A Story About a Big White-tailed Buck
I received this “big buck story” via email, so don’t take these unconfirmed facts to heart. Allegedly, the big buck pictured above is named “Heart Attack.” I can plainly see why; this buck has it all. Admittedly, I would probably feel some chest pains rather quickly if this monster white-tailed buck stepped out in front of me! Although I am not a proponent of shooting deer with ear tags, I don’t hold anything against those that do.
With that said, here is how the “Heart Attack” story goes:
“Some guys went on a deer capture in Uvalde County, Texas, about 2-weeks ago and netted this whitetail, “Heart Attack.” The deer scored roughly 248 Boone & Crockett inches. He has 21 points, an inside spread of 32 1/2 inches and an outside spread of 34 1/2 inches.
The big buck is only 4-years old. If you hunt, that probably means something to you. If you don’t, this will. They put a price tag on him of $1 million dollars.
Enjoy the photos. There is one of Heart Attack in velvet and the others are once they had him captured.”
Get real deer people, not one that’s fed all its life! I want to see something from the wild!!! This Heart Attack buck is obviously from some type of breeding program.
man that sure does look like a real deer to me…. and yea he is prolly wild also…. just cause he is in a high fence and all he does is breed to produce huge off spring for the ranch doesnt mean he isnt real
The big buck is only 4-years old. If you hunt, that probably means something to you. If you don’t, this will. They put a price tag on him of $1 million dollars……
Now, who the heck is going to pay a million, and for what?
That deer is not nothing – I have killed one just as big as that one and mine was from the wild. And 1 mllion dollars for a deer –they’re stupid.
So Jessie, where are the pics? Please link them.
The Heart Attack buck recently died. A taxidermist down the road where I recently took my deer has him European mounted, which is all they wanted. They have been mounting his sheds for several years and I believe they said the buck was 6 years old.
Dick is clearly right. Take a look at the pic closly and notice that both of the deer are tagged.
Hey now fellas, we all like lookin at monster bucks of any species, so I dont care if it is a farm deer thats been fead its whole life, but I would never hunt one. That’s why they call it hunting — and not killing — and besides the ear tags are dead giveaways.
Yep, I’m with Dick on this one. Yea it’s a nice buck, but I totally disagree with the fenced-in hunting? I’m a hunter myself and that’s something I would never do. It takes the challenge out of it.
Why did people give the Heart Attack Buck that name? Was it because whenever you saw him you got chest pains? The three locked bucks story was cool! How was the one surviver? Hope he’s ok, or made some good venison!!!!
Zane, if you think a high fence takes the challenge out of a hunt, then you’re the blind leading the blind. I hunted a 300 acres high fenced property last year and there were bucks on there I never saw, except on camera. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Praise God.
Jared, you’re not a real hunter if you hunt farmed deer or even pay for a guided hunt in my book. Anyone can kill a deer that way. You take the sport out of the game and give hunting a bad name. How can you show off a rack and be proud of it if you never really had to hunt hard for it?
Easy now guys. It is true that the tag in the deers ear is an ID tag. But here is the thing. I love to hunt as much as the next guy, be it high fence or low fence. Just being out ther is what it is all about. I believe that a high fence is good because it is a way of life for a lot of my friends. That is there business. Rock on guys.
I do like low fence, too. I have over three thousand acres of low fence. The difference is high fences can better determine which deer gets shot. The bucks get to live longer breed more and get larger. Low fence brings the idea that if it has hair, shoot. Why do you think that the deer desnity of low fence deer is often less than high fence deer? High fence they get the chance to live, low fence they don’t.
If they are not in the wild with out high fences they are not really deer. Might as well go the the closest farm and shoot cows. Great pics and love to look and them and imagine it possible that that could be a wild buck, but if you youtube the buck it tells you that it is a game farm deer that they are trying a special hormone out on. Cool, but not a real hunters thing.
What an amazing deer! Bred in captivity or not, that is an amazing specimen. I agree that breeding deer takes the sport out of hunting, but I still would say that that deer is still something to be proud of, home-grown or not.
