Vern Evans
A monster 14-point buck killed in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, early this month could be the new state-record typical whitetail. Although the rack would need to be officially scored after a drying period to qualify, there is no doubt that Tyler Jordan’s buck is exceptional.
Jordan, who hosts a hunting TV show and is the son of Realtree founder Bill Jordan, says he killed the buck on Dec. 5. He was hunting at Honey Brake Lodge, a well-known and high-dollar outfitter in the Louisiana Delta.
“Never thought my biggest whitetail would be taken down in Louisiana,” Jordan wrote in an Instagram post Monday. “But I’m grateful for the opportunity and the pursuit of this buck we’ve been keeping up with these past three years.”
If he pursues a record-book entry, Jordan may set a new Louisiana state record for a typical whitetail. The deer, which he referred to as “Stomper Jr.,” has a gross green score of 203 inches, according to Jordan’s Instagram post. (Jordan did not immediately respond to requests for comment for this story.)
That total, which will likely shrink slightly after the 60-day drying period, also doesn’t include deductions for the buck’s split G1 and G2. Boone and Crockett considers split points “abnormal points,” which are deducted from the total gross score of a typical whitetail rack. Still, if the buck’s final score is remotely close to its current total, it will easily replace the current Louisiana record typical, which measured 186 6/8 inches and was killed by Marshall McKay in Madison Parish in 1939.
Jordan is the vice president of strategic partnerships for Jordan Outdoor Enterprises and hosts Realtree Road Trips on Realtree 365, Realtree’s streaming service. His father is arguably one of the hunting industry’s first and most well-known celebrities, thanks to his founding of Realtree in 1986 and his role as host of the popular Monster Bucks videos and Realtree Outdoors series.
Jordan has been deer hunting at Honey Brake since 2019 and has shot several notable bucks on the private property, which spans 20,000 acres. The lodge is located near Jonesville, Louisiana and considered a top-tier destination for waterfowl and features luxurious accommodations, chef-prepared gourmet meals, and a hefty price tag.
“We leased the deer rights [for the] past 5 years down there and have tried our best to manage it, grow quality whitetails, and create good habitat,” Jordan wrote in a comment on Honey Brake’s Facebook page.
Unsurprisingly, Jordan’s hunt for this buck was filmed. Critics claim shows like his have promoted an obsession with trophy hunting and set unrealistic expectations for everyday deer hunters. Although comments were restricted on Jordan’s Instagram post to display only approved comments, the Honey Brake Facebook post about his hunt was open to public feedback. While most of the 860-plus comments were congratulatory, many were predictably less enthusiastic.
“Congrats, this is what hunting has turned into… if you have the money…. you got it,” wrote one commenter. “I grew up buying and watching the ‘Monster Bucks’ videos and DVDs as a kid. I regret it to this day; it’s turned the sport I love into a money game. I hate it; your average Joe just lost all his spots, places, and connections. Good for you Tyler Jordan… but it costs the rest of us substantially.”
Jordan also killed an impressive 10-pointer with a 25-inch spread at Honey Brake in January 2023. That one scored 181 ⅜ inches, according to Jordan. In 2020, Jordan dropped a 14-pointer nicknamed Stomper at Honey Brake, which resembles Jordan’s most recent buck (Stomper, Jr.) with its symmetrical frame and split brow times. Jordan reported Stomper’s green score at 190 4/8 inches. (Honey Brake, which OL has worked with in the past, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.)
Jordan does not have any deer listed on the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries list of All-Time Big Game Records or on any Big Game Records Annual Recognition lists, although his 2020 and 2023 bucks from Honey Brake would have qualified had they been entered and approved. Jordan mentioned in a 2021 Instagram post that he doesn’t typically have his bucks officially scored by Boone and Crockett measurers, which could explain why those bucks are not listed in the Louisiana Big Game Record. The younger Jordan also doesn’t appear to have any entries in the B&C records. It is unclear, however, if Jordan plans to officially score his 2024 buck and pursue the state record.
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