Deer estimated to score 150 to 160 inches Boone & Crockett
It was a day of firsts for Sumter’s Kyle Griffin that led to a dream buck in Lee County on Oct. 25.
Griffin was the first person to sit in a new lock-on stand a friend had recently mounted in a pine tree, the first to ever lay eyes on the big buck and he made good the first time the deer offered a clear shot.
That all led to a tremendous buck, a 175-pound 11-pointer with a 20 3/4-inch inside spread, split tines and an 11-inch drop tine. The buck is estimated to score between 150 and 160 inches Boone & Crockett.
“No one I hunt with had ever seen that deer before,” Griffin said. “He was actually caught on our trail cam, but we didn’t check the camera until after I killed him.”
Griffin plans to have the deer officially scored during one the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources’ scoring sessions in March.
Griffin had climbed into the stand before daybreak on Oct. 25 and was watching from about 20 feet off the ground when, around 8:30, he noticed a doe at about 200 yards away in a fallow field.
Right away, a buck came up behind the doe.
“The buck was definitely trying to mate with that doe,” Griffin said. “He was using his rack to try to knock her legs out from under her.”
The first sighting of this buck couldn’t have presented a better opportunity.
“It was a clear day, so visibility wasn’t a problem, and the deer was in an open fallow field without any big obstructions around,” Griffin said. “My friend actually put that stand up to bow hunt from, but it worked out good for me with my Remington.”
With the buck positioned just right, Griffin looked through his Weaver Super Slam scope, placed the crosshairs on his target and pulled the trigger of his Model 700 .30-06. The 150-grain bullet hit its mark, and the shot was fatal.
Griffin climbed down from the stand without really knowing what a prize the deer was.
“I had no idea,” Griffin said. “I mean, I knew it was a shooter, but I was 200 yards away and my focus was on getting a clean shot. I didn’t know until I walked down to it just how big the rack was.
“When I first saw it, I was in shock.”
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