Shooting a buck that could make the B&C record book is an amazing feat, but taking a clean 8-point that could make B&C is nearly unheard of. Photo courtesy of Tim Elsenheimer
On the evening of Oct. 3, 2023, Tim Elsenheimer eased into an old ground blind on his home property near Lagrange, Maine. His hopes of tagging an incredible 8-pointer were high. Tim had been watching this specific buck for many years, and this season the buck had formed a pattern that was likely to lead the trophy within range of Tim’s crossbow.
At 6:15 p.m., the heavy-antlered buck emerged from the hardwoods with a spike and began eating red clover, just as he had been for several evenings. As the buck fed closer, Tim couldn’t help but wonder if his years of hunting this buck would finally come together.
While the bucks fed beneath an apple tree, Tim feared they would continue to feed on the far end of the food plot and not in front of his setup. So, he lightly let out a couple grunts and watched the duo raise their heads, turn and begin feeding toward him.
Tim had a section of the field mowed, and he knew as soon as the bucks reached that portion of the food plot, they would run out of feed and quickly make their way within shooting distance. Hastily, he lined up his crossbow and prepared for his dream shot.
When the buck hit the mowed edge, Tim ranged it at 60 yards. Just as he was about to touch the trigger, the buck continued walking. Following the buck in his scope, Tim released a bolt as the buck again stopped. Unfortunately, the bolt sailed over the buck’s back! In his excitement, Tim had forgotten to range the new distance to the massive buck. Thinking that he had completely blown his opportunity, Tim was surprised to see the buck only trotted a few yards and stopped again.
With the buck on high alert, Tim hurried to reload his crossbow as quietly as possible. When he peered through the second window of his blind, he saw the buck still standing in place. Tim leaned over to get a good shooting angle through the window, ranged the buck at 42 yards, and touched off the trigger.
This time he didn’t miss!
Tim felt that the shot was high lung, but he wanted to be cautious and give the buck some time. After calling his son, he returned to the edge of the woods to look for the buck. As he cut around a corner of the woods, Tim discovered the buck lying beneath the umbrella of an apple tree. He couldn’t contain his excitement, and the first thing he said was, “Thank you, Lord!”
Harvesting a Boone and Crockett buck is a very special feat. Taking an 8-pointer that makes the B&C book is even more rare. After preliminary scoring done by official measurer Al Wentworth, Tim’s buck preliminarily gross scores 180 1/8 and nets 176 1/8 inches. According to the Maine Skull and Antler Club, the highest net-scoring 8-point on record in Maine belongs to Don St. Pierre. Don shot his 8-point in 1973, which officially scores 168 6/8.
After the 60-day drying period required for official scoring, as long as Tim’s buck officially nets higher than Don St. Pierre’s, Tim Elsenheimer will have the highest net-scoring 8-point ever in Maine, according to the Maine Skull and Antler Club. The incredible 8-point could also net high enough to make the B&C book, too.
