Oklahoma Bowhunter Passes on 190-inch Buck to Harvest Bigger Record Whitetail
Passing on a possible 190-inch non-typical whitetail buck takes dedication. Yet, that’s exactly what Edmond, Okla., hunter Zack Meadows, 42, did on Nov. 3 in Logan County, as reported by the Oklahoman newspaper.
Meadows, hunting his own land, was in search of a giant typical buck captured by trail cameras. However, a 180- to 190-inch non-typical buck appeared before his stand, tempting him to shoot what could have been his best bow buck. Nevertheless, he decided not to take the shot.
According to Meadows, “I see him [the non-typical] get all puffed up and licking his lips – acting scared. I thought ‘what could be out here scaring this deer?’ I knew something was happening. I start looking around and I could see the antlers [of the bigger buck] coming.”
The two deer squared off, posturing and sparring, until the larger typical buck drove away the lesser 190-inch non-typical. The bigger buck then stopped at 60 yards, and Meadows made the precise long bow shot. The giant whitetail fell after only going 25 yards.
“I never thought in a million years I would shoot a deer that big,” says Meadows, who runs a petroleum business in Edmond.
Terry Mayberry of Terry’s Taxidermy in Oklahoma City unofficially green-scored Meadows’ 16-point, 7-year-old buck at 210 inches, according to the newspaper. If this holds up, it will surpass the current Oklahoma typical-rack bow buck record of 188 5/8s, set by Gunner Womack in Pawnee County in 2019. It will also exceed the state’s current typical buck record by any method, which is a 194-incher from Pushmataha County by John Ehmer in 2007.
“It’s definitely got a chance,” says Mayberry. “He’s got quite a few deductions on him [Meadows’ buck]. Until they get an official score [after a 60-day drying period], it’s hard to say. He’s got all those kickers on him that are deducts, but he’s definitely got the mass and the circumference [to be a record].”
If the score holds up, Meadows’ buck will become the new Oklahoma state record.
Meadows attributes his success to 20 years of selective buck harvests, limited hunting pressure, and trail camera monitoring.
“That’s been huge, staying out of there as much as we can and not checking trail cameras every day,” he says.
A skilled hunter, dedicated conservationist, and advocate for ethical practices. Respected in the hunting community, he balances human activity with environmental preservation.