Rex Taft's amazing Steuben County buck ranks as the No. 2 non-typical ever taken in the Northeast. Photo courtesy of Rex Taft.

We all love to read stories about 200-class monster bucks, particularly if they're big archery non-typicals. But it's really something special when a state's biggest buck of the year is taken on an intensively managed property!

Rex Taft's Steuben County buck rivals many of the best archery non-typicals killed anywhere in the Northeast. Is this the proof that quality deer-management proponents have been seeking to bolster their claim that QDM is the best way to produce trophy bucks consistently?

That question is still open to debate. But there's no question that this 200-inch monster will raise some eyebrows.

THE 2005 TAFT BUCK
Thirty-eight-year-old bowhunter Rex Taft has been hunting deer for almost 25 years, primarily in his home state of New York. During his hunting career, he has taken more than 40 whitetails, including some very good bucks. Prior to 2005, his best buck was an impressive 11-pointer that scored 148.

As he entered the 2005 season, Taft couldn't have known that he was about to improve his "personal best" trophy by more than 50 inches of antler!

Taft hunts in Steuben County, the best trophy county in the Empire State. His favorite hunting spot contains 2,400 acres of intensively managed property. That tract has all the ingredients you could ask for -- hardwoods, hillsides, a cut cornfield, and a thick river bottom. He and 24 other serious hunters formed the Hollow Hunt Club and have been managing the property for eight seasons, shooting only bucks with 6 points or better, and limiting the doe harvest. They entered 2005 with a 1:1 buck-to-doe ratio, and very high expectations about the property's trophy potential. And as it turned out, they were not disappointed.

Earlier in the season, as Taft was driving past his hunting spot, he spotted an unbelievable buck with a giant rack. His heart skipped a beat. At this first encounter, he did not know that there would be a second!

Ten days later, on Nov. 3 last year, Taft had dropped his kids off at day care and was late getting out to hunt. The day was sunny and very bright. The air was still, with temperatures into the low 50s. Walking in toward his favorite stand, he spotted two 8-point bucks, but couldn't get a decent shot at either deer.

So Taft decided to move to a new stand location. As he was walking through the woods, he heard a grunt. He stopped to listen and again heard grunting, coming from beyond a nearby ridge. He stopped by a pine tree and scanned the area. Sure enough, he saw movement below his position and then spotted a doe headed his way. Just 50 yards behind her was a buck, hot on her trail!

The doe came close to his tree. But Taft had his ScentBlocker suit on, so he knew she wouldn't smell him. Even so, she must have either spotted him or sensed that something was wrong, because she trotted off.

However, the amorous buck kept coming. He stopped behind a pine tree, giving Taft a chance to draw his bow. When the buck stepped out from behind the pine tree, he was only seven yards away, quartering slightly.