been verified
Fifth place should go to a buck killed in New York in 1946
That deer officially weighed 291 pounds
Don’t forget the 1907 and 1924 dollars
However, none of these weights have been verified
Included in that list are a 1907 Wisconsin buck believed to have weighed 437 pounds dressed, and a 1924 Wisconsin dollar that weighed 386 pounds