171-Inch Trophy Buck Harvested by Trey Meacham

Mississippi bowhunter Trey Meacham harvested a massive 300-pound, 171-inch trophy buck during the second day of the state’s early archery season on September 12, 2026. The achievement came in Hinds County after Meacham allowed the mature 10-point deer to reach at least five years of age to maximize its antler potential. Meacham credits his success to this patient approach, noting that the majority of the time it pays off despite the gamble of letting younger bucks walk.

The encounter unfolded during a hot afternoon hunt while Meacham watched an Alabama game from his stand. It was super hot, said Trey Meacham of Clinton. I was watching the Alabama game. I was watching the game, trying to hunt and sweating. He was the second one. There were like eight bucks in there when I shot. Up to eight bucks and several does milled around the food plot roughly 65 yards away as the target animal fed.

Meacham Releases Arrow Despite Challenging Shot Angle

Meacham anticipated a broadside shot, but the dense concentration of deer made waiting difficult. When he drew his bow without being spotted by the surrounding wildlife, the animal instead positioned itself quartering toward him. Unwilling to risk letting the bowstring down and drawing a second time with so many eyes in the field, Meacham released the arrow despite the challenging angle. I was worried about the angle, Meacham said. I was worried about how he presented himself. I knew it was a lethal shot. The concern was getting my hands on him in a timely manner.

Wind direction proved critical to the weekend’s outcome. Meacham noted that swirling winds the day before created inconsistent conditions that prevented a clean approach. The wind was a little swirly the day before, Meacham said. I hate hunting days like that because there’s no consistency [in the wind direction]. It didn’t work out that day. The next day it all came together. By Saturday afternoon, September 12, the breeze stabilized enough to allow a successful stalk.

Tracking the 300-Pound Trophy Buck

Following the shot, Meacham inspected the initial strike point, found blood, and left the area to acquire a flashlight, pick up his son, and retrieve a young tracking dog. The dog ultimately proved unnecessary because the deer expired only about 50 yards away. Recovering the animal required significant physical effort from Meacham and a friend.

Field measurements revealed exceptional dimensions. The harvested buck featured 26-inch main beams, 13-inch G2s, 12-inch G3s, a 21-inch width, and 6-inch bases, totaling nearly 40 inches of mass to net-score 171.