High fence or big woods, who cares? Most high fence game ranches are thousands of acres. You still have to hunt. It’s not like you walk into a 5 acre fenced-in area and shoot the big guy. With my work, I go through high fenced game ranches all the time and most of the time I may never see even a doe. And yeah, there are people that would pay a million dollars to shoot that deer.
Most northern hunters wouldn’t pay because you guys have millions of acres of public hunting lands. Here in Texas, we don’t. You have your own property or you have to pay to go onto other private propery. So if you don’t have your own place, you will pay for the most your money can buy. Some guys have a lot of money, some don’t. Besides, most hunts are not guaranteed anyway.
Hey, I think that buck is amazing. And I think all of you guys who are saying that shooting on a guided hunt isn’t really hunting are all wrong because I go on guided hunts and I love it. I go out and hike a lot. Just because you’re being guided doesn’t mean it’s a walk in the park. We’re hunting just as much as any other person! Think about that!
Actually the “Heart Attack Buck” was caught in the wild and placed in a high fence area for breeding purposes. Did any of y’all think maybe after they caught him that they put ear tags in so that he could be identified after he sheds his horns every year? Use your head, and don’t put your foot in your mouth until you are sure you are correct.
Jason, FYI, I want to buy a cow from some farmer and kill it my self with my bow. No lie. As far as shooting deer within a high fence, I don’t really care either way. If someone wants to pay go for it, guided hunts are different IMO.
What a deer!!! The arguement of hunting fenced deer??? Well, what a discussion it is. Even offshore of south Texas they have penned Marlin and bluefin tuna you can pay to catch. I’m glad that some people do pay too hunt true trophy animals and fish. Keeps them out of my honey holes. Gives me the opportunity to hunt fare chase, free roaming, wild monster bucks on public lands. Not often am I successful, but to me it is so much more rewarding when a long time goal is accomplished. Who’s up for a real challenge???
The secret is to drive around, figure where everyone is at say 8 am, then get in the woods around 9 am and hunt from 10-2. As the other hunters leave, the bucks will begin to move. 11am-1pm, try it you will be suprised. You can also enjoy your coffee, read the paper, and sleep in. The big boys roam around lunch time on public lands
Just to clear up a little confusion of the story of the Heart Attack buck. He was NOT breed in captivity. He was a native born and raised South Texas whitetail. He was captured and released in a DMP pen to breed 20 does. That deer is truly a beautiful native whitetail whether born behind a high fence or a low fence because he was never seen until he was a mature buck.
I’ve seen some monster bucks down here in Ohio because I found an 11 pointer’s shed antlers within a week and it was almost typical. We found a huge 16 pointer with a drop tine on him last fall. I can’t wait to see him after he grows his rack back. Happy hunting fellas!
Sorry to say this, but this buck belongs to a friend of mines family who owns PACO deer company in Cestohowa, Texas. He is actually a small deer from their farm. Check out the real monsters at their website.
In response to “Jason” from November… if you don’t think that deer in a high fence are wild… think again. I can put you in a heavily-wooded west Texas 20 acre high fence with 3 bucks and good water supply… give them a month to adjust to their surroundings…and then give you 5 days to hunt the bucks by yourself. I guarantee that you won’t even see them. They’ll go nocturnal once they catch your scent. Even if they don’t… you still won’t see them.
This buck named “Heart Attack” is a truly magnificent animal… although I’ve heard rumors that he passed away within a year of this picture. Anyone else catch wind of that?
That is a monster buck. I would love to harvest a buck that size, but not if it is in a high fence area. Just think, what is better: Killing a deer in the wild or a deer in a high fence area? I think the wild. A friend of mine took the biggest buck in 2007 in Kentucky a fair chase hunt on property in Owen County with no fences. Now that’s bragging rights. It may have been luck, but he did it the way it was supposed to be.
