World's record pending for non-typical deer

A buck harvested in Sumner County during the recent muzzleloader season, has completed a step toward becoming a world record for a non-typical deer rack.

Boone and Crockett officials spent several hours on Monday (Jan. 9) scoring the 47-point buck tabbed the "Tennessee Tucker Buck" as the Nashville headquarters of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The buck was harvested by 26-year old Gallatin resident Stephen Tucker.

The deer rack scored 312 3/8 in the Boone and Crockett tabulation. The tabulation was held after 60 days had passed since the original "wet" score indicated that the buck was a potential world record. As it stands, the score will break previous mark of 307 5/8 set by then 15-year old Tony Lovsteun in Albia, Iowa.

Tucker made his harvest from about 40 yards. It came on a land that his family has leased to farm for the past 40 years.

"I have truly been blessed and I am very thankful," Tucker said after learning the rack's score. "I have had a lot of phones calls and questions and have tried to be patient waiting through the process. I am very appreciative to my family, friends, and the TWRA, especially Capt. Dale Grandstaff, who has led me through the process. I believe he has been as excited about it as I have."

TWRA Executive Director Ed Carter was present at the announcement of the pending world record harvest. "I am so proud that a pending world record harvest has come from Tennessee, obviously, Carter said. "Just to know we have an, official world record, at least it is pending, in Tennessee means a lot to a lot of people."

The certification process will now await another step as a pending world record. Another panel of Boone and Crockett scorers will again take measurements at the awards banquet in 2019.