Kansas bowhunter Marc Somers took a stud weighing more than 200 pounds, with a green score of 245 inches this year, a cull that will likely go into the Boone and Crockett record books. Sommers and his hunting buddy Cody Larrimore knew they were in a good location, with Larrimore taking another huge 205-inch buck in the area during the previous season.
“We have about 15 different properties in Kansas, not for outfitting or guiding, but for our personal hunting and for taking friends from around the state and outside the area,” said Somers to Outdoor Life. “My buddy Cody Larrimore and I got permission to hunt an 80-acre farm and started putting cellular trail cameras up last summer.”
They started scouting the area in the summer after game cameras captured photos of a large buck in the velvet near the farm. The surrounding farmland, with a mix of soy and wheat, plus some creeks, is perfect deer-stalking territory.
“He was a giant, and very smart, using the wind 24-7 and almost always alone,” said Somers. “He wasn’t camera shy, but he would disappear for weeks at a time. We’d get photos from several different cameras, then he’d just disappear.”
He had nicknamed the buck “Larri” after his friend. Somers said Larrimore taught him everything he knows about hunting success.
“Discipline was the hardest part of taking this buck, because he was so wary, wind-smart and cautious,” said Somers. “We stayed out of the farm right until we started hunting him because we didn’t want to rush in and bust him from his usual routine in bedding and feeding areas.”
“We didn’t know much about the property, so we were very cautious going in, and getting out quickly to avoid bumping the buck,” said Somers. “I think not knowing the farm well, and taking our time setting up and executing the hunt the way we did, is the chief reason we got him.”
“My eyes filled with tears in the blind that evening with Larrimore after I’d shot the buck,” said Somers. “It’s the most humbling, rewarding and meaningful thing I’ve ever experienced hunting. I learned how smart mature whitetails are, what friends are willing to do for each other, and how much I value the chase of whitetail deer.”
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The buck weighed 274 pounds after field dressing, and they estimated his live weight at around 340 pounds. They said the key to getting such a large and experienced buck was patience, never moving too far into his territory, and keeping a low profile at all times.
With multiple cameras in the area, the pair began setting up blinds at the start of September. They infrequently visited each hunting location, having only used this spot four times earlier.
The team also credited Ani-Logics deer attractant with helping. “He loved the Ani-Logics, Larri just gorged on that stuff,” said Somers.
Somers took the deer from about 25 yards. They followed its trail and found the buck about 70 yards away.