Hey guys this is the way I look at it we all need to stick together high fence low fence we are all part of the same family. Their are people out their who would love to take are right to hunt away from us and they see this internal fussing and will try to find a way to take us apart. I would like to thank all of us high or low would stick together to fight for a common cause our rights. Thanks and God bless.
High fence escapees make great bucks for low fence hunters. The only problem I have with high fences is that ranchers have a hard time keeping their bought stock, i.e. exotics, in! I hunt in Menard, Texas, and we kill exotics every year. You REALLY never know what you will see next. Happy hunting!
I don’t believe this buck was shot by anything other than a tranquilizer gun. Here’s why, I dont see any tag in the first photo (the one with the two men guy in white holding head). I am unable to view the other ones. Anyway, I’m from Wisconsin and if the hunting laws in Texas are similar to ours, it is illegal to hunt with the aid of a helicopter.
However, if you are a scientist you are able to study your field however you like and why is the darn thing blindfolded? Could it have something to do with keeping it calm if it starts to wake up out of its tranqualized sleep? I’ll let everyone else be the judge and comment me back. Not quite sure if my theory even makes sense.
This is a nice buck. I want to go hunt for this buck where ever he is.
That can’t be 4 years old. His neck is not down to his chest yet. That is probably a 3 year old buck.
I moved from Minnesota to Texas 5 years ago and it is still hard to “hunt” the way they do. About 95% plus of land in Texas is privately owned. Then they high fence a lot of it and manage the deer, often buying trophy bucks or their semen to improve the genetics. Some places will charge a fee just to hunt, then if you get a trophy buck you have to pay $1,000 on up depending on rack.
In Texas, hunters can put feeders out and then position a blind nearby. The feeder goes off, the deer come in, pick the one you want, and shoot it. BUT, I live in Texas now, so do as they do or don’t eat venison.
Abe, you do not have to bait in Texas to hunt whitetail, but it is legal.
Hunting in Texas does not exist as far as I am concerned. Here in Missouri it is illegal, and in my book, UNETHICAL to bait game. I could have killed at least 10 more 130 class and up deer in my life shooting them out of the back yard, but there is no sport in that. And just because you choose to ‘hike’ to the tripod out in the middle of an open path does not mean you “worked’ for the kill.
Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young should have different sub-standards for baited game… basically allowing them to be scored but not entered. And if any of you wanna cry bout how us ethical hunters feel, spend the money on a non-resident tag in a northern state, scout and hunt the way we do.
I’m sorry guys, but I just don’t see the point in hunting like you. I live up in Montana and we actually hunt. Most of us don’t even use blinds and those of us who do get crap for it. As far as I’m concerned, if you can feel your legs the day after a hunt you didn’t really go hunting
Ha. You guys think you got it bad… go to Illinois. Now that’s where the real hunting comes into play. Shotguns, and no rifles. You have to get down and dirty for Illinois hunting.
And is there anyone who hunts in the Dakotas? I would really love to go hunting there, but I didn’t know what it is like.
I hunt with the bows I like the CHALLENGE. That’s what I am into.
I have to agree with David on the High fence thing. We hunt 500 acres and we feed protein and plant food plots, all on a low fence property. The problem we have is other hunters intruding on the land when we are working. If we could put up a high fence, it would be there to insure the deer we grow don’t fall to someone else. When you spend $1,200 to $1,500 a month on corn and protein (and that’s not even the time you put in on food plots), high fences have a place.
I guess if your defending the high fence, then your in the business of selling hunts to people who only care about huge antlers. So they can brag. But really. I don’t care how many acres it is, if they are fenced in and cannot leave the restriction of that area, then it’s not really fair chase. Truly wild deer do not have confines. You “hunters,” who pay to go to these “farms” may as well just buy the antlers and save yourself the time and effort, then just lie that you shot it.
