Milo Hanson was a humble Canadian farmer whose name was launched into the public eye when he harvested the deer of a lifetime in 1993.
He died on February 9, but his name is solidifed in the lore of North American hunting. Even now, after more than thirty years, the Hanson buck remains the undefeated king, his record still unmatched.
From the Farm to Hunting Immortality
Hanson never set out to make history. He was a grain and cattle farmer living outside Biggar, Saskatchewan, who joined a group of buddies on opening day of rifle season. For the months leading up to deer season that year, there had been talk amongst the locals of a massive whitetail that had been seen in the area.
November 22, 1993 came with a fresh blanket of snow. Hanson and friends staged a small deer drive into a patch of willows near the farm. When the buck emerged from the thickets, Hanson was overcome with buck fever. He took a shot and missed. He then steadied his .308 Winchester, took aim, and pulled the trigger again. The second shot connected, and the deer ran. One more shot and he had dropped what would come to be known simply as the Hanson Buck.
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A World Record That Still Stands
Once officially scored by measurers from the Boone and Crockett Club, the deer’s rack totaled 213 5/8 inches net typical, crowning it as the largest typical whitetail deer ever taken in history. This title still holds more than 30 years later.
Before Hanson’s buck, the record had stood for nearly 80 years, held by the famous James Jordan buck taken in 1914 from Wisconsin.
Hanson became a hunting celebrity, traveling to outdoor shows and being featured on magazine covers. Replicas of the Hanson Buck were displayed in collections across North America.
A Deer Hunting Legacy
With news of Hanson’s recent passing, tributes have been posted across social media from hunters, conservationists, and outdoor enthusiasts who recognize this man’s quiet but profound impact.
As one tribute noted, Hanson’s name will always be “synonymous with excellence in whitetail deer hunting,” not just because of what he accomplished, but because of how he lived; with humility, integrity, and a love for the outdoors that inspired generations of hunters to come.
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