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Hunter: Mike Moran
Province: Saskatchewan
Score: 180 inches
Gear: Remington 7400 .30-06, Nikon Monarch scope, Winchester Supreme Accubond 180-grain bullets, Cabelas outerwear, Cabelas Saskatchewan PAC Boots, Little Hotties Warmers chemical packs
Can lightning strike twice?
That thought passed through the mind of Michigan native Mike Moran as he passed on what he’d deemed a shootable eight-pointer during a Thanksgiving hunt in the Saskatchewan wilderness.
With history on his side—he had previously taken a 138-inch 12-pointer, a 159-inch 12-pointer and a 167-inch 16-pointer on past hunts—Moran headed back up to “the Land of the Giants” to try his luck again with Grant Kuypers of Buck Paradise Outfitters.
His guide, Ty Selk, mentioned two big bucks in the area: “Splits,” named for his two large, V-shaped split brows, and another elusive buck nicknamed “Kickers,” a chocolate-colored monarch that had been scouted for three years without a determinable pattern.
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“If you had to draw in your mind the ultimate dream, ‘Kickers’ was the reality of this vision,” Moran said.
Starting four weeks into the season, Moran headed out at 4 a.m. the first day and was welcomed by a 140-145-class eight-pointer; he was definitely a shooter, but Moran decided to pass with bigger goals on his mind.
The second day, he said, was uneventful, with one six-point, a spike and plenty of does, but no trophies.
On the third day—Thanksgiving Day—Moran headed out to the stand in the bitter cold, with temperatures dropping to -15 degrees Celsius, determined to bring back a trophy.
“The sacrifice of missing the holiday with my family was also part of the equation in my obsession,” Moran said.
After passing on yet another good-looking eight-pointer—and wondering again whether it was a mistake—Moran said a nice, wide buck soon limped into his field of vision around noon. “Splits,” he thought.
“I raised my weapon, focused on my scope, and I thought, it’s time for business,” he said. “No time to videotape, no time for pictures, no time for a profile shot; what would I do when faced with the biggest buck of my life?”
After letting the buck take about four steps, Moran fired a bullet from his Remington 7400 .30-06 right into the buck’s brisket. The buck didn’t take another step before dropping flat.
With his adrenaline pumping, Moran rushed in to inspect, but was surprised to discover while this buck indeed had a split brow, he didn’t have two, and he was much bigger than “Splits”; it was that ghost of a buck, “Kickers.”
“Only in a dream I could write a better tale, but this time it was reality,” Moran said. “Nothing worthwhile or of tremendous value has ever come easy in my life. This is no exception, but the dream did come true and I am forever satisfied after hunting since age 14 and 27 years in the field. The time was now,” he said.
“This buck has it all just like the drawing of the school kid characture buck and it was mine.”
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Michael Morgan
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Brian Herron
Brian Herron fought numerous obstacles and setbacks in 2012 to bag this 184-inch bruiser. Read the full story in NAW's Deer of the Day entry.
Robert Gramoll
Robert Gramoll killed his 202-inch Juneau County, Wisc., record in 2012. Having deliberated about staying for the last evening of rifle season, Gramoll doesn't regret that he did. Read the full story in NAW's Deer of the Day entry.
Mike Moran
Mike Moran's Saskatchewan buck was a dream come true for the hunter who'd spent 27 years looking for a deer of that quality. He finally got his wish on Thanksgiving day, an experience he won't forget. Read the full story in NAW's Deer of the Day entry.
Matt Ford
Abingdon, Ill., resident Matt Ford downed this monster buck in the early evening of Nov. 4; the Knox County beast scored 219 1/8 inches green.
“I still can’t believe it. I thought my 145-inch 8-point was big until this,” Ford said. “I never thought I would see a deer this big, but getting to kill one this big never crossed my mind.”
For more, check out Ford's Deer of the Day entry.
Dorothy Shaffer
Iowa native Dorothy Shaffer has only been hunting for a couple years now, but she already has the buck of a lifetime with this 196-inch giant, her second buck ever.
At about 5:30 p.m. Nov. 1, Shaffer arrowed this bruiser through both lungs, dropping it near one of her husband's stands.
For more info, check out Shaffer's Deer of the Day entry.
Dylan Beach-Bittner
Have you seen the (almost) Turdy-Point Buck?
Taking a cue from the popular folk rap song, 12-year-old Dylan Beach-Bittner, downed a 27-point Minnesota monster scoring 241 green.
For more info, check out Beach-Bittner's Deer of the Day entry.
Lindsay Groom
With the help of her husband, Kevin, Ohio resident Lindsay Groom scouted this buck for two weeks before coming across its path again on Nov. 7. Lindsay shot the buck with her crossbow at about 10 yards, but was unable to locate the buck.
