A Niles woman’s first buck turned out to be a big one.

Brandi Zoll said she harvested a white tail deer using a crossbow from a ladder stand on private land in Berrien County Nov. 14.

The buck was officially scored by Commemorative Bucks of Michigan at 171 2/8.

Martin Hollern, a measurer for CBM, said as of the morning of Jan. 27 Zoll’s buck is the largest white tail non-typical taken by a woman with a crossbow in the state.

However, Hollern said that could change depending on what the CBM receives up until the end of the scoring period for the 2015 hunting season, which is March 31.

Hollern said they hope to notify hunters in June or July of official records.

Zoll, who has been hunting for three years, said she would never forget that day.

“It was really exciting and humbling at the same time,” she said. “I was just excited for the opportunity to harvest a deer at all. I didn’t realize it was such a big buck.”

Zoll’s husband is Jayson Zoll, who works as a culinary arts teacher at Niles High School.

The couple thanked their friend, J.J., for helping track the deer.