Deer season in full swing

Velvet bucks, doubles, first kills are all highlights

The 2024 deer hunting season began on Aug. 15 in South Carolina, and it’s in full swing all across both Carolinas by some time in October, depending on what region of the states you hunt.

The season has already had plenty of highlights, and with the rut kicking off toward the end of this month and into November, we’re sure to see many more.

Lowcountry double

When you hear of two hunters doubling up, that often means they were turkey hunting together and called in multiple toms. And when you do hear that related to deer hunting, it usually means two hunters in different stands happened to each kill a deer on the same day.

But Brett Carson and Case Wiles, both of Williston, SC, doubled up from the same stand with simultaneous shots. Carson killed a 10-point buck, and Wiles killed an 8-pointer. Both bucks were in full velvet.

The two friends planned the hunt, and the plan couldn’t have gone any better.

“Case had been having a bachelor group of seven bucks showing up every morning and evening, feeding on a bait pile he had made on a gas line running perpendicular to a soybean field that his father farms,” said Carson. “As the season approached, two bucks began to separate themselves from one another, no longer appearing together with the five other smaller bucks.”

Wiles and Carson talked about the situation, and even though the two target bucks were showing up together less frequently, they decided to attempt to double up on opening morning, Aug. 15 in their game zone.

“So that morning, at 5:15 a.m., we made our way to the ground blind at the entrance of the gas line, approximately 100 yards from the corn pile. Around 6 a.m., while looking through my binoculars, I noticed a group of three bucks appear out of the planted pines lining the gas line,” said Carson.

One of those bucks was the 10-point target. And within just a few minutes, the wider 8-point buck showed up.

“They convened at the corn pile, not giving an opportunity for a clean shot, as they were standing very close to one another,” he said.

With both target bucks in sight, the two hunters waited for the right moment to make their shots. The Moultrie trail camera overlooking the corn pile flashed its infrared light, spooking the deer. This caused them to spread out, and both target bucks were now standing broadside, presenting the opportunity for two shots.

“Case asked me if I was ready. We positioned our rifles on our Bog Tripod and Bipod, and Case counted to three. We took our shots simultaneously. Both bucks were hit. Case’s dropped where it stood. Mine ran 30 yards into the pine thicket,” he said.

After confirming Wiles’ buck was properly dispatched, they searched for Carson’s. They found it quickly, then celebrated together.

“We were both exhilarated to have taken two nice bucks, simultaneously, on opening morning. We bowed our heads and thanked the Lord for the ability, health, and opportunity to be able to experience such an extraordinary hunt. The two bucks will be getting European mounted with the velvet on their antlers,” said Carson.

13-year-old kills first deer

Sarah Thompson of Florence, SC killed an 8-point buck in Darlington County on Aug. 10, South Carolina’s Youth Day in her game zone, at 6:30 p.m. The 13-year-old killed the deer with a 90-yard shot from a 7mm-08 Mossberg while sitting in an elevated stand. The deer was her first ever, and weighed 165 pounds.

Thompson comes from a hunting family, but her road to killing her first deer was a rocky one. Growing up, she watched her great-grandfather, her grandfather, uncle, mother and father go hunting. But at 5-years-old, her mom passed away. At 11-years-old, she lost her dad in an ATV accident.

The young hunter was lucky enough to have sat with her dad on a few hunts before he passed away, but they were not able to harvest anything. Shortly after her dad passed, she was adopted by her stepmom, who later began dating another man that loves to hunt. Last season, Thompson wasn’t very interested in hunting. This year, she decided to go with her adoptive mom’s boyfriend, John Howle, for Youth Day.

The night before, Howle told her to ask God and her daddy to send her a buck. They left for the stand at 4:40 a.m., and almost immediately ran into a thunderstorm. When they got to Howle’s stand, the sky was filled with thunder and lightning. They almost went back home, but decided they would wait it out in the truck.

Finally, they climbed into the stand at 6 a.m. Right away, they saw two bucks on the corn pile. At 6:38, they called Sarah’s mom to let her know the young hunter had shot a buck, and were about to look for the deer.

“John walked to an old logging path and found the deer,” said her mom. “Sure enough, her daddy was looking out for her and sent her a buck she’ll always remember.

The 20-second hunt

Dallas Johnson of Salley, SC killed an 8-point buck in what could be the quickest deer hunt in history. He shot the deer in Aiken County after being in the stand for less than 20 seconds.

The buck had been a trail cam visitor for Johnson, and he had spotted the deer in the flesh once during the 2023 season.

Johnson shot the buck from 15 yards away with a .308 from an elevated stand at about 7:10 p.m. The deer dropped in its tracks.

“I had just sat down, was about to turn my Thermacell on, when I heard running to the right of me,” he said.

He’d been running late, so he was pleasantly surprised to see things developing so quickly.

“I looked and saw this buck trot and stop in the only open area for a shot in the woods. I didn’t hesitate, realizing it was the buck I was after, and dropped him. All in less than 20 seconds. Couldn’t be happier!” said Johnson.

Jackson Quick kills massive buck in Marlboro County

Jackson Quick of Bennettsville, SC killed a massive buck in Marlboro County, SC on Aug. 21, 2024 while saddle hunting at 7:55 p.m. He arrowed the deer from less than 15 yards away with his Hoyt Torrex compound bow. It was a buck he let walk on multiple occasions during the 2023 deer hunting season. The 9-point buck weighed 215 pounds.

“I set my XOP Mondo saddle up at 7 p.m. I heard what I thought was a couple of squirrels behind me, so I paid no attention to it,” said Quick.

But as the sound came closer, he realized it wasn’t squirrels after all.

“The ‘squirrels’ got closer and closer, and it was actually a 15-buck bachelor group with my target buck at the back,” he said.

From there, things couldn’t have gone much better.

“The smaller bucks began to eat acorns from a white oak. My target buck proceeded to follow them right to me at less than 15 yards,” he said.

Quick had a clean shot, so he let his arrow fly.

“I watched the lighted arrow nock fall right above his shoulder, and heard a loud ‘pop,’” he said. “After a high mule kick, the deer took off. Less than 30 seconds later, I heard a loud crash. I was in the tree at 7, and he was on the ground at 8.”