Dr. Gary Latimer

The Dr. Gary Latimer BuckDr. Gary Latimer, a chiropractor in Uniondale, Pennsylvania, and a long time bowhunter was after a big buck when he booked a hunt with Midwest USA Outfitters in Jefferson County, Iowa, but he had no idea he’d go home with a monster that November day in 2004. Latimer’s brother runs Midwest USA Outfitters and had picked up some additional land for the outfit just prior to the start of the season. He hadn’t scouted the acreage, and the landowner had said nothing about a monster buck living on the property, so not knowing what it may or may not produce, Latimer’s brother hadn’t taken anyone to hunt the land yet.

When Latimer arrived in Iowa, his brother took him to this new property just to see what was there. They set up a stand that morning and Latimer sat there throughout the day without seeing a thing, but he had a good feeling about that property. He wanted to hunt it the next day, so he returned the following morning.

It was kind of foggy that morning, but from his stand he watched a 10-point follow a doe around the edge of the cut cornfield, but the buck never came close enough for a good bow shot. The doe and buck eventually bedded down on the edge of the field in a brush pile. Wanting a shot at the buck, Latimer used his grunt call several times but the 10-point stayed put..

Suddenly a monster non-typical buck raced across the field. Latimer stopped him with another grunt -- just long enough to make the shot at 37 yards. It all happened so quickly that Latimer wasn’t sure if he’d hit the buck or not.

The buck ran 60 yards to where the 10-point and the doe were bedded down. "He did not act like he was hit at all", said Latimer. He then ran the buck and doe out of the bed and then bedded down himself in that very spot.

Latimer had no idea that he’d made a perfect shot and that his Muzzy 100-grain, 3-blade broadhead had done its job. Because the buck’s head was up, Latimer anxiously watched the deer through his binoculars for more than an hour and a half expecting it to do something...anything!.

Latimer's brother was guiding a client and had turned his cell phone off. Not knowing what to do, Latimer called one of his hunting buddies back home from his cell phone. His buddy told him to calm down and to stay put until the buck made its move. Well, the buck never did make a move.

Latimer finally got down and approached the deer very cautiously, and to his immense relief, realized that the buck was dead. His head was propped against a log in the brush pile, and the 18” drop tine was holding his head up straight.

The massive 4 ½-year-old, main frame 12-point buck weighed 226 pounds field dressed, and its 16 scorable points grossed 226 7/8” and netted 213 4/8”. The inside spread measured 19” and the bases measured 5 5/8”. He had 56” of non-typical mass including a third main beam that comes out off the base. What a buck! And to think that no one knew he was there.