A buck killed yesterday morning in Atascosa County near Poteet just might be one of the biggest free-range bucks killed in Texas this year — and possibly the biggest free-range buck ever taken in Atascosa County.
Sixty-nine year old hunter Larry Bartek had seen the buck last year on his 300 acres, and knew neighbors around him were also hunting the big deer.
“I knew he was on my place and I hunted him almost everyday since the beginning of the season,” Bartek said. “Yesterday morning, I had six does and a yearling behind the feeder and one of the does began to get really nervous. Then she crouched down and I thought, ‘it’s either a pig or a buck.’ Well, I’ll be, here he came.”
The buck made one pass through Bartek’s shooting lane, never stopping or offering a shot.
“I thought I’d missed my opportunity,” Bartek said. “But the doe came back about five minutes later and he walked out again.”
Bartek made a perfect shot on the buck, which fell immediately.
“I hate to wound a deer,” he said. “So to shoot this buck perfectly was important. There was no ground shrinkage.”
Bartek immediately showed the buck to neighbors and was relieved everyone had nothing but kind words for him about harvesting the buck.
“They were all so good about it,” he said.
The buck has been scored by two deer contests, with a final gross Boone and Crocket score of 224 7/8 nontypical.
The buck is a mainframe 13-pointer with several kickers and two large, matched droptines.
Read more about the hunt and Bartek’s history with this buck in the next issue of Lone Star Outdoor News, out Friday, Nov. 28.
Photos by Codi Crouch and Larry Bartek.
11 comments
Congrats on the FREE RANGE BUCK, I had the opportunity to see this buck yesterday in front of the local news paper. The pics of the buck dont even compare to the actual buck.
I have a question about this topic. Wy we have not seen a big bucks at the San Antonio golf course that feef on good pastures. They are also protected by the law. I think this buck is not a free range
So, because you have never seen a free range buck of this quality, that means it isn’t “free range”?? Give me a break. It takes a LOT more than just “good pasture” to create a buck of this magnitude. Just because there is a lot of grass to eat, doesn’t mean it is packed with nutrition. Lots of grasses in Texas are low quality when it comes to nutrition. You need the RIGHT kind of grasses and browse, along with the right water sources to help the grasses and browse produce the minerals and vitamins the animal needs to pack on the antlers. On top of that, you need a mature deer that has finished growing its body out and can focus growth on antlers, you need great weather and lots of plant growth, and MOST importantly, you need good genetics.
Long story short, just because your cute little deer at the golf course doesn’t stand toe to toe with this deer, doesn’t automatically mean this deer is high fence raised. Do some research.
I think it’s sad to kill an animal this beautiful. I know that deer hunting is a sport and at one time I participated but to see something this beautiful and to have to kill it really upsets me now.
Sorry just my opinion
What an absolutely stunning animal. Glad an older experienced hunter harvested his buck of a lifetime! Congrats.
Agreed. I’d rather somebody who has hunted for a lifetime get to grab a buck like this, instead of a young kid. Makes it that much more sweet.
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Way to go buddy! Hope for all us old timers that love to hunt, plus solitude time in Gods creation. Really happy and proud for you!! Good luck to you, God Bless! Ken R.
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