“The Buck Stops Here”
Over the past weekend, opening day for deer season with the use of guns started in the Central Carolina zone. Mr. Johnny Thomas, a Durham, NC native and military veteran, is among a long list of dog hunters who patiently wait for gun season to arrive. Mr. Johnny, or “Johnny Buck”, as he is known by his friends and fellow High Rock Hunting Club members, has seen many opening days in his 84 years.
Although it is impressive alone to see him still able to take a stand deer hunting while running dogs at the age of 84, what’s more impressive is his ability to still shoot and kill deer on the move at that age. That was the case just a couple of days into the 2023 season for the seasoned hunter.
Early on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023, Mr. Johnny made his routine 45-minute drive to High Rock Hunting Club, located in Caswell County, eager to see many of his good friends and to get out in the woods to hear the dogs run. The morning started off like many do at the hunting club with a lot of planning and friendly smack talking before setting out to drop the tailgates and turning the dogs loose to get things started.
As he usually does on any given morning of hunting, he got settled in on his stool with his 20-gauge Benelli laid across his lap and his walking stick close by as he awaited the “turn ‘em loose” to come across his hand-held radio to know the hunt was on. It did not take long for the action to happen that morning with the dogs striking quick on a track before he did what he has done many times before — stopped the race.
“Big buck down, big buck down!” came across the hand-held radios as Mr. Johnny let everyone know he had struck again. One of the dog drivers who was in the area was quick to catch up to where the buck had been shot and began to drag the deer back to where the 84-year-old awaited to get a closer look at his accomplishment.
High Rock Hunting Club has been around for close to 15 years and has many members who share the same passion for hunting as “Johnny Buck” does. On behalf of High Rock Hunting Club, we would like to first thank Mr. Johnny for his service to our great country and congratulate him on another successful harvest!
-High Rock Hunting Club
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Bag A Buck Contest
Congratulations to Mr. Johnny “Buck” Thomas, who is now in the running for our monthly prize of a free 1-year subscription to Carolina Sportsman Magazine, a Mini Maglite, an 18-ounce Yeti Rambler, a two-pack of Lowcountry Seasonings, as well as our Grand Prize, which includes a 3-year-subscription to Carolina Sportsman Magazine, a 2-day two-person hunt at Cherokee Run Hunting Lodge in Chesterfield, SC, and other prizes to be determined.
See all the bucks entered so far, and upload yours at carolinasportsman.com/bag-a-buck-2023, or email photo and detailed info to images@carolinasportsman.com.
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