I want to make sure you all know that, amongst hundreds of big Iowa bucks, Kyle Simmons and his new state-record archery non-typical trophy will be present at the Iowa Deer Classic this weekend!
Kyle will be splitting time between our Zach Wildlife Art booth, where a trophy replica will be displayed, and the Hunter’s Specialties booth, where the original rack will be shown.
Make sure you stop by our booth so I can tell you about the upcoming Dream Bucks III painting featuring the Kyle Simmons buck!

Customized version of the North American Whitetail magazine cover
(And, just for fun, see if you can tell the difference between the real rack and the replica.)
Categories: Hunting · In progress · Painting
Tagged: DBIII, Dream Bucks, Dream Bucks III, Kyle Simmons, whitetail deer
This post is Part I in the series: Behind the Scenes of Dream Bucks III. This series of posts chronicles the development of my upcoming painting, Dream Bucks III, the third and final piece in the Dream Bucks series. Click here to see all posts about Dream Bucks III.
Good news! The third and final painting in the Dream Bucks series is on the easel and in progress.
I am hearing from many of you how excited you are to see this latest deer painting, so I will be working to post regular updates on the progress of the piece as it evolves. I will also share “behind the scenes” details on the inspiration for the painting and on the famous buck that is now the subject of aspiring hunters’ dreams.
The Kyle Simmons Buck
The featured buck for Dream Bucks III is a deer taken with a bow by Kyle Simmons in Jackson County, Iowa on Oct. 16, 2008.
This world-class buck is truly special and, I believe, a perfect subject for my Dream Bucks painting series.
Kyle Simmons’s hunting season was certainly a dream come true, as this was his first buck taken with a bow!
Dream Bucks II – The Missing Trophy featured the monster buck taken by Brian Andrews in 2003. At 253 1/8 inches, that deer was the state record non-typical archery buck for five years – until Kyle Simmons’s buck , scoring 270 6/8 (green), entered the scene and knocked the previous title winner off the podium.
You may have already read the story published in North American Whitetail magazine about Kyle Simmons’s trophy and the hunt that lead to success. If you haven’t, don’t worry, because I’ve embedded the story below for your reading pleasure!
I recommend reading the article in full-screen mode. Just click the square icon in the top right corner to expand the article.
Categories: Hunting · In progress · Painting
Tagged: behind-the-scenes, DBIII, deer, Dream Bucks III, Kyle Simmons, Painting, whitetail deer