13-year-old dropped buck in his tracks with 80-yard shot
On Sept. 23, 13-year-old Jake Wall shot one of his biggest bucks ever in a disked up iron clay pea field on his uncle’s Allendale County, S.C. farm. For years, Wall and his uncle, Josh Wall, had watched this deer on camera. And at 7:15 p.m. that Saturday, Jake watched the 180-pound six-point buck step into the field, and he dropped the old codger right in its tracks.
Even at his young age, Jake is no hunting neophyte. He killed his first turkey when he was 8 years old, and enough ducks and deer over his short hunting career to fill up several freezers. But he was having a tough season so far and he called on his uncle Josh Wall for a little assistance.
“Jake asked me if there was any possibility of killing a buck on our property,” Josh Wall said. “He was in luck because the old six pointer from last year just started showing back up on camera in daylight and Jake liked what he heard. He got extremely excited!”
That afternoon, Jake came to their family tract with his father to see if they could get an opportunity at this old deer.
“I believe the deer to be at least 5 1/2 years old due to his characteristics and previous year trail cam pics. I had lots of pictures of this deer last year and he hadn’t showed up this year until a few days before my nephew wanted to go hunting on my property,” Josh Wall said.
Jake got in the stand with his father around 6 p.m., and by 6:30, seven does had arrived. When the does started to get nervous and began looking back into the woods, Jake knew something was getting ready to show up, and he hoped it was the big six. Jake saw movement on the edge of the field and whispered to his father.
“There he is,” Jake said.
Jake raised his 7mm 06 and took a close aim trying to put the crosshairs right in the perfect spot. Then, he squeezed the trigger and fired.
“Did I get him…did I get him?!” said Jake.
Sure enough, the old buck dropped right in his tracks at 80 yards away from their stand. Jake was so excited and he began to yell to his father. It was a exciting and emotional hunt for the duo, and Jake’s father was doing more than sitting there watching. He captured the entire hunt on video.
After they loaded the deer up and brought him home, Josh Wall got a chance to see the deer up close. And sure enough, it was just as he expected.
“It was the same deer that we had been trying to get for the past two years. I am just glad that Jake got a chance to get him,” Josh Wall said.
