-- Story & Photos by George Barnett

Photos: © George Barnett 2004
www.georgebarnettphoto.com

Editor's Note: We regularly receive emails requesting more information about the beautiful buck that appears on the Buckmasters Classics television show opener. The following article tells the story of that great buck, and since so many people are still curious about him, we decided to reprint this piece from the September, 2000 issue of Buckmasters Whitetail Magazine.

The sun was finally setting on this summer day in Pennsylvania, and the air was beginning to cool the woods. It was time for the old doe to rise from her bed and begin the short journey to the meadow where she would feed with her young fawn. Quietly picking her way through the underbrush, she approached her most dangerous obstacle en route, a dark two-lane country road that rarely saw traffic at this time of night. But this night would be different.

The driver didn't see the doe until it was too late. Tires squealed and smoked as he tried to stop the vehicle to no avail. The old doe was killed instantly, leaving the fawn on the edge of the road, orphaned and at the mercy of Mother Nature.

It is a common occurrence that happens too often on our highways -- the result, some say, of man's encroachment into the whitetail's territory. In most instances, the fawn is doomed. On this evening, however, man intervened and spared the newly orphaned buck an unfortunate end. The fawn was left in the care of a local deer breeder and was given the name "Lucky." A more appropriate name could not have been found for the young deer. Today, the buck is known as "30.30 -- The Autumn King."

Photo: Larry Barger and 30.30

Many questions still exist about how this great buck came to be, but the scenario above is the most accepted version of 30.30's beginnings. What is documented is how this magnificent animal lived his life, which sadly ended late last summer as he was being rushed to a veterinary hospital at Oklahoma State University. Old age had taken its toll, and 30.30 was unable to win the last battle for his life.

Buckmasters Whitetail Magazine's cover story on 30.30 (Sept. 1997) posed the question: "Is this the greatest buck of all time?" When this is asked about any white-tailed buck, it is sure to spawn controversy. That article was no exception, as 30.30's entire life was complicated with controversial questions that threatened to overshadow his greatness. Should he have ever been taken from the wild? Should deer be raised in captivity? Should there be a deer farming industry, and should it have ties to hunting? Was he the greatest whitetail to ever grow antlers? Though the answers might not come soon, the existence of 30.30 and his impact on both the hunting and breeding industries must be viewed as positive.

Once in a lifetime an animal comes along that captures the imagination and attention of people in an inexplicable way. Its name becomes household, the topic of countless conversations. Most of us recognize Secretariat, the great thoroughbred; Bodacious, the rodeo bull too tough to ride; and Bart, the movie star grizzly bear. Many people add 30.30's name to this list. Other than Bambi, 30.30 is the most recognized deer in North America, and to some degree he bridged a gap between hunters and non-hunters. Perhaps it was because the general public was relieved to discover that there was interest by hunters in a big buck that had not been shot by someone.

I was looking forward to photographing the magnificent buck again this fall. But it was not to be. This grand old monarch was apparently past 10 years when he died. He left behind some of the most beautiful sheds ever collected. But more than this, he left behind magnificent memories, images and perhaps a legacy with his offspring. Though he was not the result of some super genetic breeding program, his name has become synonymous with that industry. That he might have originated in the wild from a state not known for consistent trophy production is a testament to what can happen to bucks if we let them grow.

Although controversial, his existence also created a great deal of excitement and anticipation of what his next set of antlers might score. He was the first captive buck to appear on a magazine cover and have the fact acknowledged by the publishers (Outdoor Life, Field and Stream, Buckmasters Whitetail Magazine and Petersen's Hunting). Nearly all big whitetails are photographed under "controlled conditions." No one in the industry, however, wanted this fact to be known until 30.30 came along. It wasn't that an exception was made; he was just so big and magnificent that few people cared that he lived in an enclosure.

His significance to hunting might run much deeper. I realized this in the summer of 1998 while working with a group of boy scouts at Richland College in Dallas, Texas. I had volunteered my time to assist with the photography and journalism merit badges. Needing some creative way to introduce myself and get the program off on a positive note, I asked the group if anybody knew who "30.30" was. To my surprise, more than half of the boys raised their hands. I was more surprised to learn this than they were to learn that I had been the lucky guy who had photographed him. (Several non-believers went so far as to ask for proof, noting that he was photographed by a real professional photographer and not some teacher. So much for my ego.) I was amazed at how much they knew about the buck, although many of them had never hunted.

There are few heroes in this sport. Maybe I should not go so far as to grant hero status to a white-tailed buck, but the fact that 30.30 captured the attention of many youngsters and turned their attention to hunting speaks highly of his positive influence.

I can't talk about 30.30 and not mention the man who cared for him over the buck's last four years. Larry Barger virtually committed his life to caring for and handling this magnificent animal. Larry's love for 30.30 was undeniable. Anytime 30.30 was under the weather, Larry was right by his side. When 30.30 arrived in Stuttgart, Ark., he had a massive infection in his leg that originated in his front hoof. It was first thought that the leg would have to be amputated, but Larry nursed him back to good health for several months. However, the buck continually developed infections throughout his body and was on the brink of death many times. In each instance, Larry would nurse him back to health only to endure another battle within a short time. It was a battle that certainly took a toll on Larry, but he persisted in caring for 30.30 until the very end.

I visited with Larry and 30.30 on numerous occasions and witnessed the unique relationship between this man and animal. There was a communication between the two that was, of course, nonverbal, but impossible to miss. It was as if 30.30 had learned to signal to Larry his wants and needs, and Larry was perceptive enough to understand. I don't know how to gauge the intelligence of a white-tailed buck, but this deer had an intelligence that was very different from other deer raised in captivity. His magnificent antlers aside, this intelligence was the first thing everybody noticed about the buck.

Being exposed to a buck like 30.30 can definitely change your perspective on white-tailed deer. I have learned to draw a distinction between free-ranging whitetails in the wild and those that live protected as breeders. They are not the same, and 30.30 was never presented as anything but what he was -- one of the greatest white-tailed bucks ever to live, and a captive animal. And though his passing is sad, his legacy and his genetics will live on for decades.

Breeders will continue to produce 30.30 offspring and are now regularly producing bucks with antlers as magnificent as 30.30's. However, when all things about the great buck are considered, there will never be another buck like 30.30. Farewell to the king!

To learn more about George Barnett's photography and to see some of his tremendous whitetail images, visit http://www.georgebarnettphoto.com

George Barnett

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