Its blackpowder opener and me and my dad decided to go to a piece of public that I scouted the week prior. We got to the parking lot and there were 3 guys there. We asked them where they were going so we can avoid each other. We walked in, my dad went to his area and I went to mine. Before I got to my spot at the top of the ridge, I heard deer grunting and chasing on the top of the ridge already (still dark). I stopped short of where I wanted to go and climbed on the side of the ridge to where I can see the top and hopefully catch the deer that was chasing earlier. Shortly after daybreak, my dad shoots and he calls me telling me it was a good one. Later, a doe came down the ridge and passed by. I got down, went to my dad and he surely got himself a stud 10pt. We decided to cart him out and come back that afternoon. We came back later that afternoon and noticed another new truck in the parking lot. We didn’t think too much on it and went back to our spots. I was thinking to myself, maybe I’ll get to go to the spot I wanted to go to that morning. As I reached the top of ridge, I noticed someone was already there so I moved down the ridge to a creek bottom where I had hunted last season. While down there, I didn’t find the sign I needed to make me stay so I climbed back up the ridge and moved about 400 yards from the other hunter overlooking a few fresh scrapes and acorn feed trees. It was already 5pm by that time so I had to get in a tree fast. After a few grunts around 6:30pm, I heard footsteps walking down the old logging road and sure enough this buck was headed towards me. He stopped at 60 yards to feed on acorns and I put my Traditions muzzleloader on him and the rest is history. It was an unforgettable opening day on public land being able to double up on bucks with my dad.
Hunter’s name: Phillip Vang
Albemarle NC
Montgomery
11-1-25
8-point buck
