Cedrick Blair is no beginner when it comes to hunting trophy whitetails. The 36year-old hunter has eight trophy bucks to his credit, including a pair of real whoppers. In November 1992 the Illinois bowhunter harvested a I0-pointer, scoring 1297/x Perfect BTR. A month later, Blair shot an even larger 1552/x Typical Ii-pointer. However, Blair considers his 1991 archery harvest his best buck to date, even though it is only a 7-pointer. The 3x3 rack is the largest 6-pointer (or 7pointer) taken with a compound bow in the BTR. The trophy animal scores 1242/8 Typical. Jim Crooksey's 126~x 7-point crossbow Typical is the only buck in the BTR that beats Blair's. It is rare that a 6- or 7-point buck has enough antler mass to make the record book. Only three7-pointers and one 6pointer made it into the first BTR record book.

Blair claims to have hunted the 7 pointer for more than two seasons, and up until the harvest it grew a clean 3x3 rack. The hunter believes the buck may have injured its rack while still in velvet, causing a split in the main beam and resulting in the seventh tine.

On Nov. 15, 1991, Blair and his son, Josh, decided to go hunting in the oak thicket where they believed the 6-pointer lived. The hunters split up to cover the two main exits. After quietly slipping into a treestand, Blair heard Josh making too much noise while setting up his treestand. The experienced archer knew that Josh's mistake could send the trophy buck his way (perhaps Blair's plan). Soon he noticed movement from a tangle of vines.

The crafty old buck came belly crawling out of the thicket, keeping a close eye on his back trail and avoiding actual deer trails. Blair patiently waited until a clean shot was offered. As the buck crawled through a ditch 15 yards away, Blair released his arrow. The shot was true. The hunter watched as his 3-year hunt came crashing to a halt 52 yards away. Soon the two men were

standing over the great buck, and that's when Blair realized the buck's size.