It was last September when the hunting world first heard the rumors of a possible record breaking non-typical mule deer taken in the Saskatchewan, Providence. Now officially scored, the new giant shatters the current world record 274 7/8-inch buck taken from Colorado in 1987 by hunter Kenneth Plank. However, it’s not a world record – at least not yet.

Cody Robbins, television host of Live2Hunt and former cameraman for Jim Shockey, began hunting the giant non-typical in 2010 with little luck. In fact, Robbins rarely encountered the buck during his pursuits that year.

In July, 2011, Robbins was able to locate the double drop-tine buck while scouting. Knowing where the buck was and what he was up against, Robbins scouted nearly every day thereafter, encountering the animal another 40 times before the start of the deer season.

On September 1st, opening day, Robbins along with a cameraman had the buck within bow-range when he began to draw. The buck spotted Robbins’s movement, fleeing into the lush countryside. Robbins’s quest to arrow the buck on film would have to wait another day.

The very next day Robbins and his cameraman went searching for the buck once more, but couldn’t locate it. The day came to a close and their hearts began to sink.

While scouting for the buck on day three they were able to locate the buck once more. After a long and exhausting stalk, Robbins was able to get to within 22 yards of the great animal. His draw was perfect this time and his arrow flew true, with a cameraman capturing it all on tape. The buck ran just a short distance before expiring.

Cody Robbins's giant mule deer was an attraction at this years ATA show in Columbus, Ohio.

The buck has been officially scored by a panel of three Pope and Young scorers to the tune of 288 inches - more than thirteen inches greater than Kenneth Plank’s world record. Despite the score, however, Robbins’s buck remains in velvet, a decision made to keep the buck in the natural state he took it in.

It’s this fact that will cost him his name in the top spot. Kenneth Plank’s 1987 trophy was hard-horned, like all other world records before him. While Robbins’ buck is the greatest velvet non-typical mule deer ever taken, it cannot be considered the world record. Not if it still has velvet.

Official scorers believe that if Robbins were to strip off the velvet, the buck would likely loose only about five-inches. If true, his buck would still shatter Plank’s current world record.

The staff at the Hunting Network would like to hear your view on Robbins’s decision to leave the buck in full velvet - Would you keep the buck in velvet and forgo the world record status?