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What began as a story about a young Iowa hunter taking a world-class whitetail deer with outdated archery equipment has evolved into one with a price tag and a plea for help.
In 2003, 16-year-old Brian Andrews of Independence, Iowa, wanted to go bow hunting but didn’t own a bow. He borrowed some outdated archery gear from his sister’s boyfriend and started practicing. After several unsuccessful hunts the next fall, Andrews shot a whitetail buck in Buchanan County, Iowa, that scored 253 1/8 net Boone and Crockett Club points that made it the non-typical state record and the world’s No 2 bow-taken whitetail that year. Andrews’ buck sported 26 points.Sometime between 8-10 p.m. on June 18, 2004, Andrews’ mounted whitetail buck was stolen from his family’s home.Bass Pro Shops announced Friday it is offering a $5,000 gift card to anyone with information leading to the return of Andrews’ buck and the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who stole it. The Andrews family and the Buchanan County Wildlife Association Inc. also are offering a $5,000 cash reward for the same results.The Bass Pro Shops reward came after a request from Illinois outdoor writer Les Davenport, who has been investigating the theft of Andrews’ buck along with several other thefts of Iowa trophy whitetails“It is our hope by doing this, someone will come forward with information that will finally get Brian’s buck back where it belongs,” Bass Pro Shops communications manager Larry Whiteley said in a statement issued Friday. “Maybe with Les bringing attention to all of the other stolen Iowa bucks, too, it will help get some of these other magnificent animals back to their rightful owners.”At least 12 other Iowa trophy whitetail mounts have been reported stolen since 2003.Anyone with information about Andrews’ buck is asked to contact the Buchanan County Sheriffs Department in Independence, Iowa, at 319-334-2567.
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