Ever see a 200lb. Pa. Whitetail Deer ?

Cap I'll betcha if them elusive PA White Tailed Deer ate icecream like the Elusive PA Black Bear or high protein dog food like do the Elusive Eastern Coyote, we be seeing some hefty weight numbers.... wudda-ya-think?

I actually did see a PA buck, sort of, that dressed out at over 200 pounds. My Dad shot it in 1964 in Clearfield County.

I know it was over 200 because he was the meat manager at a local supermarket and his crew processed store employees’ deer after hours (something that would not happen today due to cross contamination laws) and it got weighed on the meat department scale. How much over 200 it was is debatable because instead of skinning it and hanging it like a quarter of beef, they simply wrapped the drag rope, which was some kind of vinyl covered cord used to string clothes lines, newfangled at the time, over the hook. It snapped when the weight of the deer was let hang — twice. So they triple wrapped it and tried again. When the rope started to stretch again, two people helped hold up the deer to get a reading before it broke again, so the full weight was not actually hanging when the scale read 218.

Rather than try to get a real reading, the deer was allowed to drop and the processing began because such things as weight and age and antler score meant little compared to how much meat the animal would provide. And this one would provide a lot.

The reason, I wrote PA sort of was that right around that time, PA had received (traded for?) some Michigan whitetails to compliment the VA deer and released them and this buck, and the larger one that was running with it, was obviously one of those deer and not the typical mountain deer that might top 110 pounds.

For the record, it was a 10 point with a 21 inch spread and good mass. Although I still have the antlers (mounts were for rich folks), it has never been measured. Never will be. It will simply remain John’s Big 10 Point as it was always referred to around town (even to this day when locals talk about deer season). Dad would like that.

My brother, before his death, had a deer and bear hunt brokering business that had most of their hunts on native ground in Saskatchewan. He and his clients shot many bucks that dressed over 200 with live weights approaching 300. I’ve seen the photos not from super hero angles and when I hear someone talk about a 200 pound buck and shows a photo from a low angle, I just agree and know that it probably goes 140 — 160, at best.

This is a photo of that huge Iowa buck that weighed 225 dressed out....I put the sunglasses on because he's a friend and I'm not sure he wants his picture shown. After seeing this deer in his truck bed, I can say I've never seen a 200lb. Pa. whitetail ....ever !  Just a massive chest and body....too bad most deer processers don't have some type of scales ....I think most hunters would get a reality check on real deer weights. ( shot on public land too ! ) This was about 8 years ago and the picture really tells the size....awesome buck no doubt!
 
 

 
 

To answer the OP's question, probably never.  I have shot a ton of deer but I doubt any approached 200#. 

I don't believe I ever saw a #200 whitetail on the hoof. They are out there but very rare indeed in Pa.

Right about now I could go for a 60 pound bologna doe.

BeenThereDoneThat.
Dardy's make mine a pound of deer burger mixed with 1/4 pound Sage sausage, made into 1" thick patties, fried medium rare, between two toasted buns topped with bacon, onion, tomatoe, lettuce and a dollop of mayo. (Helmans)

Please 🍻

. BTDT ... there ya go again , ya making me hungry again .... and I just ate .... THANKS !!! 🍺🍺👍😜

Mopars I hear ya buddy and I was ready to heat up the skillet when I remembered I need the deer burger. Dam it!!!

Oh Wellllll, baloney and cheese samidges aint so bad. 'cept it aint deer baloney. 🎅 Stupid deer!!!

I caught a World Record bass while fishing with two friends in the Everglades in the early seventies. Needless to say I made my friends miserable wanting to get to shore to weigh this monster! They finally gave in and when we got to shore I jumped out of the boat and ran to the bait shop with my prize. When I asked to have my fish weighted  the owner looked at me and said " Son, we throw those ones back." Biggest  bass I had ever seen 10 pound 4 ounces. 

Even with all the road kills over many years I'd say nothing close to 200 ever seen !
Some looked it blown up after about two weeks in the hot sun ....lol
 
Should have had my deer baloney(doe )yesterday....I decided to pass on two medium size deer at 30 yards away ....I'm getting soft on doe I guess . Some years I squeeze some years I just look......lol   Maybe Saturday ?
 
One year the US Forest Rangers were weighing deer in Elk county during doe season. They drove around and were asking hunters to weigh and age their harvested deer. My doe was 85 lbs. dressed, my other two friends deer were 65 & 55lbs. He told me mine was the second largest (heaviest) deer checked that whole day ! That was the days (70's ) of seeing 40 plus deer a day was the normal up there.  Owl's Nest area....good grouse area too.

Yes but, those suitcase deer are a lot easier to drag.  lol  sam

Don't know when they changed the law on shooting cub bears but they need bring the law back.

Pretty simple to judge a juvenile from an adult. Need only look at the size of the head as compared to the body.

Hunters who can't judge by that rule need not be allowed to play, with real guns.