What a joke this all is. Of course your spending all that cash on feeding the deer. You have paid clients to kill big antlered deer. It’s a business for rich lazy Americans that don’t want to work to truly hunt a free range animal. If the deer are being fed, then it’s a farm, don’t sugar coat it! Sure, it’s awesome to look at and dream of shooting one like that. But don’t act like this is “real” hunting, cause it ain’t.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. That being said, there’s no reason to voice one’s animosity towards those who chose to hunt differently than you.
Baiting, high fencing, and feeding are all ethical practices. The majority of the Congressmen who keep YOUR hunting rights preserved hunt baited, high fenced ranches that have protein-fed deer.
Additionally, the more hunters we have in our nation, the better chance we have of preserving our rights to hunt and keeping the 2nd ammendment.
If someone is happy hunting a certain way, let them enjoy it (so long as it is legal and ethical) without negative criticism.
Guys, this silly. Shooting a bred, fenced and fed deer is just target practice. It’s not hunting; it’s wrong, it’s embarrassing and anybody that takes part in it is a fool. Hunting involves sport and shooting an animal over a feeder (or on his daily trek to one) isn’t sport. Call it what you want – but it ain’t a sport.
Kinda like when we cut a corn field and shoot dove on it – I call it shootin’, not huntin’.
We could go round and round about this…
One this is the same… ALL OF YOU ARE HUNTING UNFAIRLY!!!!
So all of the critics of high fencing, baiting, and supplement feeding need to make your own guns, bows, arrows, and ammo. Don’t use scent free soap, deodorant, binoculars, or camoflauge.
Don’t you see how these are all unfair advantages you give yourselves against your prey? Hunt as the American Indians did… and then you can sit up and claim to know “how to hunt.”
I agree with Scott. Get up and go scout to hunt like in the northern states!
I knew the deer and I know the owners of the deer. Actually, the deer was less than 30 miles from my house. The discussion of low fence versus high fence has and will be around for ever. Just like Ford vs Chevy. The straight thing is that I respect all types of hunters whether you get out and scout on your 50 acre lease or pay to be guided on a high fence property.
I do have a hard time calling a 40,000 acre ranch that’s high fenced a PEN. If you guys from from the north want to come down and try it out lets do it. Don’t knock it ’til you try it. Hunting is hunting as long as your away from what you do every other day of the year and your having fun.
I can say that I know all about this deer. I’m the one that took all these photos. The buck was an estimated 6.5 years old during the time of these photos in 2007. He was caught on a 2,500 acre ranch and put into a temporary 5 acre pen called a DMP pen (licensed by the state of Texas) for breeding purposes with does. He and all the does are later released back onto the ranch sometime the following spring or summer.
This is a genetic-based management tool used to allow the buck to breed more does than he would naturally in the wild without facing many of the trials and tribulations that a buck encounters during this time of year. He has a tag in his ear because it is required by the state to do so when put into the DMP program. The deer was never hunted nor was there ever a price tag put on him. He was found dead in the pasture in 2008.
Was he killed or did he die of natural causes?
“If we could put up a high fence, it would be there to insure the deer we grow don’t fall to someone else. When you spend $1,200 to $1,500 a month on corn and protein (and that’s not even the time you put in on food plots), high fences have a place.”
It is sad to hear that the conditions in your state seem to necessitate these practices. It really sounds like the “everything is bigger in Texas” machismo has a hand in this. There is a reason Boone’s and Crockett doesn’t enter these types of unnaturally raised and penned deer into their record books. If you take a monster buck that is free range wild you managed to kill a cunning deer that is very rare (something that has managed to survive with out selective breeding, growth hormones, and yet still has to outwit hunters without high fences to reach trophy size).
I’d say save your money and use it on hunting trips to areas that don’t have this ridiculous one-ups-man-ship if you truly want a trophy buck experience. For some of the sums I’ve seen listed here you could, easily, fully finance a trip to Ohio and hunt in the vast public hunting areas or even lease strips of land. Sure you risk not getting a huge buck but those are the breaks. Some hunters go their whole lives without seeing, much less getting, a world class deer.
