Nebraska Recurve Hunter Arrows Giant Buck at 6 Yards

Traditional bowhunter Keith Cline did not expect to see this buck while bowhunting a pinch-point on a foggy, drizzly Nebraksa afternoon. He had zero history with the deer, making it a complete surprise. Images courtesy of Keith Cline

Keith Cline has only one trail camera that he moves around on his family land, a beef cattle ranch that’s been in the family for more than 100 years. The Nebraska land isn’t managed for big deer, but some good bucks nonetheless roam the place’s pastures, crop fields, and ravines. Cline hunts with a recurve, and he’s taken a handful of bucks in the 130- to 150-inch range. But he says that he’s almost as thrilled to outfox a wise old doe with his stick and string, especially because he and his family eat lots of venison.

“I started bowhunting back in 1982,” Cline said. “I was shooting an old Bear Grizzly at the time. I wounded a deer, and it upset me, so I got a compound bow and hunted that way for seven or eight years. I found myself shooting it without sights, and then I thought, ‘Why don’t I just go back to what I love?’ I’ve been shooting a recurve ever since.”

Cline hunted quite a few times once Nebraska’s 2025 archery season commenced. One day, he encountered a quality 4-by-4 buck that walked within spitting distance, but didn’t offer a high-percentage shot angle. He also missed a couple of does, which sapped his confidence to some degree.

DON’T MISS: Drunk Raccoon Passes Out In Virginia Liquor Store Bathroom

On Oct. 15, Cline hoped the foggy, drizzly conditions would get the deer moving. The temperature was seasonable at around 50 degrees. He arrived at his stand, positioned along a creek at a pinch-point where the timber narrows down, around 2:30 p.m., and settled in. It was a pretty long afternoon, but the deer started moving the last couple hours of daylight.

“I had two different bunches of does walk by within range, but they moved through too fast for a shot opportunity,” he said. “And I probably would have shot one if they had presented a better opportunity.” But 15 minutes before the end of legal shooting light, Cline was surprised in a big way.

“Quarters are tight around this stand, and a lot of times I don’t see the deer until they’re 15 yards away,” he said. “A buck I had no idea existed suddenly appeared seven yards away. Because the ground was damp, I hadn’t heard him coming. He took a couple of steps, and I grabbed my bow, drew and shot him in a fluid motion as he sniffed a licking branch 6 yards away. I didn’t know how big he was. I just knew that he had a lot of tines.”

Despite an excellent double-lung hit, the buck made it nearly 300 yards.

Cline felt confident in his shot, but the doubts inevitably crept in. The encounter had happened so fast that he hadn’t become nervous before the shot. But after the shot, once the reality of the situation sat in, he became a self-proclaimed “basket case.”

“It took me a while to climb out of the tree,” he said. “I remember lowering my bow to the ground, then pulling it back up, then lowering it again. I’m a tough guy, but I just about fell apart. Eventually, I climbed down and went home. My wife and I do a lot of bowhunting together, and I told her that we had a buck to look for.”

DON’T MISS: Thunderstruck | Wisconsin Hunter Bags 185-Inch Typical Buck on 38 Acres

An hour and a half later, husband and wife began the search. The last 50 yards of the trail led the Clines down a creek, and there was no blood, which was unnerving. But when they shone flashlights down the creek, the light revealed the buck’s white butt in the water. Interestingly, the animal had made a big circle and expired only 60-70 yards from where Cline had shot it. The hit had taken both lungs, but the tough old buck had covered nearly 300 yards before going down.

Keith Cline and his wife, Lora, enjoy bowhunting together. They eat lots of venison, so not only will the buck’s antlers be admired for years to come, but the meat is already being put to good use.

“We were shocked, excited, and humbled,” Cline explained. “Like a lot of hunters, shooting a 180-inch deer was on my bucket list. I fully believe the Lord had plans for me to get this buck. I’m not the worst hunter, but I’m certainly not the best hunter, either. This buck is kind of like my salvation in the Lord: I don’t deserve it, but I’ll sure take it.”

Check Out Our Latest Camo Pattern: Realtree APX

Although the deer was a complete surprise to Cline, after the fact, a neighboring landowner came forward and said he had seen the buck a time or two. The outstanding deer had 16 points, seven on one side and nine on the other. The inside spread was 17 4/8 inches and in all the antlers grossed 190 5/8 inches.