Wesley Roberson

Hunter: Clint Roberson
Father/Hunting Partner: Wesley Roberson
wrobersonnc@gmail.com
Lillington NC
Harnett County
Hunt Date: 11/9/24 PM Hunt
Firearm: CVA Scout Compact chambered in 243 Vortex Diamondback 3.5-10×50 Bannish 30
8 pt weight & score unknown

I had been getting trail camera photos of this buck on and off for several weeks. It was the largest deer I have had on camera so far this year. I thought it would be a great first buck for my son Clint. We hunted every chance we could throughout October but the deer would never present itself. In the early morning hours of November 9th the deer showed up on camera again. We also had some colder weather come in overnight so I told him we needed to go today. We slipped into my box stand overlooking a soybean field around 4:00pm. About the time we got settled I looked out and noticed a deer on the edge of the beans around 120 yards out. It was a small spike. I noticed he was looking back into the timber so I grabbed my binoculars and scanned the wood line. I caught movement of antlers but it was to thick to see the deer. I grabbed my grunt call and made a couple of pretty loud and long grunts. The buck responded by walking out into the beans about 5 yards. At that point I realized it was the 8 pointer I wanted him to have a chance at. I handed him the rifle and told him to get on the rail and get comfortable. By the time he was able to find the deer in the scope the buck turned and walked back into the woods. I figured the deer was probably tending a doe and I knew we weren’t going to pull him off of her. I told Clint to relax and that the doe would probably come out to feed later at a corn pile I had placed on the back side of the field. Over the next 20 minutes we watched a small 4 pointer thrashing a branch but nothing else. Then at right around 4:30pm I looked up and the buck was not only back out into the beans but also around 30-40 yards closer to us putting him right around 80-90 yards. I had Clint target practicing at 100 yards over the summer and he was able to group well enough that I was comfortable with him shooting at that range. I once again handed him the rifle and told him to get comfortable on the rail and find the deer in the scope. The deer was facing us I’m assuming still curious about the grunt I sent his way earlier. Clint had the crosshairs on the buck but the deer kept standing there facing us. I kept telling him to stay on him and only put his finger on the trigger when the deer turned broadside. All the while I was trying to calm my nerves so I could keep him as calm as possible. Finally after probably 3 minutes the deer turned broadside facing the wood line. I asked him if he was still on him and he said yes. I told him to put his finger on the trigger and only when he was comfortable to squeeze. About the time the word “squeeze” left my mouth he fired dropping the 8 point buck where it stood. Following that were several seconds of shouting and thanking God. He told me on the way to the stand that evening that he had a really good feeling about today. I told him that if it was the good Lords will then he would get his buck.