Mike Szydlik with his monster Canadian buck in 1987. (Photo courtesy of Mike Szydlik)
April 22, 2024
By Haynes Shelton
Step with me into the Whitetail Time Machine , and let’s travel back to the good ole days of deer hunting! Once a week for the remainder of 2024, the North American Whitetail edit staff is excited to publish a new batch of photos submitted by fans and readers of the magazine throughout the 1980s and 90s, all of which we found stowed away in a huge box that’d been tucked in a corner of our office in Kennesaw, Georgia, prior to its closing.
These photos came to us from hunters across the continent. And trust us when we say they’re “old school” cool. You’ll see everything from vintage camo patterns, classic pickup trucks, retro hairstyles, hunting bows, and guns from yesteryear... and of course, big whitetail bucks!
This week’s photo is of a monster Alberta, Canada buck, taken by rifle almost 40 years ago. This heavyweight buck weighed nearly 300 pounds… field-dressed! What’s just as cool as the buck’s wide, heavy rack? The hunter’s red wool coat, vintage trucker hat, and tanned leather mittens. Check it out!
Another Alberta Giant Mike Szydlik and Shane Hansen were hunting in Wainright, Alberta, on November 17, 1987. The buck scored 161 B&C and field dressed 275 pounds. It has a 24-inch inside spread and 10 points. The buck was shot at 300 yards with one shot from a .300 Win. Mag. This is Mike’s third 24-inch buck shot with Canada West Outfitters.
Send Us Your Photo! Have a vintage whitetail picture you’d like to see featured in Whitetail Time Machine? Email us a clear scan of the image and information about the deer, at: whitetail@outdoorsg.com