The question of the biggest deer ever killed is measured not by the animal’s physical weight, but by the size and complexity of its antlers. Antler measurements provide a consistent, standardized metric for comparing the genetic potential and habitat quality that produces massive specimens. Record-keeping bodies, such as the Boone and Crockett Club, meticulously track these measurements, ensuring that the most monumental trophies in North American deer species are officially recognized.
Defining “Biggest”: The Standardized Scoring System
The standard for determining the “biggest” deer is centered on a systematic measurement of the antlers, primarily governed by the Boone and Crockett Club (B&C) and the Pope and Young Club (P&Y) scoring methods. These systems rely on linear measurements to calculate a final score, expressed in inches, which represents the total size of the rack. The process involves measuring the length of the main beams, the length of each point, the circumference of the beams at specific intervals, and the inside spread between the main beams.
A crucial aspect of this scoring is the distinction between “Typical” and “Non-Typical” racks, which separates deer into two distinct record categories. Typical antlers are prized for their symmetry, exhibiting a balanced appearance with points growing in a uniform manner from the main beam. To achieve a high net score in the Typical category, the differences between corresponding points on the left and right sides are subtracted from the gross score, heavily penalizing any asymmetry.
Non-Typical racks are celebrated for their irregularity and abnormal growth, often featuring numerous extra points, or “cheaters,” and drop tines that grow downward. The scoring for Non-Typical deer adds the measurements of these abnormal points to the gross score, rather than subtracting them, which often results in significantly higher overall scores. For a whitetail deer to qualify as Non-Typical for B&C, it must have a minimum of 15 inches of abnormal antler growth.
The World Record Whitetail Deer
The most recognized record belongs to the Whitetail Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), which holds two separate world records due to the Typical and Non-Typical classifications. The current world record for the Non-Typical Whitetail Deer is a rack found dead in 1981 in St. Louis County, Missouri, commonly referred to as the “Missouri Pick Up” buck. This colossal rack achieved a final B&C net score of 333 7/8 inches, a score largely bolstered by extensive abnormal antler growth.
The massive rack was initially found along a road inside a fence by a hunter, who then alerted a conservation agent to the discovery. Officials estimated the deceased buck was only five and a half years old and weighed over 250 pounds. This score remains the highest ever recorded for any whitetail, including the largest Non-Typical taken by a hunter, the “Brewster Buck” from Illinois, scoring 327 7/8 inches.
In the Typical category, where symmetry is rewarded, the world record stands at a B&C net score of 213 5/8 inches, set by the “Hanson Buck.” This extraordinary buck was taken by hunter Milo N. Hanson in 1993 near Biggar, Saskatchewan, Canada, and shattered a record that had stood for nearly 80 years. The vast difference in score between the Hanson Buck and the Missouri Pick Up buck illustrates how the inclusion of abnormal points allows for scores far exceeding the most perfectly symmetrical Typical racks.
Record Holders of Other North American Deer Species
Beyond the Whitetail, other North American deer species also produce record-setting antlers, with the Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) holding the next highest scores. The world record Typical Mule Deer was harvested in 1972 by Doug Burris, Jr. in Dolores County, Colorado, achieving a B&C score of 226 4/8 inches. Burris’s buck features main beams measuring near 30 inches on each side, a rare feat that has kept the record unbroken for decades.
The record for the Non-Typical Mule Deer is a significantly higher score, held by a buck taken in 1926 by Ed Broder near Chip Lake, Alberta, Canada, which scored 355 2/8 inches. This historic rack is regarded as one of the greatest trophies ever taken in North America, maintaining its world record status for nearly a century.
Another notable species is the Blacktail Deer, a subspecies of the Mule Deer, which is also split into two categories for record-keeping. The record Typical Columbia Blacktail Deer scored 182 2/8 points and was taken in 1953 in Lewis County, Washington, by Lester H. Miller. The largest Non-Typical Columbia Blacktail, taken in 1962 in Polk County, Oregon, by Frank S. Foldi, scored 208 1/8 inches.