I have no problem if you do it if you just like the hunting experience or want meat in the freezer. But high fences, breeding, and feeding programs are not in my mind true trophy deer.
OhioBuckHunter, you have a good point. The only problem is that people that have no experience in a certain situation always believe they have the answer. It’s not your fault, you just see thing differently in Ohio and it’s a different world from Texas.
I would rather kill a decent 8 pointer on MY LAND than kill a 160″ buck in Ohio. I have hunted in Eastern Colorado and I enjoyed it…however, it pales in comparison to hunting on property I have worked hard on and that I layed a stake on.
Imagine if you didn’t live in Ohio and you didn’t have a lot of financial means down here in Texas. You saved up your entire life to buy this 70 acre low-fenced tract. There also happen to be about 30-40 similar tracts around you that are between 50-100 acres also. Many have 3 to 4 hunters on each… some more. Everyone wants to kill 2 good bucks every year. How many bucks do you think make it past 3.5 years of age?
It’s not ideal, but it’s the way it is. Land is very expensive and to have some is better than having gold. Going to Ohio is a pipe dream because of the cost getting there and the potential of coming back empty handed. Better to have meat in the freezer than 2 years of savings lost.
After years of saving good 3.5 year old bucks for the next year, then seeing them jumping over the fence and getting shot, we decided a high fence was the answer to the management of our native deer herd. We are seeing the benefits of our hard work on 1,000 acres now, instead of watching them get shot by the neighbors.
People who don’t understand will judge. My suggestion is to leave judging to God. Don’t even think that you’re a true hunter. The only true hunters were the Native Americans. If you use camo made by a manufacturer, cover scents, a scope on your rife, a rife you didn’t make yourself, a bow you didn’t make yourself, or sit on a perch that’s not a tree limb itself… you actually have an unfair advantage over the deer. I could then tell you that EVERY deer you took or have hanging on your wall was taken by cheating in the wild. None of them were taking fairly. Everyone’s idea of hunting is different.
Well said, Hunter D! There is no one out there that is as true a hunter as the American Indians were. Some hunters may argue that they are, but unless they’ve made all of their own clothes and shoes and equipment from things gathered from nature and walk to their hunting property their argument is null and void. Hunters should stick together. The anti-hunters already hate us all, and they don’t care if we are using a laser beam or a knife carved from wood!
“Everyone wants to kill 2 good bucks every year. How many bucks do you think make it past 3.5 years of age?
I Better to have meat in the freezer than 2 years of savings lost.
After years of saving good 3.5 year old bucks for the next year, then seeing them jumping over the fence and getting shot, we decided a high fence was the answer to the management of our native deer herd. We are seeing the benefits of our hard work on 1,000 acres now, instead of watching them get shot by the neighbors.”
I guess I was just raised differently. My dad was strictly a trophy hunter. He invested a lot of time and money hunting my grandfathers 100 acre farm. We had to contend with neighbors, hell my grandpa allowed one neighbor to hunt his land over my father’s objections, but that was my grandpas choice and we had to deal with it. Theyre was also a family around that were notorious poachers. Even then getting a true trophy buck is might only be a once in a lifetime thing. For my dad, it was, as he only got one deer his entire life, made more special for him as he got it the first time I ever went on a hunt with him. Beautiful 19 point. My 1st grade teacher actual cried when she heard my dad killed Bambi the next day in class.
So the notion wanting, or some how expecting “two good bucks” a year kind of rubs me the wrong way. Putting meat in the freezer is totally different, do you need a guaranteed monster buck to put meat in the freezer? Again I just feel sad that the situation you’re in forces hunters to think the only way to have a ‘successful’ hunt is spending ungodly amounts to ensure the biggest deer possible can’t be shot by your neighbors. Which this breeding, feeding, and fencing one upsmanship seems to be doing.
Y’all need to learn how to hunt. Hunting ain’t when you pay a couple thousand dollars to shoot a damn pet deer with tags in their ear!
Get real, turn a pack of hounds out hunt like a real man would!