A father-son hunt, a rutting buck, and a story that still gets the adrenaline going

At 15, Nicholas J. Kopp headed from Kentucky to a family friend’s Indiana farm, hoping for a memorable rut hunt with his dad. The morning quickly turned into a blur of deer, nerves, and one enormous buck racing after a doe. As Nicholas recalled, “My adrenaline was so high, and I was panicking.” His first shot missed, but after two more, the buck disappeared from view—and the waiting began.

When Nicholas and his dad searched the tall grass, they weren’t sure what they’d find. Then they spotted the deer: a remarkable non-typical whitetail later scored at 203 2/8 points. The trophy was extraordinary, but the story’s heart is the shared moment between father and son—the excitement, the uncertainty, and the memory they’ll carry for a lifetime. As Nicholas put it, “This will truly be one of the most unforgettable moments of my life.”

The Future of Fair Chase celebrates young hunters and the stories that inspire the next generation of conservationists. Have a youth hunting story to share—or know a young hunter who does? Send it to editor@boone-crockett.org.

Read the full story called Beast of the Power Line at Boone and Crockett here.

^{Photos via Boone and Crockett}