The Monster

13-point monster buck weighed 202 pounds

Rick Nightengale killed a 13-point, 202-pound monster buck in Stokes County, NC during a morning hunt on Nov. 7, 2023. He shot the buck with a CVA Wolf muzzleloader.

The buck has been green-scored at 177 7/8 inches. He had never seen this buck in the flesh before the hunt, but it had been appearing on trail camera photos for quite a while, almost exclusively at night.

“This deer has been followed for two years. He had only been on camera in daylight once before this hunt and at this location. I was hunting this spot because the land owner was not able to hunt that morning,” said Nightengale.

And on this day, the buck showed up not long after sunrise.

“The deer came out less than 30 minutes after first light. He chased off a doe eating on the bait pile, and then came in for a bite. I waited for a clean shot, and when he was clear I took my shot,” he said.

The buck was quartering toward the hunter, and the shot hit a little far back.

“It left no exit wound, and no blood trail. I found the bullet just under his skin in front of his back leg later. We had to track using footprints and turned up leaves. He ran about 100 yards or so. Then I had to drag him about 60 yards uphill to the trail and bring in an ATV to drag him out of the woods,” he said.

___________

Bag A Buck Contest

Congratulations to Nightengale, 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.