I have several photos of this buck from 3 different Moultrie cameras. After we patterned this deer with cameras my son killed him on opening morning of the youth hunt. this is his first buck ! I attached a picture of him and the deer as well below is his story.
So there I was, September 24th, 2011; it was not exactly a perfect morning kinna rainy, foggy, and not the perfect wind. My dad had prepared a tripod rifle stand on the outskirts of a crp field, when we were setting up this stand in the middle of the day we spotted a definite shooter buck and that lifted our spirits greatly! So come Saturday morning and the first day of the youth season we headed out in the dark through the middle of the woods, we didn’t exactly sneak in their the leaves were crunching and the twigs snapping. Even after not getting to the stand very quiet we immediately seen a couple deer at first light but not good enough to tell what was what.
So finally first light and about 25 yards away a yearling 6 point steps out giving me a clear shot but I knew what was kind of deer were in the brush watching and I wasn’t about to shoot. We had a lot of deer around us so we were very still and all the sudden I notice a 2 and a half year-old 7 point jumped the fence and he became a shooter immediately in my mind he slowed down about 100 yards away were I could get a good look at him and for my first buck he was decent but by myself I put my .270 down and watched him walk!! I didn’t know how good of a decision that would turn out to be. About 20 minutes later by dad bumps me and carefully says there is a shooter. My heart immediately began to race. It seemed if as he disappeared, we couldn’t find him. Then in the exact spot the 7-point came out he stood. I just assumed big eight but I made that decision from about 200 yards away. It seemed as if this buck grew about 2 points and 10 inches with every step! My heart was racing!!
I think I would have to say though my dad was more nervous than myself. This buck was pretty smart he knew the way the land laid out he found every low spot in the field he finally found high spot but I couldn’t get a shot. So this big bruiser was walking right into our wind and you could tell he was getting nervous along with my dad and I. Switching windows and hearts racing this buck stopped at 35 yards slightly angling towards us there was no time to think I had to shoot this deer no doubt about it. He immediately dropped and I was ecstatic but this deer got up! We were all stunned this deer ran about 75 yards and crashed my dad and I were so happy hugging and smiling from ear to ear. The only problem was this deer crashed behind a couple of trees and bushes and we weren’t about to let this deer escape.
After watching the last spot we saw him for about ten minutes. A doe came just about right to the spot where he crashed and was frightened for sure and we new that there must be a dead giant right there. Sure enough the blood trail wasn’t very good but we knew the last spot we seen him, and there laid my first buck!!! He was a “dandy” 20 inches wide and 13 points and that fit my first buck description quite well. It was a great hunt and I shot him with my dad the amazing guide right beside me!! Great hunt will never forget it!
Brett Walcutt
