Giant buck bagged in Big Falls

BIG FALLS - A big buck taken in the woods near Marion is getting a lot of attention from people in the area.

Now you may remember a large bear taken in the area just a couple of weeks ago.

• Story: Waupaca Co. woman bags 485-pound bear

So is the Marion area becoming a hunting hot spot?

The buck tale begins in Big Falls at the registration station at JR's Bar and Grill.

"I stopped up to see it. It was unbelievable. It's one, a once in a lifetime obviously," said Jerry Radies, JR's Bar and Grill.

Once word got out in this small town.

"It was cool. The bar filled up. People were stopping by, I thought there was going to be a car accident outside with all the people stopping looking at the deer," said Jay Radies, JR's Bar and Grill.

Paul Keller shot the deer on Tuesday.

"I guess it was 26 or 27 points," said Jay Radies.

It was on his property near Marion.

"I guess it weighed 215 pounds," said Jay Radies.

The giant buck is close to a state record. Keller didn't want to talk about it until it was proven either way.

It's the second large animal taken in the area in recent weeks.

"Bear. There's always been bear around," said Jerry Radies.

"I heard it was about a 483 pounder that a lady shot over, a little north of Marion," said Paul Schoenike of Omro.

Laura Detert bagged a very big bear two weeks ago.

"A lot of people aren't shooting the little ones. Now they let them grow. So give them a chance to grow a little bit bigger and you're going to get some nicer animals," said Schoenike.

So is this part of Waupaca County becoming a hunting hot spot?

"There's a lot of guys who got bucks on film, and stuff. They're pretty quiet about it. They don't show a lot because they don't want to tell people, you know," said Jay Radies.

But if proof is in the pictures, the legend may already be growing.

"Every once in a while you get one of the big ones, and that's what counts," said Jerry Radies.

Keller says he won't make any official comments until the results come in.

We'll let you know, if this big buck is indeed a state record.