How Habitat Work Paid Off with a 225-Inch Giant

Craig Meyers shot his first deer at age 12. Even as we speak, he can clearly recall exhibiting off harvested deer along with his dad at the back of his 1987 square-bodied truck.

Ever since that point, he’s cherished the outside. In the present day, this ardour has even led him to personal a whitetail land administration enterprise.

Quick ahead to 2025, and Meyers was enthusiastic about his three years of historical past with a deer he referred to as, “Krabs.” The buck earned its title from the large crab claws on every fundamental beam. Meyers had collected plenty of path digicam images and even a shed from the buck. In 2024, he had a detailed encounter however couldn’t get a shot off. This season, he hoped to lastly cross paths with the large deer.

The Day the Wind Switched

In early October, Meyers wanted brakes on his truck, so he dropped his car off along with his retired dad. His dad dealt with the mechanic work whereas his son was at his day job. This flexibility gave Meyers the flexibility to make the journey on time and be there when the wind lastly switched into his favor.

“My dad positively deserves credit score,” Meyers stated. “He knew how badly I needed to get down there.”

On Oct. 3, 2025, the wind shifted noon, which labored to Meyer’s profit. He made the lengthy drive from Michigan to Ohio and headed afield in hopes of seeing the large, record-class whitetail. Frightened about wind route, he dropped milkweed about each 20 steps to make sure the wind remained in his favor. It did.

After an hour-long entry stroll, he arrived at his fiberglass, hard-shell blind and settled in. Moreover, he saved the home windows closed to retain scent. Meyers even taped many of the home windows to additional scent-proof the blind. Little question, Meyers was in for a scorching sit.

“It was 87 levels outdoors, so it was most likely about 105 within the blind,” Meyers laughed.

He saved ice packs in his pack and used them on his particular person to remain cool. He additionally used moveable followers to make the scenario extra bearable. “I feel I drank nearly a gallon of water and by no means peed as soon as,” he joked.

The Big Arrives

Given the warmth, the hunt began off sluggish. Ultimately, a doe entered the open. She fed by the west finish of the meals plot and rapidly departed. She went downwind however by no means acted as if she smelled him, which gave Meyers extra confidence.

A number of minutes after the doe departed, Meyers appeared again to the west and noticed a giant, 150-inch 10-pointer he’d been holding tabs on. Every other yr, he’d have taken the shot.

“It was so cool to see him on the market consuming,” Meyers stated. “He stayed on the west facet of the plot for a bit.”

After some time, an 8-pointer slipped by the CRP, entered the meals plot, and walked into view, too. Each bucks fed round in entrance of the blind.

A couple of minutes later, Meyers appeared out one other window, and there was Krabs, slowly easing towards the meals plot. He ranged the buck at 55 yards however determined to let it get nearer. The deer saved slowly coming and ultimately stood broadside at 41 yards. Meyers determined to take the shot.

He opened a window, settled the crossbow sights, and slowly pulled the set off. The bolt linked and blew by the vitals.

“It smoked him,” Meyers stated. “It hit the primary artery, took out his reverse shoulder, and he simply face-planted and got here proper at me. He bull-dozed by the plot 5 yards from me. Greens had been flying all over the place”.

A Dream Realized

The buck ran over right into a two-track, and given the scale of the deer, Meyers determined to hurry out and see if a follow-up shot was wanted. He exited the blind, walked over to the roadbed, and there the deer stood — nonetheless alive.

“He was within the two-track, and there was blood all over the place,” Meyers stated. “It was vitals, for certain, however I needed to make certain. I hit him yet another time, despite the fact that it wasn’t mandatory.” The deer expired inside seconds. Meyers couldn’t imagine it. He was standing over a 225-inch whitetail.

Instantly, he referred to as his spouse, father, and others to share the good information.

“The feelings took over,” Meyers stated. “I couldn’t imagine all of the work for this deer paid off. It wasn’t simply the hunt. I confirmed as much as this property 4 years in the past and put work into it.”

It’s his good friend’s land, and his good friend permits him to place in meals plots and make optimistic habitat modifications to the panorama — together with 4 acres of greens — most of which was finished with an outdated tractor and side-by-side. Because of this, it attracted and held this large whitetail.

“All of it got here collectively on this second,” he stated. “After all, you may work all you need, however rising a 200-plus-inch whitetail? It’s onerous to grasp the rarity of it. I really feel very blessed to have chased him.” The massive Ohio buck scored 225 inches.