Submitted Photo Ron Roman with his son, Carter, is seen with their 12-point monster buck taken in nearby Colden on Nov. 19, 2025.

Western New York has earned a reputation in recent years as one of the Northeast’s most productive regions for trophy whitetails, and the 2025 Southern Zone regular big game season has only strengthened that claim. For 35-year-old Ronnie Roman of Colden, the season’s defining moment wasn’t about antler size or score sheets. It was about sharing a perfect November evening in the woods with his 7-year-old son, Carter, an evening that ended with a massive 12-point buck on the ground and a memory that will last the rest of their lives.

Roman, who slipped out after work on Wednesday, Nov. 19, knew he had only about an hour of daylight to hunt. Still, the conditions were ideal: clear skies, temperatures in the 40s, and the crisp stillness that bow and gun hunters love in mid-November.

“It just felt like a good night to be in the woods,” he said.

The pair headed to a private tract in Colden on the eastern side of the 15-mile long Center Street Hill in Erie County. Roman has hunted the land for years, particularly the old fallen tree he uses as a natural ground blind. From there, he can watch a deep creek-carved ravine that funnels wildlife through a natural travel corridor. “It’s one of those spots that just always seems to have deer traffic,” he explained. “Everything uses that ravine.”

Not long after settling in, movement caught their attention. A large buck stepped into view, walking the edge of the ravine. Roman had never seen the deer before, at least not in person, but he instantly recognized its size and maturity. The buck carried a heavy 12-point rack with tall, sweeping tines — clearly a fully mature whitetail buck.

For nearly 10 minutes, father and son watched silently as the deer lingered, pausing to scent-check the wind and study the woods. Carter stayed completely still beside his dad, taking in every moment. Eventually the buck began to turn, angling away and appearing ready to slip back into the cover. Realizing this might be his only chance, Roman reached for his grunt call and gave one short note. The buck stopped immediately. At 55 yards, Roman raised his Remington 870 loaded with a 1-1/4 ounce Federal “Deer Season” slug. Using iron sights — a setup many hunters have long since abandoned — Roman fired a perfect heart shot. The buck dropped where it stood. “It was exactly how you want it to go,” he said. “Clean, quick, and I got to share it with my boy.”

Although the size of the buck might suggest Roman is a trophy hunter, he is anything but. He describes himself as a simple “one- or two-deer-per-year meat hunter,” whose priority is providing lean, heart-healthy venison for his wife and son.

“All the deer I’ve ever taken were either 1½- or 2½-year-old deer,” he said. “I was really lucky this year.”

Word of the buck traveled quickly. A neighbor recognized it immediately — he’d had the deer on his trail camera for four years, watching it grow more impressive each season. He estimated the deer to be 7 or 8 years old, remarkably old for a New York whitetail.

The buck was green-scored just under 180 inches, putting it among the top whitetails harvested in Western New York this season. Roman plans to have it officially scored under Boone and Crockett rules in January and intends to have the deer mounted as a tribute to the hunt and the moment he shared with Carter.

Beyond the woods, Roman and his wife, Kaity, run a small seasoning and spice business called the American BBQ Project. Roman says, “Carter and Avery, our adorable duo, kick-started our barbecue odyssey. It all began in 2018 when Carter’s dietary needs threw us a curveball. His sensitivity to dairy and soy led Kaity on a culinary adventure, reinventing recipes and reimagining flavors. As ardent barbecue lovers, we hit a roadblock. Navigating the food market for soy-free rubs and BBQ magic? A challenge.”

Kaity says, “That’s when Ron stepped in, turning our kitchen into a flavor laboratory. Armed with love and creativity, we crafted custom seasonings that transformed our meals from mundane to mouthwatering.”

Kaity called it “a flavorful evolution.”

She added: “Then came Avery, doubling the joy and the dietary needs. As our family table grew, so did our passion for bringing people together. We traded restaurant outings for home-cooked gatherings, where laughter and flavors danced in harmony. Carter and Avery outgrew their dietary restrictions, but our seasoning experiments lived on.”

The American BBQ Project was born. Roman is currently developing a venison-specific sausage blend, but says several of their signature mixes — Commander-in-Beef, Beer Garlic, and K-Town — are excellent on venison steaks and backstraps. Visit https://americanbbqproject.com/, their website offers step-by-step instructions for preparing barbecue dishes with wild game suggestions.

For the Roman family, this buck represents far more than an impressive score. It symbolizes a father sharing his passion with his son and family, a family connected through the land and the food it provides, and the good fortune that sometimes comes when a meat hunter finds himself in the right place at the right time.

“This one wasn’t just about the deer,” Roman said. “Sharing that with my son … that’s something I’ll never forget.”

This weekend, the NYS Regular (firearm) Southern Big Game Hunting Season will come to a close on Sunday at 30 minutes after sunset. The next day, however, the late archery and blackpowder season (allows use of crossbow) will open for nine days, running from Dec. 8 through Dec. 16. Good luck to all.

Gotta love the outdoors!

CALENDAR

Dec. 6: WNY Trout Unlimited, Christmas Party, Duff’s, 3090 Orchard Park Road, West Seneca, 1-4 p.m., $10 entry.

Dec. 7: Last Day of Southern Zone Regular Big Game hunting season

Dec. 8-16: NYS Southern Zone Late Archery/Muzzleloader Big Game hunting season.

Dec. 26-Jan. 1: NYS Southern Zone late archery/crossbow/muzzleloader special deer-only season. Regular firearms are not allowed.