Last month you may remember the Hunting Network, along with several other websites and publications including the originator of the story of the Johnny King buck, Deer and Deer Hunting Magazine, let the cat out of the bag on the most controversial G-3 in hunting history. Just a few short days ago (after B&C’s response which you can read here); Daniel Schmidt of D&DH issued the below response. As it turns out, this controversial big buck tale just got a little more interesting and goes oh so much deeper than you probably thought.

From D&DH Article, “B&C Changes its Argument on the King Buck”, by Daniel Schmidt.

In an interview with D&DH this afternoon (June 8th), 30-year certified B&C scorer Ron Boucher said he thinks the club is wrestling with its worst scoring problem in 35 years — and is going about it the wrong way.

"I still believe strongly in what the Boone and Crockett Club stands for, but I just believe Jack Reneau is wrong on this deer — using the words of the official measurer's manual," said Boucher.

He also had strong words for many of the individuals who have posted comments on blogs, forums and article links.

"These people claim to be experts on scoring, but they are expressing opinions without ever having held the rack and scored it themselves. They simply don't know what they're talking about," Boucher said. "The point does not come off of the G-2. You cannot determine that from a photo. You have to put your hands on the rack. It is a common base-point [has the Figure-8 at the base line]. You ask any scorer who has actually put his hands on this rack, put masking tape to it and a straight edge, and 95 percent of them will tell you it passes the Figure 8 test as described in the Boone and Crockett scorer's manual ... and that it is a straight 6-by-6 typical all the way."

In its online article, B&C went on to state, "... it makes more sense to enter this deer as a non-typical at a score of roughly 217 points. However, this deer should end up being ranked among the top non-typicals of all-time from the book-dominating state of Wisconsin."

Boucher scoffed at that notion. "That is absolutely absurd," he said. "To say this is a 217-inch nontypical, you're going to look ridiculous. Furthermore, there are probably more than two dozen deer from Wisconsin that netted more than 217."

Boucher is not the only prominent B&C scorer or whitetail expert who has handled the rack and expressed opinions that it should be scored as a typical or, at a minimum, be called in for a panel-scoring session. Others who have actually scored the rack include Marlin Laidlaw, Herm Feller and John Ramsey of the Wisconsin Buck & Bear Club, and Mike Handley of Buckmasters. Gordon Whittington of North American Whitetail has also inspected the rack on several occasions and has made recent statements that he believes it qualifies as a typical and should be panel-scored.

Coincidentally, on the very day this above D&DH response was made public, the B&C Club issued another (more secretive) response on a designated Facebook page. It’s titled, “A Passion for Scoring”, and dives deeper into the thought processes of current B&C executive secretary, Jack Reneau, and his interpretation of that G-3 on the Johnny King buck. It’s an entire page that seems dedicated to this decision alone.

Digging a little further into this fascinating tale of tape, our staff was able to dig this out of the Official Boone and Crockett Club Scoring Manual, because let’s face it, most of us have no clue what the figure-8 test we keep reading about is entirely.

The above image shows what a clearly defined figure-8 test would look like.

From the B&C book, “In order to be treated as common base points, and not as a point with a branch, the cross section of the base of both points must be a figure eight shape if both points were cut off at their bases. This cross section must clearly be a figure eight”.

From this view it looks as though the King buck will not pass the figure-8 test.

However, from this view it looks as though the King buck most certainly will pass the figure-8 test.

Clearly the line has been drawn in the sand on this controversial scoring issue and neither side is backing down. After all, male pride and scoring reputations are at stake. It seems to us however, that this decision should be solely about the deer, since this is what the B&C Club was founded to protect, and not about man, reputation, or score-shopping. (Previously B&C made this accusation to the King buck’s current and past owners).

Who is right – B&C’s non-typical (no panel-scoring required) decision or D&DH’s plea to have the buck panel-scored for a currently unknown (but likely it seems typical) outcome?

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