North American Whitetail

Bowhunter Rattles in Gigantic 243-inch Illinois Tank

Xen McAllister knew this giant non-typical was in his part of Illinois, but because of his small hunting area and the buck's popularity, he didn't think he had a good chance to tag the deer.

Bowhunter Rattles in Gigantic 243-inch Illinois Tank

February 27, 2023 By Clifford Neames

“The right place, right time and a whole lot of luck!” That is how Xen McAllister describes his hunt for the giant 243 2/8-inch green-scored Illinois buck he took on Nov. 16, 2022.

Xen first discovered the deer when it showed up on his trail camera in 2021. The buck appeared to be over 190 inches then and was by far the largest whitetail Xen had ever seen. But he was not the only person who knew about the deer.

“People for miles around had seen it,” says Xen. “And I heard that folks were watching it from the side of the highways when it was feeding in the fields.”

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