Hunting seasons come and go but legends never die. For years, the Top 10 Typical Whitetail Bucks list hadn’t changed much until 2021 when Dustin Huff from Indiana shocked the world by nearly surpassing the World Record Milo Hanson Buck. In this list, you’ll discover the two previous world records that were upended by their predecessors. It’s amazing that bucks killed more than 100 years ago are still holding onto the top spots in the ranking.
Let’s take a look at the 10 biggest Typical Whitetail Deer ever killed by hunters. Inside this article, you’ll learn the score of each whitetail, as well as the location. Be sure to read the unique background story on how each buck met its demise and earned its place in Whitetail History.
Disclaimer: The scores represented are based on Boone and Crocket scoring system. There may be a bigger Typical Whitetail buck out there that hasn’t been scored yet, so keep your eyes peeled.
Milo Hanson Buck
Score: 213 5/8
Date of Kill: 11/23/1993
Location: Biggar, Saskatchewan, Canada
Estimated Age: 3.5 to 4.5 years old
Owner of Original Antlers:
#1 Typical Whitetail
The largest typical whitetail buck ever killed came from Saskatchewan, Canada during a deer drive. Four hunters worked together as a team to push the buck from its hiding spot and Milo Hanson was the lucky hunter to pull the trigger, but not before a bullet clipped the right main beam. The rest is history.
Dustin Huff Buck
Score: 211 4/8
Date of Kill: November 4, 2021,
Location: Indiana
Estimated Age: Unknown
Owner of Original Antlers: Keith Snider
#2 Typical Whitetail
Dustin Huff set the hunting world on fire in 2021 when news broke of a potential new world record typical whitetail hit the ground. This buck would tape out just over two inches of the current world record. However, this is the biggest buck ever killed in the United States!
James Jordan Buck
Score: 206 1/8
Date of Kill: 1914
Location: Wisconsin
Estimated Age: Unknown
Owner of Original Antlers: Bass Pro Shops
#3 Typical Whitetail
The #3 typical whitetail buck was killed more than 100 years ago and reigned supreme until the Milo Hanson buck in 1993. The James Jordan Buck was once lost by a rogue taxidermist for 44 years but thanks to a garage sale purchase from a family member, the buck was recovered. It took nearly 60 years after it was killed for this buck to earn the title “World Record” until it was beaten by the Milo Hanson buck in 1993.
Larry Gibson Buck
Score: 205
Date of Kill: 1971
Location: Randolph County, Missouri
#4 Typical Whitetail
Not all hunters head to the woods in search of monster bucks. Larry Gibson was a self-titled “meat hunter” who shot this deer at close range with a .308. In fact, Larry wasn’t even interested in keeping the impressive rack, and sold for a mere $200.
Mel Johnson Buck
Score: 204 4/8
Date of Kill: October 29, 1965
Location: Illinois
Estimated Age: years old
#5 Typical Whitetail
I don’t know what’s more impressive, the size of this buck or the fact that it was shot with a 72-pound recurve. The Mel Johnson is the largest Typical whitetail buck ever taken with archery equipment. Imagine watching this buck approach from 300 yards away and make its way into recurve range!
Robert Smith Buck
Score: 204 2/8
Date of Kill: November 11, 2000
Location: Pendleton County, Kentucky
Estimated Age: 3.5 years old
#6 Typical Whitetail (tie)
Big bucks are often hard to find simply because they live in places where people aren’t. This buck called a two-acre thicket home and Robert Smith had a well-placed treestand on the perimeter of the thicket. The rut can be a magical time of year, and this buck was a victim of love.
Stephen Jansen Buck
Score: 204 2/8
Date of Kill: 1967
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
#6 Typical Whitetail (tie)
Some big buck stories aren’t very entertaining until you realize that Stephen Jansen didn’t like the buck because it wasn’t typical. In fact, he hung the deer mount in his barn for years until a family member put a tape measure to it. Now, it’s tied for #6 on our list. How’s this for a barn find?
Hubert Collins Buck
Score: 203 3/8
Date of Kill: 2003
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Estimated Age: years old
#7 Typical Whitetail
An evening doe hunt to meat in the freezer turned into one of the biggest buck stories of all time. Bruce thought he had shot a decent size buck but once he got closer, he realized just how big of a buck he had taken.
Bruce Ewen Buck
Score: 202 6/8
Date of Kill: 1992
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
#8 Typical Whitetail
Ever heard of dumb luck? Well, as luck would have it, Bruce Ewen’s rifle malfunctioned on multiple bucks the day this behemoth stepped out. Thankfully, his rifle fired when the biggest buck of his life stepped out.
John Tarala & Maurice Berezowski Buck
Score: 202 3/8
Date of Kill: 2006
Location: North Saskatchewan River, Canada
#9 Typical Whitetail
This might be the most unique story on our list. This trophy buck is shared by two hunters who each fired a shot at the count of 3. John and Maurice were hunting in Saskatchewan Canada when this giant buck appeared in the distance and they were calm enough to develop a plan to put the buck on the ground.
John Breen Buck
Score: 202
Date of Kill: November 1918
Location: Funkley, Minnesota
#10 Typical Whitetail
This previous World Record Typical Whitetail was killed by a devoted hunter who hopped on a train to reach new hunting territory in Northern Minnesota. To this day, this is the largest typical whitetail buck to come from Minnesota. John Breen was invited to hunt with one of his customers from out of town, similar to the world record non-typical killed by Luke Brewster in recent years.
Is there a pattern amongst the largest typical whitetail bucks ever killed?
The only consistent pattern found within these top 10 list of Typical Whitetail bucks is that there is no pattern. Inside this list, we find a buck killed in 2021, as well as a buck killed in 1914. Many of the bucks in this list were killed before the prevalence of trail cameras and very few stories recant the potential age of the buck either. A common trait from most, not all, of these big buck stories is that the hunter wasn’t pursuing a particular buck. Many were just happy to feel the freezer and were blessed to have the opportunity to harvest a world-class buck. One thing’s for sure, there’s no recipe for success when pursuing world-class typical whitetails.
When and Where will the next world record come from?
Records come and go and sooner or later, another giant buck will set the hunting world on fire. Who knows where it might come from this time? Giant typical whitetails are a rarity but eventually, another buck will eclipse the Milo Hanson Buck. Just last year, the Dustin Huff Buck knocked on the door of the record, taking over the #2 all-time typical record. This was the first time in more than two decades that a change occurred in the top 10. Who knows, maybe the next world record is lurking in your neck of the woods this fall.
Be sure to subscribe to the Daily Deal email list so that you never miss a deal!
Hunting Gear Deals is funded by affiliate commissions. We may receive a small commission when you buy from our partners using the links provided. There is no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting us by using our links when making your purchases.
