Social media is abuzz this morning as deer hunters fawn over what might be the new world record whitetail. Guner Womack, a teen out of Oklahoma, arrowed this incredible 8×8 buck last night while hunting over a wheat field.
“We’ve had him on camera for several years and watched him grow up,” Womack said. “He was real broken up last year, but we knew if he could make it through the winter that he would be something special. He didn’t disappoint.”
Womack’s dad used an electronic scoring device that runs a wheel across the antlers, which only provides a ballpark number. Womack said a more official measurement will be taken later today.
Womack has a better shot at claiming the new world record for a typical whitetail taken with archery equipment. That record belongs to Mel Johnson and has stood since 1965. Mel’s Perfect 6×6 Illinois deer scored 204 inches. Even if he can’t reach the Hanson or Johnson buck, Womack will likely beat the current Oklahoma typical record of 194 inches.
Record book be damned, this is a once-in-a-lifetime free range whitetail. Congrats, Guner.
12/23 Update: The buck has not yet had its 60-day drying period to get an official score, but new estimates put the buck at 209 4/8 inches gross and 192 6/8 inches net. It won’t beat the Hanson or Johnson buck, but will still contend for the new Oklahoma state record.
3/6 Update: The buck was officially scored at 188 5/8 net, beating the old archery state record by 1/8th of an inch.