Lee County 8-point mainframe had two kickers
Casey O’Kelley of Columbia, SC killed a Lee County buck that had eight points and two kickers on Sept. 1, 2024 while sitting in what he calls his Labor Day stand. He shot the buck with a Browning .30-06 from 200 yards away. The deer dropped on the spot.
“It was opening day of rifle season,” said O’Kelley. “I sat in what I call my Labor Day stand because I’ve killed several good bucks on Labor Day weekend in this stand, including my personal best 150-class buck. It’s a tradition to sit there opening weekend.”
O’Kelley was not familiar with this buck, because he hasn’t used any trail cameras on the property this year.
“I haven’t even put out a camera this year. To be honest, I rarely use them,” he said.
For most of the hunt, O’Kelley didn’t see much reason to be optimistic.
“It was a hot and quiet evening with not much of anything until the last 40 minutes of daylight,” he said. “Then I started seeing lots of does and yearlings come out into the field. A Tom turkey crossed the field, going to roost in the trees. He spooked the doe and her two yearlings.”
The turkey caught his attention, but then he saw movement coming out of the woods about 100 yards to the right.
“I could immediately tell it was a buck,” he said. “I looked through my binoculars to confirm he was a shooter, and I grabbed my rifle.”
Almost right away, the buck offered him a clean shot.
“He ran towards me about 50 yards and gave me a perfect broadside shot at about 200 yards,” he said.
O’Kelley’s heart pace quickened, so he calmed himself down.
“I took the shot and dropped him right in the spot he was standing,” he said. “It was a great opening day, and right before I get shoulder replacement surgery, which will pretty much ruin my whole hunting season this year,” he said.
Bag A Buck Contest
Congratulations to O’Kelley, who is now in the running for our monthly prize of a free 1-year subscription to Carolina Sportsman Magazine, a Sportsman hat, a two-pack of Lowcountry Seasonings, as well as our Grand Prize, which includes a 1-year-subscription to Carolina Sportsman Magazine, a Sportsman hat, and a 2-day, two-person hunt at Cherokee Run Hunting Lodge in Chesterfield, SC.
See all the bucks entered so far, and upload yours at www.carolinasportsman.com/bag-a-buck-2024
