Ryder Smith of Summerville, SC killed an 8-point buck in Williamsburg County, SC on 08/08/2026.
He shot the buck with a Browning 7mm during an evening hunt while sitting in an elevated stand from 167 yards away.
Smith summed up the hunt with these words:
“There is something special about a hunter’s first deer.
Ryder Smith had been to Cortis Farms a few times. Each time, he had the same goal—to find the right buck. He had opportunities, but he didn’t want to just harvest a buck; he wanted the right one.
Each trip to the farm brought another lesson in patience. Sometimes the deer showed up at the wrong time. Sometimes they were too young. And sometimes, the buck Ryder was hoping for simply never showed up.
Then came the evening of August 8th.
As the sun began to set, Ryder was in his stand with his mentor, Jason Cribb, and they were ready. All the patience, early mornings, long sits, and missed opportunities had led to this moment.
Around 7:45 P.M., a few hogs came out. Ryder wanted to shoot them badly, but Jason said, “Let’s wait it out.”
A few minutes later, the hogs left, and then he appeared.
A giant eight-point buck, with a couple of really good ones with him.
He was 167 yards away.
Ryder stayed calm, took his time, and made the shot.
The deer dropped in his tracks.
Ryder immediately turned to Cribb and said, “Can I hug you?”
What an awesome first buck and an incredible hunt. Sometimes patience really does pay off.”
Smith is now entered in our Bag-A-Buck Contest, and is eligible to win our monthly prize pack, which includes a set of Ultimate Eyes & Ears Combo from ShellShock Pro, a YETI Rambler bottle, and a Carolina Sportsman hat, as well as our Grand Prize, a 2-day hunt for two to Cherokee Run Hunting Lodge in Chesterfield County, SC.
Click here to see the 2026 Bag-A-Buck Gallery.
