Giant Drop Tine Deer That Made Whitetail Hunting History

Most deer hunters dream about one day tagging a drop tine deer—one of those bucks with a point (or several points) dropping down from the main beam. That’s why we’re sharing these photos and stories of huge drop tine bucks courtesy of Antlers by Klaus, they’re whitetails with some of the most unique racks ever grown.

Some of these bucks come with incredible stories. Others are more about the visual appeal of the drop tine rack itself. Some of these deer remain a mystery. Regardless, all are legendary whitetails. Check out these 15 huge drop tine bucks.

Record Drop Tine Deer

There are a few record breaking bucks that have to be included in any list of drop tine deer. 

The Brewster Buck

The Luke Brewster Buck is the largest non-typical whitetail taken by a hunter. Brewster killed the buck in 2018 on a family farm in Illinois with the help of a tight-knit crew of veteran deer hunters and land managers who mentored Brewster as a new bowhunter over the previous years.

“Everyone was just as shocked as I was,” Brewster told Outdoor Life. “The first thing they did [when they came to see the deer] was give me a big hug… It was exciting to put down a deer of that magnitude, but it was pretty sad, as well. Not just for the guys who didn’t put their tag on it, but for me as well, because we all knew that we weren’t going to be getting that excitement every year of chasing him.”

The Brewster buck has an amazing 39 points, with 14 points on the right and 25 points on the left. It has an official net score of 327 ⅞ inches.  

Beatty Buck

Incredibly, the 39-point Beatty buck was only 4.5 years old. In January 2001, following the 60-day drying period, a Boone and Crockett measurer scored the rack at an official 304 6/8 inches non-typical. At the time, it was the biggest nontypical whitetail ever killed by a hunter. You can read the in-depth story about Mike Beatty’s hunt for this deer, here.

The Hole in the Horn Buck

The Hole-in-the-Horn buck is the second largest Non-Typical of all time, and it was picked up by some railroad workers in 1940. The workers assumed a train hit the deer, and a local taxidermist provided a shoulder mount of the buck. The mount hung at the Kent Canadian Club until antler collector Dick Idol bought it, and controversy ensued. You can read about that history here. With the mysterious hole in one of its drop tines, the deer scores 328 2/8 inches. The buck has 45 points and an incredible 192 ⅞ inches of abnormal points. 

Read Next: The Biggest Nontypical Whitetails of All Time

More Legendary Drop Tine Deer

The Elmer H. Sellin Buck

Few details come with the Elmer H. Sellin buck. We know it was harvested in 1938. We also know the St. Louis County, Minnesota, buck is a brute. The deer has a 23 4/8-inch spread, and it scores 225 2/8 inches. Two massive drop tines give it incredible eye appeal.

The Murray Mellon Buck

The Murray Mellon Buck is huge. It wasn’t harvested, but was found dead in Alberta, Canada. This deer has about half as many drop-tine points as those pointing skyward. It’s the kind of stud whitetail that makes you stop and stare. It scores 312 inches (non-typical). According to Antlers by Klaus, after repairs to the rack, it’s the largest non-typical to come out of Canada. It was taken near the Neil Morin Buck’s location (you can read all about that legendary buck here).

The Mark Owen Buck

Another behemoth, the Mark Owen Buck is quite special. This whitetail hails from Ohio. While there aren’t background details to share, the rack alone provides enough awe. With a straight drop on the right side, and a curved club-like drop on the left, it’s an awesome drop tine deer. Not to mention all of those typical tines. Overall, it scores 256 inches.

The Handeland Buck

North Dakota has some big whitetails, and The Handeland Buck was one of them. It was harvested in the north central region of the state (more specifically, the Turtle Mountain region.) The hunter, Todd Handeland, knew about the buck, and made an incredible effort to tag it. According to Antlers by Klaus, Handeland spent 16 days and nights in his elevated treestand, where he reportedly ate, slept, and waited almost the entire time. Eventually, he killed the deer during the final hours of the 2022 deer season. The buck scores 211 4/8 inches.

The Farmer Buck

Another deer without a lot of details behind it, the Farmer Buck has a nasty rack. Incredibly, it comes out of Nova Scotia, which is unique, because you don’t hear of many top-end whitetails from there. The big north-country brute scores 230 inches.

The Karry Stular Buck

The Karry Stular Buck has four drop tines. Two are shorter, and two are massive. The larger ones resemble clubs, and certainly offer a unique antler quality. Impressively, the massive non-typical out of Canada scores 240 inches.

The Illinois Drop Tine Buck

Dubbed “The Illinois Drop Tine Buck,” this whitetail has a special rack. It’s a main frame 8-pointer, with several drop tines adding to its net score. With long brows, heavy mass, and all of the extra points, it’s a high-scoring deer. The Illinois brute stretches the tape to 205 inches.

The J.D. Andrews Buck

Few deer have antler points pointing in every direction, but this one does. This giant whitetail—referred to as the J.D. Andrews Buck — has all the goods and then some. The South Dakota non-typical carries five drop tines, with a bunch of other points, too. It scores over 220 inches.

The Shawn Jones Buck

The Shawn Jones Buck is another beauty. This deer sports a mostly typical frame, but also has a few sticker points. And it definitely has that incredible series of points jutting out the back of the left main beam, with three total tines coming off it. Overall, the Manitoba, Canada, buck scores 226 7/8 inches.

The Double Trouble Buck

The Double Trouble Buck replica isn’t from a buck that was harvested or even found dead. This is a set of sheds, which had to be a surreal find. It sports main beams over 27 inches, and some tines score over 11, 12, and 13 inches. Of course, it also has two huge drop tines that measure 10 6/8 and 12 inches. The big Manitoba non-typical buck scores 231 inches.

Final Thoughts on Drop Tine Deer

With deer season in full swing, now is the time to be in the woods. In many areas, the rut is fixing to rock. Even if you don’t have a big drop tine buck on camera right now, you just might encounter one as he chases does outside of his core range. November is the most magical month of the whitetail calendar. Dream of bucks like these tonight, and maybe kill one of your own tomorrow.

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Source: https://www.outdoorlife.com/hunting/drop-tine-deer/