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How This Hunter Killed Three 200-Inch Bucks in Three Years
Randy Kukral chose to have the company of a local game warden instead of a friend or family member when recovering his most recent deer, a 220-inch Ohio slammer called “Trifecta,” to avoid speculation of poaching. This decision was made after the attention he received for his previous two 200-plus-inch deer kills in consecutive years.
According to Kukral, his collaboration with the game warden has put a stop to any accusations of poaching. His extraordinary accomplishment of hunting three 200-plus-inch bucks in three years has raised eyebrows, and Outdoor Life interviewed him to uncover the secrets behind his success in bagging these impressive whitetails.
1. Patiently Achieving Success
Kukral emphasizes the importance of long-term, middle-term, and short-term patience when hunting whitetails. He refers to a clear-cut piece of family land that, through careful management and two decades of patience, has become a great source of high-scoring bucks. For short-term patience, Kukral talks about the significance of choosing the right days to hunt.
2. Purposeful Hunting
Kukral doesn’t hunt aimlessly; he selects specific spots and goes into each hunt with the intention of being successful. This combination of patience and strategy has paid off for him. He gives an example of how he waited until a good cold front moved in and the target buck showed up on his trail camera before making his move.
3. Utilizing Pressure to His Advantage
Kukral acknowledges that hunting a megagiant like a 200-inch buck comes with the challenge of competition from other hunters. Instead of focusing on obvious hunting spots, he thinks about where the deer would go to avoid the pressure and sets up his hunting stand accordingly.
4. Offseason Preparation
Kukral believes in continuous hard work and preparation throughout the year. He emphasizes that hunting success requires more than just finding the right property; it’s necessary to understand the buck’s movement patterns through constant scouting and the use of cell cameras.
5. Calculated Risks
Kukral takes calculated risks when it comes to hunting big bucks. He breaks traditional deer hunting rules and is willing to give up his scent advantage if it puts him in a better position to take a shot. He also makes non-traditional moves and gets aggressive to cut off deer and increase his chances of success.
6. Perseverance
Kukral advises hunters to keep grinding and never give up. Despite hunting pressure and missed opportunities, he persisted and eventually harvested his target buck after eight consecutive days in the same stand.
A skilled hunter, dedicated conservationist, and advocate for ethical practices. Respected in the hunting community, he balances human activity with environmental preservation.