Opening day of youth weekend in North Carolina was a great day for Martha-Ellen Kluttz while hunting in the stand with her dad. We got in plenty early and got settled in. It was hot and slow starting out, but once that magical time of the evening hit, right when the sun started going down and the temps dropped, we were in the middle of deer until dark. She watched 8 deer feeding around us, very calm and patient knowing she had a target buck in mind that was frequently visiting the area. About 20 minutes before dark there was a couple spikes that started acting real nervous looking back into the thicket. It didn’t take long to realize why as this nice 8 point stepped out and was surveying everything from a distance. Martha-Ellen’s face lit up and she very calmly, but seriously, said “That’s him”.
He closed the distance cautiously finally giving us a broadside view… One heart shot from her .223 sealed the deal at 40yds and he piled up about 50 yards later. This was her biggest buck at 8 years old, and her 4th deer she’s harvested overall.
A great day and a great memory for all! 🦌
Hunter’s name: Martha-Ellen Kluttz
Mount Ulla North Carolina
Rowan County, NC
9/27/2025
8-point buck
