Hunter: Terry Belvin
Points: 8 (4L, 4R)
County: Macon
Season: 2024-2025
Hunt Story
I woke up early this morning and sat in the camper going over the nights camera pics. This buck had daylighted 3 times this week, and the previous evening after I elected not to hunt due to the heat. As I was going through the pics, there he was, only an hour ago. Knowing he was in the area still, I chose to hunt the enclosed boxstand on a food plot. Around 7.45am a young doe worked her way across the plot. As I was watching her through my binoculars I noticed a big body step out from the pines onto the firebreak at the back of the plot. When he raised his head up there was no doubt who he was. I set the binoculars down and transitioned to my rifle. The buck stood there for a few minutes then noticed the doe. She turned and headed to the back of the plot and this was all it took to make him commit to coming on into plot. He trotted to the back edge and began to make a scrape. That was when I clicked the safety off and fired. The buck shot back into the pines where he come from and I took a moment to reflect on all that had transpired. My buddy, Lance Yoder, who hunts with me, text and asked what I had shot. After a brief exchange a plan was worked for him to pick up my brother, Leroy Brown, from his stand and make their way to me. Approximately 40 minutes later they pulled up and the track began. The buck had only went 65 yards into the planted pines before expiring making for a easy quick recovery. It all 3 of us to load him into the ranger. This buck is now my personal best as far as body weight, with a stout 227 pounds live weight. We then took him to our hanging pole where all the data for our club could be collected before my friend, Cleveland Hobbs, took my photos.
