Jody Fogle of Lucedale, MS killed an 11-point buck in Orangeburg County, SC on Oct. 22, 2026.
He shot the buck with a Ruger American Predator .243 with Vortex 3-9×40 scope during a morning hunt while sitting in an elevated stand from 50 yards away.
Fogle summed up the hunt with these words:
“I make my annual pilgrimage back to my home state of South Carolina from Mississippi every October. My expectation this year was to bag an 8-point, since I have yet to achieve of my 51 years of living.
On the morning of Oct. 22, 2026 started like another deer hunt. I proceeded to my morning creature of habit stand as always, at least expecting a doe in my sights later. For early morning darkness can play tricks with your vision. During those concentrated darkened minutes, I imagined all kinds of deer just in front of me, playful ones, decent sized, and of course shooters!
As the light gave more appearance to what I was seeing none of earlier was true, all bushes and limbs from the trees gave me my earlier appearances. Then as the light gave more glow to my morning hunt, something to my left caught my attention. As I viewed, large branches appeared over the bushes. To my surprise these were not branches, but of antlers peering.
To steady myself, I collected enough nerve to grab my scoped rifle to confirm if so. Once I view through my shaking scope, I was able to confirm antlers well worth to take down, if given the chance. This buck knew somehow to hide his body out of my field od scope. He would assure me ever couple of minutes by showing off his set over the bushes. Now the wait was on. 30 minutes, what seem an eternity and, shock by my pass experience that he stayed in the area for that amount of time! Right as those minutes passed some fine ladies(does) decided to partake in his feeding area as well. Two ladies from my right came in at view, a third from slope behind the buck up from out of the woods. As these ladies appeared I hope for one chance that he would give chase and follow to the right. Well all lead just as I’d hoped, he did just that. The window he gave was only 10 seconds at a straight ahead rightside broad shot, 50 yards. I remember asking God for a clear and accurate trigger pull and for a that moment my nerves to be calm, all was at peace for those 10 seconds. My barrel smoked my eyes back towards him as he lifted his right from leg and bolted in a full stride. I knew then my shot was good. I waited eager for 20 minutes to ensure his death. I proceeded to my shot area, and to my surprise, butt facing 20 yards away, he lay still awaiting my discovery. I assure he had passed away from lead poisoning. I made my way to his head, hoping my goal of an 8 had come true, but to my count of 11…..unexpected,…….lifetime buck!!!
Fogle is now entered in our Bag-A-Buck Contest, and is eligible to win our monthly prize pack, which includes a set of Ultimate Eyes & Ears Combo from ShellShock Pro, a YETI Rambler bottle, a prize package from Buck Commander and Duck Commander, and a Carolina Sportsman hat, as well as our Grand Prize, a 2-day hunt for two to Cherokee Run Hunting Lodge in Chesterfield County, SC.
