Anderson hunter ‘stays home’ and kills trophy

Anderson's Daniel Cathey didn't have to go far to kill this 156-inch bruiser in October.

Daniel Cathey of Anderson has killed his share of deer bowhunting, but before this season, he hadn’t taken one with a rifle in about eight years.

A friend’s report of spotting a trophy buck cross a road and walk into an open field on Oct. 19 prompted Cathey to dust off his gun and sight it in. He scouted the field, part of an 80-acre cattle farm, and while he saw no rubs and little sign of deer activity, he did find a good location to use a climbing stand.

Two days later, he laid the big buck down. The 10-pointer, which measured 156 inches, sported a 6×4 frame, which includes a distinctive split tine on one side.

“We have noticed this deer on our deer cameras over the past couple of years,” Cathey said. “The double-tine G-3 assures it’s the same one. From his past behavior, I knew he wouldn’t be in this field long. I was lucky this deer showed up when I was able to squeeze in a little bit (of time).”

Cathey is a cattle farmer who helps run Skeeter Branch Hunting Preserve in Hartwell, Ga., and with the preserve duck season running from October to March, hunting time elsewhere can be hard to come by.

Around 5:30 in the evening on Oct. 21, Cathey mounted his climbing stand on a sweetgum tree and climbed to a height of about 20 feet.

“It’s a fallow field of about 20 acres. It hasn’t been bush-hogged yet this year, so it’s full of briars and brambles. I had a good view of the field from my stand but didn’t see any deer at first,” Cathey said.

About an hour later, that changed in a hurry.

“He must have been bedded down, because he just appeared suddenly about 60 yards away, walking toward me,” Cathey said.

Noting it was uncharacteristic for a mature buck to appear in that spot with an hour of daylight left, Cathey raised his Remington 700.

“By the time I got my rifle mounted, I had to dial my Bushnell down to 3-power because the deer was so close,” he said. “He offered me a broadside view, and I made a high shoulder shot. I shot him 35 steps away from my tree, and he dropped on the spot.”

Despite being a confirmed bowhunter, Cathey admitted he never thought about wishing for his archery equipment when the big buck walked up at such close range.

“I’m glad I had the rifle. I wouldn’t have wanted to take the chance on missing out on a deer like that,” he said.

Cathey, who has killed several deer in Ohio whose racks measured in the 130s, estimated the deer’s weight at between 190 and 200 pounds.

“This is my biggest deer ever. My dad and I take a yearly trip to Ohio to hunt every November. Now my friends are joking around, asking me why I want to go up there after killing this deer right here in Anderson,” Cathey said, describing his trip to the midwest as “a family tradition.”

But this buck may mark the beginning of a new family tradition. Daniel Cathey’s father, Bob Cathey, killed a 150-class buck in Anderson County in the 90s, and he has four deer in South Carolina’s all-time record book.

Mike McKenzie of Anderson is handling the taxidermy duties on this trophy. The mount is sure to always remind Cathey to keep his rifle handy.

About Brian Cope 2726 Articles
Brian Cope is the editor of Carolina Sportsman. He has won numerous awards for his writing, photography, and videography. He is a retired Air Force combat communications technician, and has a B.A. in English Literature from the University of South Carolina. You can reach him at brianc@sportsmannetwork.com.

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