Sam Thaw's fantastic 15-pointer has main beams of 26 3/8 and 26 inches sandwiched between a 19 1/8 inside spread. Photo courtesy of Sam Thaw

Giant bucks were taken all across the Northeast in 2004, and according to the Northeast Big Buck Club -- the regional whitetail scoring and record keeping organization -- trophy deer hunters had a banner year, particularly in the state of New York.

One buck in particular deserves some special attention because it could be New York's biggest racked whitetail of 2004, a giant Wyoming County buck taken by Samuel Thaw last November.

Thaw is one of those fortunate people who come from a family of hunters. He has been hunting for most of his 42 years. When Thaw was young, his father, mother and brother all hunted, so hunting was a real family affair. Thaw's dad has passed away, but Thaw continues to hunt many of the same places in New York. And his good fortune continues because his wife hunts with him!

Thaw hunts all seasons (bow, shotgun and muzzleloader) and figures he has taken close to 30 racked bucks over the years, plus many does. But Thaw is a buck hunter at heart. His biggest buck prior to the 2004 season was a beautiful 140-class 10-pointer. But that great buck looks small compared to the buck he took during the 2004 season.

Thaw owns hunting property in Wyoming County, 167 acres of woods and thick brush. The overgrown, early-1900s Christmas tree plantation has been the site of many of Thaw's hunts through the years, and he has been hunting this property for his entire life.

Thaw had taken many deer there in the past, and he knew a big buck was roaming the property in 2004. He had seen the sign (tracks, rubs, scrapes) and had yet to bump into the big boy, but that was about to change.

Nov. 23 was forecast to be one of the warmest days of the hunting season. The weather was predicted to be 50 degrees, sunny with clear skies. Not exactly ideal shotgun hunting conditions in western New York! And while many hunters probably convinced themselves that no deer would be moving on this second day of the 2004 shotgun season, Thaw was in his tree stand before first light ready to put in a full day of hunting. His wife, Lisa, was also hunting on another part of the property, both looking forward to a good day in the woods.

At about 7:30 a.m., Thaw heard the telltale sound of hoofs in the leaves. He looked up and saw a deer moving toward him at about 125 yards. Even at first glance Thaw recognized that this was a "good buck," although he did not have much time to study the rack. By the time Thaw had his shotgun ready to fire, the buck had closed the gap and was passing by, broadside, at 60 yards.

Thaw couldn't believe the buck was going to give him such a perfect shot, and it didn't take long for him to pull the trigger.

The buck ran about 40 yards and dropped dead within sight of the stand! Thaw could not believe it. That almost never happens on a good buck, he thought.

He sat down in his stand, shocked at how quickly and flawlessly the events had unfolded. No drama, no panicky circumstances. Just a good buck walking alone in the morning and then BAM! -- it's all over. It was amazing! But, little did Thaw know, this wasn't just a "good" buck.