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By Pandora Dewan
Senior Science Reporter
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An investigation has been launched by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (DNR) after an alleged poaching of a potentially record-breaking buck in Clinton County.
According to the organization, the deer was reported to have allegedly been taken by hunter Christopher Alexander, 28, of Wilmington, on November 9. Alexander, who took the deer with a crossbow, claims to have legitimately harvested the buck within his sister's 30-acre property. However, the location of where the buck was killed has now fallen under question.
"An investigation was launched by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources after information was provided alleging that Alexander failed to obtain the lawfully required written permission prior to hunting on private property," the Ohio DNR said in a statement.
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According to Outdoor Life, the deer had been given a preliminary green score of 206 and 7/8 inches by the Buckeye Big Buck Club, a non-profit organization designed to increase the appreciation of Ohio's white-tailed deer herd. This would push it 5 inches past the current Ohio record.
"In white-tailed deer, the term green score refers to a formula that is used by organizations such as the Ohio Buckeye Big Buck Club and the Boone and Crockett Club to assign a numerical score to a deer's antler growth," Brian Banbury, executive administrator of Information and Education for the Ohio DNR, told Newsweek. "Tine length, mass, beam length, and spread are all taken into consideration in the measurement.
"The term 'green' would be in reference to that scoring being done before that dry time has occurred. This is often done to give a general idea on what the deer's numerical score will end up being around and is not official."
Before the scoring can be made official, the antler has to dry.
"A minimum sixty-day drying period must happen," Banbury said. "After the required sixty-day period, a rack can be officially scored."
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This confirmation will take place on January 13.
White-tailed deer are the only big game animal in Ohio, according to the state's DNR. They can be recognized by the white patches around their eyes, throat, belly and the underside of their tails.
As of December 26, some 188,184 deer have been harvested across the state this hunting season, according to the Ohio DNR, nearly half of which were caught using crossbows or longbows.
While the investigation continues, wildlife officers have seized the antlers, cape and hunting equipment associated with the incident. If found guilty, Alexander will face a significant fine.
Do you have an animal or nature story to share with Newsweek? Do you have a question about deer hunting? Let us know via nature@newsweek.com.
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