09/06/2026
Not Wisconsin but who's ready for fall?
Twenty-year-old Tennessee hunter Wade Mackie killed the biggest buck of his life on August 28, this year, and it was also his first-ever buck with a bow. Mackie had two years of history with the massive non-typical, nicknamed “The Freak,” on just 30 acres behind his girlfriend’s house. During Tennessee’s special velvet archery hunt, the giant finally stepped out and Mackie got his chance.
After the initial shot, the blood trail eventually disappeared, so Mackie brought in a tracking dog to help recover the buck. The deer was still alive during the track, and Mackie eventually got another bow shot into him to finish the job. The buck has a huge non-typical velvet rack with a wild drop tine. There is no green score yet, but this is the biggest buck of the year so far.
— Stephen Ziegler
Outdoor writer | Member, Hunter Nation