On September 16, 2025, his dad’s 45th birthday, 7th grader Griffin Shelton went to school at Chatham Charter Middle School as he always does. He had an away soccer game after school, but soccer wasn’t on his mind. Griff was praying he’d get home with some daylight remaining so he could get into the woods.
Griff had not seen any bucks on the trail camera this year, but he knew he couldn’t harvest a buck sitting on the couch (or playing soccer)!
On the way home from his game, he studied the wind direction and chose his stand; a stand with no camera. His dad always says to use the wind when choosing a stand, irrespective of what the trail cam shows. So with 10mph winds out of the north, he arrived home, grabbed his Ten Point Wicked Ridge Warrior HL crossbow, and rushed to the decided northerly facing deer stand.
Within an hour, he saw a doe at 25 yards. It would be the first deer of the season for his family and we were all anxious to get venison back in the freezer. He scoped the doe, clicked the safety and waited for the right shot. As he reached for the trigger, an antler creeped into view coming from the thicks on the left. His heart raced. Every hunter knows the feeling. This buck had never been spotted on camera and was the biggest buck he’d ever seen on the 85 acre plot he hunts.
All the hours watching hunting videos; all the shooting practice; all the scouting to choose stand locations; it all led to this moment, a moment created and managed by him and him alone. Heart beating fast and sweat pouring, he aimed and fired. The buck ran back into the thick, young pines, out of sight. This is another moment familiar to every hunter.
Fingers crossed and praying, he sat in the stand for 20 minutes longer, staying quiet and without movement. You never want to bump an injured deer, especially with nightfall rapidly approaching. Another lesson learned from his dad.
After what felt like a lifetime, he climbed out of the stand and began his search. He immediately saw blood, followed it, and within 20 yards, just inside the thick pines laid this 10-point buck.
Well done son. May you be blessed with many more hunts in the woods.
Hunter’s name: Griffin Shelton
Siler City NC
Chatham County, NC
September 16, 2025
10-point buck
