Possible New World Record Mule Deer

Potential New World Record Mule Deer

Rick MoweryCommunications/Marketing Manager

Patience is a particular virtue of bowhunting. It was an ample supply of patience that resulted in the harvest of a potential new World’s Record typical Mule deer.

Having observed this buck on many occasions, and knowing the buck’s home range was particularly thick cover—“as thick as dog hair”—Arizona veteran bowhunter John McClendon knew his best chance would be to carefully hunt the buck over a waterhole. He patiently waited out several days of raining, and then the drying, for the perfect opportunity to hunt that water. The result—a perfect 25-yard shot at the buck of anyone’s dreams!
The current World’s Record typical mule deer is: 205 0/8 • Hermosillo, Mexico • 2009 • George Harms

John McClendon with, what could very well be a new World Record Mule deer. Mr. McClendon’s mule deer, from Mohave County, Arizona, has an initial entry score of 207 5/8. The final score is yet subject to Panel Judging verification, which may change the final accepted score for a variety of reasons, including unusual shrinkage, initial mis-measurement, etc.
This mule deer is entered into the current, ongoing 29th Recording Period—the biennium representing entries accepted into the P&Y Records Program from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2014.
At the close of every two-year biennial recording period, numerical awards and honorable mentions are awarded to the most outstanding animals in each species category that have been entered during that recording period. New world’s records are verified and proclaimed, and awards are presented to these outstanding animals during the Pope and Young Club’s biennial convention and awards banquet.
Prior to the actual convention and banquet, outstanding trophies are requested to be sent to a designated site for panel judging. Panel Judging is a process of verification of the final scores of antlers, horns and skulls of the highest ranking North American big game specimen entered during that two-year recording period. A hand-picked team of highly knowledgeable and experienced certified measurers gather for the actual scoring. Congratulations to Mr. McClendon on this incredible animal!
Look to see this outstanding North American big game specimen, plus roughly a hundred more of the biggest and best over the last two years, on display at the Pope and Young Club’s National Convention in Phoenix, Arizona, April 15-18, 2015.
The Pope & Young Club is a non-profit North American conservation and bowhunting organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of our bowhunting heritage, hunting ethics and wildlife conservation. The Club also maintains the universally recognized repository for the records and statistics on North American big game animals harvested with a bow and arrow.

Cape Girardeau man shoots, kills albino deer

Great Job Jerry Kinnaman.  Great Hunt. Great Trophy.

Hunter becomes the hunted after shooting famous albino deer

Jerry Kinnaman was up early, hunting in southeast Missouri, when he saw it. It had been a chilly night — the ground was crunchy — but on Tuesday morning, Kinnaman spotted the albino buck about 85 yards in the distance.
Kinnaman bagged the buck — which was called “arguably Cape Girardeau’s most notorious deer” by the Southeast Missourian. It was a legal kill, but a controversial one.
“This is a buck of a lifetime,” he told the newspaper.
“Not my biggest buck but at 7 1/2 years old he might be the oldest,” Kinnaman wrote on Facebook. “Let the bashing begin!”
And it did. Kinnaman said in an interview with The Washington Post on Thursday that it has gotten so bad, he has received death threats over the deer.
“People are all tough on the computer,” he said, “but it’s easy for them to say that because they know they’re not going to get in trouble for it.”
The deer was something of a celebrity in Cape Girardeau. Kinnaman said that some locals felt a connection to it and would notice the animal on drives through the city.
“I was the same way as anybody else about this deer, so I understand the relationship some of these people have,” he said.
Here’s the thing, though: The deer wasn’t doing well, Kinnaman said. He said there was “not an ounce of fat on him,” and Kinnaman’s taxidermist noted that the deer’s teeth were in poor condition. The animal would have died this year, Kinnaman said, whether he harvested it or not.
“They never even thought about how hard it would be for this deer to survive once he got to a certain age,” he said.
For what it’s worth, Kinnaman contacted a local conservation department office and was told that he hadn’t broken any regulations. After his taxidermist is finished, Kinnaman said he might donate the mount to a local nature center, so Cape Girardeau residents can continue to see the deer.
“There’s a lot of rumors I shot this deer for a reward,” he said. “I’m, like, ‘no.’ ”
The kill — and subsequent backlash — follows a similar incident in Michigan, in which an 11-year-old boy bagged an albino buck. Gavin Dingman was crossbow hunting with his father, Mick Dingman, when he shot the deer in October.
“I’ve had people tell me, ‘You should have taken the shot. You don’t let an 11-year-old take a shot at a deer like that,’ ” Mick Dingman told the Daily Press & Argus. “To me, in my opinion, it doesn’t matter if it’s a spike or a doe or a trophy deer. If you have confidence in them, it shouldn’t matter what they are shooting at.”

Missouri Bow Hunter Takes Rare Albino Buck

It's rare to see a mature buck, much less a mature albino, while in the deerstand.  Legendary bow hunter, Jerry Kinnaman, has done just that. This amazing buck is approximately 7.5 years old.  This Southeast Missouri buck is known to some as Whitey, Casper, Ghost, and The Goat.



After years of practice, preparation, and patience, Jerry's plan finally came together on a cold December morning.  As he sat quietly 24 feet in the canopy the elusive buck crept underneath.  Jerry heard a small crunch as the buck stepped through the icy leaves. Without moving a muscle he slowly gazed to his left and spotted the buck creeping between the brush. Jerry's heart pounded. He could see his breath as it hit the bitter cold air. He slowly stood up as the buck passed behind a small tree, then as the buck passed a thick bush Jerry realized it would be his last chance to raise his trusty bow before this buck disappeared into the distance.  Jerry held his bow and focused on his target.  He said to himself, "Aim small, miss small" he quickly went through his shooting checklist.  Grip-check, anchor-check, pin-check.  He slowed his breathing and gently released the string.  The arrow was true and the shot deadly.  It pierced his heart and the great animal was down within 30 yards.

Jerry lowered his head.  He had finally been given this wonderful opportunity. All of his practice and patience was worth it.  He passed the test. He overcame the challenge.  He hung is bow and crossed his frozen fingers.  He said a prayer and thanked the Lord for blessing him with this hunt.  He looked up and smiled like a little kid.  He was filled with excitement and pride.

Shooting albino deer is somewhat controversial. Most hunters look at an albino as a rare opportunity and a trophy.  Some believe they should be left alone because they are rare, yet evolution says that this is not a favorable trait.

How rare is an albino deer?
In a December 2013 report published by USA TODAY, Wisconsin naturalist John Bates, co-author of "White Deer: Ghosts of the Forest," said albino deer are born once in about 20,000 births. Some biologists claim only one in 100,000 deer is born albino, the report said.   It is even more rare they they make it to this age. Truly amazing.