Bill Haywood, a Wabash County resident who works at Zimmer and has family in the Warsaw area, has been featured in a number of hunting magazines.
His 13-year-old son, Canaan Haywood, a home-schooler who lives in the Manchester Community School district, has magazines calling on him now after he shot an 18-point buck Saturday in Laketon.Buckmaster, North American Whitetail, Rack and Indiana Outdoors have all contacted the Haywoods, wanting to do a story on Canaan Haywood and his big kill.
"I'm known internationally as a big-game hunter," said Bill Haywood. "I've been covered in several magazines, and Canaan wants to be like his daddy. We've already got magazines calling him and we did a four-hour photo shoot Tuesday."
Using a system to measure the deer's rack, Bill Haywood said it scored more than 200.
The deer also weighed more than 200 pounds.
"We hung it up and tried to using a 200-pound scale, but the head was still on the ground," said Bill Haywood. "It's maybe 240 pounds, I'm guessing. It's a big, big deer."
Canaan Haywood used one shot to put the deer down, and he and his father watched the deer for over an hour Saturday.
The area in which they were hunting, however, Bill Haywood said he's been scouting the area for quite some time.
"A farmer had a beaver problem, and he called me and asked if I'd come take care of it for him," said Bill Haywood. "I took out the dam for him, and he asked me if I'd like to go deer hunting there. It was the perfect area for a monster buck."
The area in which they found the big deer, Bill Haywood said he and his son took a boat across a lake, laid down a number of wood pallets on the soft land to walk on so they didn't make noise and then had to use machetes and a saw to cut through a jungle-like area in the woods.
"We made it through all that, and that put us in the deer's home," said Bill Haywood. "Last Saturday, with the wind right, we were able to get in there and harvest the buck. We watched him for over an hour before Canaan took his shot."
Canaan Haywood's big shot came from 150 yards away.
"It became an emotional time as we ran and jumped, thanking God, on our way to see the fallen giant," said Bill Haywood.
The deer is currently at the taxidermist's office.
Bill Haywood said that it's possible that an outdoors store like Bass Pro Shops, Gander Mountain or Cabelas could call and ask to display the big buck.
Canaan Haywood started big-game hunting when he was 8, and his first deer was a six-pointer.
He has also hunted and killed two bears.
Bill Haywood said he and his son have plans to go bear hunting in Quebec in May.
