December 12, 2006

Xenia, Ohio – On Saturday, December 9, 2006 in Xenia, Ohio at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife’s Headquarters, history was made when the formal announcement of Johnathan Schmucker’s 34-point non-typical white-tailed deer score was 291 2/8 Boone and Crockett and 305 7/8 World Classics.

The Schmucker Buck is the fourth largest nontypical white-tailed deer harvested in the world according to the Boone and Crockett Club. It is also the second largest nontypical deer harvested in Ohio according to the Ohio Big Bucks.

Schmucker took the record setting whitetail with a crossbow in the late afternoon hours on opening day of archery season. “I had been watching him over the course of three years,” said Schmucker. “On opening day I went out to my tree stand at three in the afternoon and had taken the deer by six.”

“Ohio deer hunting is world class because of our excellent deer management program. We have a very conservative buck or antlered deer harvest and allow for an ample doe harvest,” explained Haines. “This allows for the population to remain balanced while also putting in place the conditions necessary to produce record setting deer.”

The Beatty Buck, harvested in Greene County in the fall of 2000, holds the record for nontypical at 304 6/8 and currently ranks as the number one nontypical buck in Ohio, the largest nontypical whitetail deer ever taken by a bow hunter. A typical white-tailed deer killed in 2004 in Warren County, known as the Jerman Buck, became an Ohio record with a score of 201 1/8.

“By repeatedly setting records on non-typical and typical whitetails harvested Ohio is starting to see an increase in the number of deer hunters,” said Haines. “That translates directly into a boost in Ohio’s economy. Just the one-week of deer gun season generates about 266 million dollars in business for supplies such as food, lodging, fuel, and gear as well as supporting thousands of jobs.”

Deer hunters are encouraged to take advantage of the extra weekend of deer-gun hunting, December 16-17, and nine weeks of archery hunting in Ohio. Archery season remains open until February 4. The statewide muzzleloader deer-hunting season will be held December 27-30.

Ohio’s first modern day deer-gun season opened in 1943 in three counties, where hunters harvested 168 deer. In 1956, deer hunting was allowed in all 88 counties and hunters killed 3,911 deer during that one-week season.

Venison is delicious and nutritious meat, low in fat and cholesterol (venison recipes). It is the number one wild game served by hunters in Ohio. Deer hunters also contribute thousands of pounds of venison to organizations that help feed less-fortunate Ohio residents through special programs.