TL;DR
Get emergency and outdoor gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Stephen Crowell, a fishing guide from New Paris, Ohio, went bowhunting in Indiana after a scheduled Lake Erie charter canceled because of rain. He arrowed a whitetail buck that official scorer Rick Busse measured at 266 4/8 inches, with 28 scorable points.
Ohio bowhunter and part-time Lake Erie fishing guide Stephen Crowell arrowed a whitetail buck scored at 266 4/8 inches after a scheduled fishing charter canceled because of rain on October 2. Crowell, 35, used the unexpected opening to hunt a farm in east-central Indiana where he had recently received permission.
Crowell, a manufacturing project manager from New Paris, Ohio, also guides walleye anglers on Lake Erie. According to Outdoor Life’s account, the rain led his charter clients to cancel their October 2 trip. With colder weather expected that afternoon, Crowell decided to check a recently secured hunting property instead.
He had seen the buck near a green bean field in late September and nicknamed it “Rumor”, because he had heard reports of a large deer in the area before seeing it himself. On October 2, Crowell set a lock-on stand in a tree at the field’s edge, taking care to keep noise and trimming to a minimum. He was settled by about 4:30 p.m.
Three does and then a smaller buck appeared before the larger deer came into the field at about 7 p.m. Crowell said the buck was roughly 51 yards away when he shot. He reported that the arrow hit high as the deer moved at the moment of release. The buck went down nearby. Crowell later brought it to Indiana taxidermist Paul Lyles of Wildlife Creations Taxidermy.
A Rare Buck From an Unplanned Hunt
The reported score places the buck among exceptionally large whitetails, drawing attention to a hunt that began with an ordinary schedule change rather than a planned trip. Its 28 scorable points and 266 4/8-inch measurement are the central details behind the story’s interest for deer hunters.
The account also illustrates how access and timing shaped the hunt: Crowell had only visited the Indiana property a few times, but had permission to hunt it and had previously seen the buck near the field. The report does not establish a state or national record, and the score alone should not be treated as one.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How Crowell Found the Indiana Buck
Crowell had secured permission to hunt the small farm shortly before the October 2 outing. In late September, he placed trail cameras and saw the buck near the edge of a still-green bean field. He later chose a tree about 100 yards from that sighting, expecting deer to use the beans as nearby green food while other forage had changed.
The weather and canceled charter created the opportunity, but Crowell’s account describes a specific setup: a quiet stand installation, a favorable wind and an evening wait. The buck approached slowly with a smaller deer, then appeared to turn away rather than come closer, prompting Crowell to take the shot at the range he had measured.
“I knew I had to shoot then or maybe never again.”
— Stephen Crowell, as quoted by Outdoor Life
Score Details and Record Status
Outdoor Life reports that Buckmasters official scorer Rick Busse measured the rack at 266 4/8 inches, but the supplied account does not state whether that figure is a final score under a particular award program or whether deductions were applied. It also does not say that the buck has been submitted for record-book consideration.
The report gives the deer’s dressed weight as 220 pounds and estimates its live weight at 250 pounds; the live figure is an estimate, not a measured weight. The account does not provide details about the arrow’s broadhead, the deer’s recovery time, or any review of the shot beyond Crowell’s description.
Scoring and Mount Plans
Crowell took the buck to taxidermist Paul Lyles, whose shop is identified in the report as Wildlife Creations Taxidermy. The source does not give a completion date for the mount or say whether Crowell plans to submit the rack for any further scoring or recognition.
For now, the reported measurement, point count and weights are the available details. Any later record-book status or revised score would require confirmation from the relevant scoring organization or an additional statement from Crowell or the taxidermist.
Key Questions
Who shot the Indiana buck?
Stephen Crowell, a 35-year-old manufacturing project manager and part-time Lake Erie fishing guide from New Paris, Ohio, shot it with a bow.
Why was Crowell hunting instead of fishing?
A scheduled Lake Erie fishing charter for October 2 was canceled because of rain, according to the Outdoor Life report. Crowell used the time to hunt a farm in east-central Indiana where he had permission.
How large was the buck’s rack?
Outdoor Life reports that Buckmasters official scorer Rick Busse measured the rack at 266 4/8 inches. The buck had 28 scorable points and a 21.5-inch inside spread.
How much did the deer weigh?
The buck’s reported dressed weight was 220 pounds. Its live weight was estimated at 250 pounds, rather than reported as a measured figure.
Has the buck been confirmed as a record?
The report provides a scorer’s measurement but does not say the deer has been recognized as a state, national or other record. Its record status is not established in the available account.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
