New World Record Non-Typical Whitetail
On March 1, 2019, the Pope and Young Club confirmed a new World Record non-typical whitetail. Luke Brewster shot this Illinois monster during the 2018 archery season. The final score came out at 327 7/8″ surpassing the previous World Record shot by Michael Beatty 18 years ago. A special panel of judges in Omaha, Neb. confirmed the score.
New Whitetail Record
“The Brewster buck has been verified as the new Pope and Young World Record with a score of 327 7/8,” said Eli Randall, Director of Records for the Pope and Young Club. “The two panels consisted of seven measures and was overseen by the Panel Chairman. This group represented more than 217 years of combined measuring experience. After over eight hours, this incredible whitetail score became official. Congratulations to Luke and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for practicing sound wildlife management.”
“I headed to Omaha with a good feeling but still a tad nervous on how the scorers were going to make calls,” Brewster said. “I knew it was scored very conservatively on the initial entry form by measurer Tim Walmsley, but you never know. After a day and a half of waiting in anticipation, Eli Randall informed me of the new panel-verified score. I was sent into shock once again as the score increased 7 2/8” from the original entry. Unbelievable. All I can say is that I’m very blessed.”
“Congratulations to Luke Brewster on the largest hunter taken whitetail in history,” said Justin Spring, Director of Big Game Records for Boone & Crockett. “All hunter conservationists should take great pride in the fact that in the face of the challenges to our wildlife, we continue to see more robust populations than ever before, thanks to the North American model. There couldn’t be a more deserving hunter to be attached to the Brewster buck, which is now an iconic legacy of whitetail deer in North America.”
Pope & Young
To be eligible for entry into the Pope & Young Club’s Records Program, an animal must have been taken:
- Entirely by the use of the bow and arrow (as defined by the Pope & Young Club)
- In total compliance with the controlling state/provincial hunting regulations
- In total compliance with the Club’s Rules of Fair Chase
- After the official measurement, the score must meet or exceed the corresponding minimum score requirement for that species category
- On any antlered big game species (for which the inside spread measurement is part of the final score), the skull plate must be completely intact and unaltered (i.e., the skull plate cannot be split, either intentionally or otherwise)
- No repairs or alterations to the antlers or horns are acceptable.
Additionally, the hunter must harvest the animal under the Pope & Young Rules of Fair Chase. These rules ensure that hunters harvest the animal ethically.
The rules state that a hunter cannot take the animal as follows:
- Helpless in a trap, deep snow or water, or on ice.
- From any power vehicle or powerboat.
- By “jacklighting” or shining at night.
- By the use of any tranquilizers or poisons.
- While inside escape-proof fenced enclosures.
- By the use of any power vehicle or power boats for herding or driving animals, including the use of aircraft to land alongside, or to communicate with, or direct a hunter on the ground.
- By the use of electronic devices for attracting, locating or pursuing game or guiding the hunter to such game, or by the use of a bow or arrow to which any electronic device is attached with the exception of lighted nocks and recording devices that cast no light towards the target and do not aid in rangefinding, sighting or shooting the bow.
- Any other condition considered by the Board of Directors as unacceptable.
Jeremy Mallette is co-founder of International Sportsman. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he has spent more than a decade in the outdoor industry, from hiking and camping to silencers and hunting. His father taught him to shoot at age six, and he received his first firearm at age eight — a 1942 Colt Commando .38 special revolver. He enjoys yearly trips to Kansas for pheasant hunting, spending time with his children at the deer lease, and collecting unique firearms.