Whitey Sovinski’s remarkable typical buck not only set a new record for its category in Massachusetts but also ranks among the largest typical whitetail bucks harvested globally in 2002.

On the morning of December 5, 2002, as he prepared for his hunting expedition, Whitey playfully remarked to his wife that he intended to bag the biggest buck in the woods that day. Unbeknownst to them, he was on the verge of achieving that very goal, capturing one of the most impressive typical whitetails in North America for the season. With four decades of hunting experience in Massachusetts, Whitey ventured into the Franklin County woods alongside his son, Bobby, targeting a location near the Quabbin Reservoir.

They had meticulously scouted the area using both foot exploration and topographic maps, focusing their efforts on a ridge and swamp that connected to one of the few oak stands in an otherwise evergreen-dominated landscape. Their scouting indicated active deer movement, with signs of feeding and tree rubbing prevalent in the vicinity. As dawn broke, Whitey ascended the ridge and noticed another hunter to his right, prompting him to shift left to find a suitable spot for the morning hunt. Although he caught a fleeting glimpse of a doe, a clean shot eluded him as the deer approached from behind. However, his attention was soon drawn to movement further up the ridge, where he spotted a twitching tail approximately 80 yards away. After observing for about ten minutes and catching a glimpse of antlers through the dense foliage, Whitey finally identified the deer’s shoulder and took a shot with his Ithaca Model 37 20-gauge pump. The deer fell, and as it disappeared from view, Whitey caught sight of its impressive antlers. He quickly reloaded and, as the deer struggled to rise, he fired a second shot that struck true, securing the trophy for good. Within hours, news of the extraordinary buck spread, and one of the first to witness the magnificent trophy was Jim Russell, a scorer for the National Bowhunting Association.

Whitey’s amazing whitetail has a gross score of 204 1/8 and a net of 193 3/8. The rack has an inside spread of 25 4/8 inches, and the main beams are 27 7/8 and 29 0/8.

Author: mkmcst

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