Had this buck on camera and hunted him for 3 years now. Killed him using my grandpa’s Belgium made browning humpback light 12ga. My grandpa passed away around 5 years ago and was an avid outdoorsman when he was able to. His shotgun has 24 marks under the stock from all bucks he has killed since he got the gun new. My one goal was to kill a buck that was worthy enough to place its 25th and last notch in the wood. He also had a Browning Magnum 12 that my brother inherited, My brother had passed away March of 2020 from a boating accident, we both wanted to kill a buck worth bragging about with grandpas gun! The first time I have used this gun this season I was hunting out of a box stand I built in the swamp this past summer. Got rained out at work so I went hunting that morning, I had a decent shooter 7 pt walk out to the corn pile but wanted the 8 to show up, after 20 minutes of the 7 eating and a doe walking up and eating with him I heard the 8 coming through the swamp and could barley see the rack but knew the body was big and the rack was bigger than the 7. When I seen him I knew he was the one I’d been waiting on! Once the 7 realized the big buck came in they were about to fight and both had their heads down and strait out, once the 8 turned broadside I shot him about 40yds!! He immediately hit the dirt and drug his front chest about 20’, ran 20’, and drug his chest again for 20’, and hit the swamp out of sight. I sat for a minute to regain my composure and called my wife and little boy to tell them the news, they were still asleep in bed. By the time I put my phone up and went to gather my things to climb out the stand I heard movement outside the stand, I looked out and seen a bigger body and just the tip of horns. I thought the 8 had circles back around so I shot, it was the 7pt. He immediately fell in his tracks right there. I climbed out the stand a little guilt that’s I had killed a buck I had passed on several times but eager to get to the one I was after. I got to the spot where I shot him and there was no blood anywhere. Started walking in the direction the 8pt went and went down a deer trail about 20-30 yards and there he laid in a pool of blood. Out of 12 pellets 10 had went straight to the lungs, heart, and shattered his front left shoulder.
Hunter’s name: Blake Smith
Whiteville, nc NC
Columbus. NC
11-14-24
8-point buck
