Orangeburg, S.C. youth hunter drops 12-point buck

It was 8-year-old hunter’s first buck

Five years ago, Bentley Ellis of Orangeburg, S.C. made a wish that he would kill a deer. A big deer. Now 8-years-old, Ellis killed a whopper 12-point buck in Elloree, making his wish a reality.

The young hunter actually killed his very first deer last year. While hunting with his mom, he killed a doe. So this season, he decided it was time to fulfill his dream of killing “a big deer.”

“He killed his first deer — a doe — with me last year. So he wanted to kill his first buck with his dad. He’s been sitting with his dad all year, but on Dec. 18, his dad had to work. His dad told us to go without him, so it was mommy/son time again,” said his mom, Bethany Ellis.

Other hunt club member’s had seen only trail cam photos of the deer

And this time, he got his big deer. Ellis shot the buck with his .243 from about 115 yards away. The deer dropped on the spot.

“The deer he killed, they named it Elvis. And all of the hunt club members have watched him grow over three years. But they’ve only seen him on trail cameras. So my little boy was on Cloud Nine for this being his first buck. The other members are still so proud,” said Bentley’s mom.

Earlier this month, another youth hunter, 10-year-old Gracie Outlaw from Four Oaks, N.C., killed two deer with one shot. Both deer were does, and it was Outlaw’s first time ever deer hunting. She fired one shot from her Mossberg Patriot .243 from 70 yards away. The bullet passed through both deer, dropping them in their tracks.

With that one shot — the first one she’s ever fired at a deer — Outlaw ended the day with a 200% kill rate. That’s about as good as it gets!

Click here to read about another exciting youth hunt, this one from Elli Byrdic of Andrews, S.C.