After watching the kill shot again on film, the couple decided to track it the next morning, finding the deer just 30 yards away from where they stopped looking the night before.
For more info, check out Groom's Deer of the Day entry.
Randy Walk
It's pretty safe to say Randy Walk, president of Hoyt Archery, knows a thing or two about bowhunting.
Nevertheless, the 225-inch Kansas beast shared by Hoyt's Facebook page stands alone as the biggest buck he'd ever seen, he said.
“He is a giant buck. Eighteen points total with nine on each side. He has been green scored at 225 inches and some change and is clearly the largest whitetail deer I have ever seen on the hoof or on the ground for that matter."
For more info, check out Walk's Deer of the Day entry.
Richard Buker
Richard Buker has been hunting his family's property in Vermillion County, Ind., for over 20 years, and on Oct. 28, he finally got the buck of a lifetime.
That windy evening, he spotted the massive 170-inch buck working the treeline before heading across the field toward him. At 35 yards, Buker stopped the buck with a grunt, placed his shot perfectly behind the shoulder and squeezed off a shot. After running 75 yards, the buck then dropped within sight.
For more info, check out Buker's Deer of the Day entry.
Stanley Suda
Southern Ohio turned in another giant earlier this season when Stanley Suda shot this buck which is estimated between 235 and 240 inches.
"The shot was perfect," he said. "I watched my dream buck run across the field and pile-up about 20 yards inside the wood line. This was definitely my finest moment in the treestand.”
For more, read the rest of the story in this Deer of the Day entry.
Paul Keller
Having chased whitetails in Wisconsin since 1978, Marion bowhunter Paul Keller is no stranger to monster bucks, but this year was decidedly different. Keller dropped a 229 2/8-inch buck that will challenge for the top of the record books when all is said and done.
For more, read the rest of the story in this Deer of the Day entry.
Jeff Iverson
Earlier this year, Jeff Iverson killed what might be the new non-typical record for a Minnesota whitetail. This is the third season that Iverson hunted this particular buck. Two years ago, when the buck was a six-by-six typical, he missed a shot at it with his bow.
For more, read the rest of the story in NAW's Deer of the Day entry.
Jordan Dressler
On the first hunt of her lifetime, Jordan Dressler killed this amazingly wide whitetail in Iowa. Now all she has to do is hunt the rest of her days in search of another buck like this one.
For more, read the rest of the story in this Deer of the Day entry.
Joshua Earp
Joshua Earp's Georgia giant scored 187 inches green, weighing in at 235 pounds, and was a great October surprise.
"“I’ve hunted 25 years for this," Earp said. " I give all thanks to God and my father for teaching me and introducing me to this sport I’m addicted to.”
For more, read the rest of the story in this Deer of the Day entry.
Carter Rice
Carter Rice is another first-time hunter that had huge success in 2012. Carter killed this buck in Pettis County Mo., with his father at his side . "I had not experienced that type of excitement since my 15-year-old son Seth was that age," wrote proud dad Rusty Rice.
This photo was submitted to NAW Editor Gordon Whittington earlier this season via e-mail.
Travis Trimmer
Travis Trimmer of Varina, Va., killed this monster buck on Oct. 27 with a crossbow at 15 yards. The brute weighed in around 159 lbs. and was reported to have a 27-inch wide inside spread.
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Jeff Danker
Jeff Danker of Major League Bowhunter is no stranger to trophy bucks, and on Oct. 3 Danker proved his prowess. He killed this 183 5/8-inch typical buck in Kansas' Rice County after following him all year.
For more, read the rest of the story in this Deer of the Day entry.
Bo Cocannouer
Two years ago Bo Cocannouer fell from a treestand fracturing his back. Most hunters aren’t lucky enough to walk away from a twenty-foot fall, and the ones that do don’t normally get to hunt from one ever again. But Cocannouer did just that, and he came home with this 194 gross non-typical Oklahoma buck.
For more, read the rest of the story in this Deer of the Day entry.
Aaron Milliken
Aaron Milliken caught up with this massive Kansas whitetail after repeated attempts to track down the 194-inch trophy. For the details, make sure to check out NAW's Deer of the Day entry..
Bill Winke
Bill Winke has earned himself a spot as one of the best Midwestern whitetail hunters of all time, with a recent buck to prove it. To read more about this massive double G4 Iowa giant, check out NAW's Deer of the Day entry.
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NAW's Best Bucks of 2012
“If you had to draw in your mind the ultimate dream, ‘Kickers’ was the reality of this vision,” Moran said.
