Parker McCollum recalls how a snapping ZYN can nearly spooked his biggest whitetail buck ever

Parker McCollum has spent years chasing big whitetail bucks with his bow. And when the opportunity of a lifetime finally presented itself earlier this month, he almost blew it … because of a can of ZYN.

The country star joined OutKick OutDoors this week and enthusiastically recounted the story of a massive buck he harvested in northern Oklahoma on just the second day of archery season.

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“I’ve been bowhunting for so long, and to finally have that kind of encounter with that caliber of a deer was just my ‘finally’ moment,” McCollum said. “So rare for that to go down the way it did.”

Parker McCollum poses for a portrait at MCM Hollywood Hills Recording Studio on June 23, 2025 in Studio City, Calif. (Michael Buckner / Variety via Getty Images)

The funny part is that he wasn’t even particularly excited about this buck when he’d seen it on his trail cameras. There were a couple of other deer in the area that had really caught his attention.

But trail-camera photos apparently didn’t do this particular buck justice.

McCollum was sitting in his stand on Oct. 2 when the deer suddenly appeared directly beneath him. Unfortunately, the singer happened to be reaching for a ZYN at that exact moment.

“This mature, heavy-horned deer walks right underneath my stand, and I was putting a ZYN in,” he recalled. “I was closing the can right as I saw him.”

Watch Parker McCollum’s entire interview with OutKick OutDoors here:

The buck heard the plastic can snap shut and stopped.

“I’m like, oh no,” McCollum recalled. “Thinking, you know, he’s about to bust ass out of here.”

Fortunately, the buck didn’t bolt. But the ZYN incident wasn’t the only thing that threatened to derail McCollum’s hunt. What followed were several nerve-racking minutes of trying to get into position for a shot without spooking the deer.

A white-tailed buck stands in a field. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

At one point, he even managed to hit his elbow against the tree while drawing his bow.

“I’m feeling it. My heart’s racing. The whole deal is going,” McCollum said. “And in my mind, I’m like, ‘This is the encounter you have been waiting for.'”

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Fortunately for McCollum, the story has a happy ending. He made a clean shot and recovered a buck that turned out to be even more impressive than he’d imagined.

Parker McCollum performs on the main stage during CMA Fest 2025 at Nissan Stadium on June 6, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (WireImage)

“I’ve never shot a deer that I underestimated that much and was surprised by that much,” he said. “It was phenomenal.”

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And while McCollum is heading overseas with Cody Johnson this weekend for his first UK and Ireland tour, he’s already counting down the days until he can get back in the stand.

Here’s hoping he can keep that ZYN can quiet next time.

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