There are different types of deer hunters in this world. Some are passive, and others are devout. Neither is right or wrong, but simply a matter of passion. As part of the latter crowd, Ryan Alexander is a hunting guide in Colorado, Texas, and is the owner of Urban Buckeye Outfitters in Ohio, which has been in business since 2011.

“I started shooting a compound at 5 years old, shot my first deer at 8 years old, and I have been bowhunting for 22 years,” Alexander said. “My father got me into hunting. And being a guide is one of the best jobs in the world. As an owner and operator of an outfitting business, I live and breathe deer. It’s a year-round hobby, job, and lifestyle.”

Given the nature of his work, he’s seen plenty of big deer hit the ground. However, most of the time, he’s helping others bring them down. But last season, he decided to bag a Booner of his own.

You see, he’s been hunting one particular area of Stark, Ohio, for about seven years. And the last three of those were consumed by one particular giant. With encounters all three of those seasons, it regularly graced his trail cameras, both during the velvet growing phase and after it shed.

Determined to finally tag the monster, Alexander spent an untold amount of time pouring over new and old trail camera photos, glassing from afar, and hatching a game plan. Finally, the archery season opened, but the first afternoon was a bust. The giant didn’t show.

All of that was destined to change, though. On the afternoon of September 29, Alexander and his father went afield for the second sit of the year. Choosing separate stand locations, they hoped one of them would encounter the big non-typical.

Odds were good, too. It was overcast with a south-southwest wind. The weatherman forecasted a storm front to arrive later that evening. The anxious bowhunter hoped it’d get the giant on its feet during daylight.

Settling into his treestand, he scanned his surroundings, which consisted of big oaks, open hay fields and swamp bottoms. A small food plot reached skyward in front and to the left of the treestand. To the rear, a steep cliff dropped off down into the swamp. And to the right, water rippled with the slight breeze.

After a while, a doe and fawn walked out from the right. They fed in the food plot for several minutes. Then, all of a sudden, their mood changed. Something was happening, or coming. After several intense seconds of them staring back over their shoulder, the giant finally stepped out.

A couple of minutes felt like forever as he patiently waited for the giant to continue walking into the food plot. The buck eventually breached bow range, and Alexander slowly grabbed his bow. Slowly coming to full draw, he had to remain so for almost a full minute before he could settle the pin over the vitals. Then, he took the broadside, 19-yard shot. His arrow struck true, and the buck dashed out of sight.

While the shock was still setting in, he knew the rarity of what had just happened. It isn’t often that you see a 200-plus inch deer, and he’d just killed one. That’s something.

“After spending all the countless hours and days to pattern this deer the last 3 years, it finally paid off,” Alexander said. “That is very rewarding.”

After descending the tree, he met up with his father, girlfriend, and girlfriend’s father. They all returned to the timber for the recovery, which didn’t take long.

“After I found the deer, we all had our moment together,” Alexander said. “Once the reality sank in, I started calling up my buddies. Most everyone was in the same amount of shock and excitement I was in. Everyone congratulated me, and then patiently waited to hear the rough score.”

Overall, this Ohio monarch is estimated to be 6½ years old, and scores 210-3/8 inches (green score). It’s one of the coolest bucks of 2020. Few have as much character as this one.

Looking back, he credits the successful hunt to careful scouting, strategic stand locations, and being mindful of scent and wind. “I also used cellular game cameras to help pattern this deer and keep it low pressure,” Alexander said. “I believe consistency plays a huge part also.”