Hunter, my 11-year-old son, harvested this deer with a muzzleloader in Guilford County, NC on Oct. 28, 2023. He’s been on a quest for 3 years to get an 8-point ever since his little brother Daniel shot a nice 8-point for his very first deer at the age of 5, three years ago.
We had a couple of good ones on camera when all of the sudden this beautiful piebald buck with some very unique face markings showed up. After the first hour being uneventful, Hunter got very excited to see a black coyote emerge from the brush in front of us. Only to see the really small coyote slip back into the thicket. He became pretty upset because he shot a coyote on his first ever muzzleloader hunt last year. I got him calmed down when all of the sudden out of nowhere just 10 yards to our right, a coyote started barking for about 3 minutes straight, then it popped out about 50 yards away but with no shot opportunity. All smiles this time he said, “That was really cool Dad.”
We settled back in to watching the food plot we were sitting on that our good buddy and hunting partner Jonathon Noon planted. About 15 minutes later, we saw movement to our left, and a small 5-point walked from our left to our right and I started videoing it. About 30 seconds behind him was another 5-point tracking the same direction. I whispered to Hunter Wayne, get ready buddy, big boy might be following them. About 30 seconds later he said Big Buck daddy! I quickly turned off my phone because it was time to get serious. I said it’s him son, get ready!
I attempted to stop the buck, but he only twitched his ears and kept traveling, heading across the food plot towards the pine thicket. Before I could try it for a second time, there was a loud boom and the black smoke rolled! And so ended an amazing hunt with a ton of emotions (which I had to video all of his tears of joy). I made him sit for a few minutes just to get calmed down before we ascended from the 16-foot, two-man ladder stand. The best part about it, is that I know long after daddy’s long gone to be with Jesus, he’ll still be telling the stories of the “Giant 8-point piebald Buck, I got with my Daddy.”
–Rodney Woodard
___________
Bag A Buck Contest
Congratulations to Woodard, 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.
Be the first to comment