Tim Anello is hoping for a close-range shot at one of Iowa’s legendary whitetail bucks, but in his wildest dreams he probably never pictured a buck this big — or this close!

Hunting in Iowa with cameraman Shane Atwell, the duo encounter the largest buck ever seen on camera for Inside Outdoors TV. As you’ll see in the 4-minute YouTube video below, the weather conditions are perfect for filming a deer hunt; it’s dead-quiet, which means you can hear everything crystal clear. The massive buck is trailing a hot doe, and he ends up walking directly below the two hang-on treestands.

The footage is amazing, and be sure the video volume is turned up to enjoy the buck’s multiple grunts to the fullest. Many deer hunters think mature bucks always have a deep grunt, but this one proves that high-pitched grunts aren’t always from younger bucks.

I thought this buck would smell the hunters — remember, no wind — either in the tree or their ground scent. I expected the deer to quickly look up at Tim and Shane, bust them, then turn 180 degrees and flee. Instead, the rutting buck continues on his way.

Congrats to Tim for not “letting one fly” on this world-class buck. It seems so rare these days for bowhunters with TV shows or YouTube channels to pass up shots at animals that walk within range. The buck didn’t give Tim a high-percentage opportunity. Period. And instead of taking a very low percentage shot due to a poor angle and/or branches, Tim made the smart decision to pass. Well done, Tim!