9-point buck with 180 pounds
Jason Grayson of Beaufort, SC killed a 9-point buck in his home county on Sept. 1, 2024. He shot the buck with a compound bow from 30 yards away while in an elevated stand.
The deer ran 25 yards, then piled up. It was Grayson’s first time seeing the deer in the flesh, but thinks his trail camera may have captured a photo of it.
While Grayson has killed numerous deer with rifles and shotguns over the years, he had never taken one with archery gear before. This season, he decided to put more effort into bow hunting.
“I’ve been trying to get a buck with my bow for the past 30 years, but was never fully devoted,” said Grayson. “I’ve taken many, many deer with a rifle and shotgun, but decided to commit with my bow.”
Once he saw the buck, he watched it for quite a few minutes before a clean shot presented itself.
“From first sight of this buck ’til the shot was about 30 minutes,” he said. “It felt like this buck knew the exact places to stand for me to not have a shot, or even give me a chance to draw.”
Extended draw
Once he finally got the chance to draw, he had to hold it for an extended period of time before he was able to release his arrow.
“Finally, he stepped behind some trees, and I was able to get to full draw. I stayed at full draw for what felt like forever,” he said. “Shaking from buck fever and full-draw fatigue, he finally stepped out enough for me to take a shot.”
Grayson placed the 30-yard pin on the buck and let his arrow fly.
“The first shot crippled him enough for him to make it 25 yards and collapse,” he said. “I grabbed a second arrow, climbed down, and got a finishing shot on him, and that was a wrap.”
He said after getting his first buck with a bow at the age of 44, he’s ready to check some more goals off his bucket list.
“It’s proof that if you set your mind to it, you can achieve your goals. Next up for me is to hopefully get it done with a pistol, and then eventually with a long bow. This was an unforgettable hunt!” he said.
Bag A Buck Contest
Congratulations to Grayson, 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
