My name is Eric Bell and on 11/13/21 I was fortunate enough to harvest the buck of my lifetime in Iredell County, N.C. I’ve hunted this 22 acre tract of family property since I was 16 and have watched the health of the heard increase year by year with proper maintenance but never had a trophy of this size shown up until this sept.
This stud first appeared on my trail cam and once the corn and apples hit the ground he became an everyday grazer. As big deer sometimes do he disappeared from trail cameras the night before opening day of muzzle.
I sit in wait 8 straight morning before the last day of my vacation from work. I had watched several deer move through and at 8 am the woods went quiet and I retreated into watching UNC basketball game highlights while scanning the creek bed when I heard one small crunch.
I peaked over the left shoulder and there stood the deer of a lifetime a mere 10 yards from the base of my ladder stand. He had his head up and was walking steadily past. Unfortunately I shoot left handed and had to flip the rifle around opposite hand which my dad had made me practice since I was kid because in the woods, deer don’t always cooperate. I was able to locate his shoulder and make one quick mouth grunt. He paused, I squeezed, and he tumbled 15 yards further down the hill. I never lost sight of him and when he ceased to kick the shakes finally set in. Definitely an experience I’ll never forget and a trophy our family can appreciate forever.
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