PORT GIBSON (AP) — Mississippi officials believe a hunter might have broken the state’s record for the largest buck killed on public land.

Josh Clark first noticed signs of a large deer Dec. 12 at Canemount Wildlife Management Area in Claiborne County, he told The Clarion-Ledger. It wasn’t until two days later, though, that Clark finally spotted the animal and took his shot from a tree stand, killing the 18-point buck.

One unofficial score put the deer at 205 inches, which would make it the highest gross-scoring typical on record in Mississippi.

The antlers are required to dry for 60 days before the deer can be officially scored. It will need a net score higher than 184 ¾ inches to become the next state record for typical bucks harvested with a firearm.

Canemount WMA was acquired by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks with the intent of offering hunters opportunities to kill trophy deer. Chad Dacus, MDWFP Wildlife Bureau director, said Clark’s deer shows what the WMA is capable of producing.

“It’s going to be one of the largest deer ever killed on public land,” Dacus said. “This is one of the reasons we wanted to purchase property like this.”