Hunter: Smisson Rigdon
Points: 8 (4L, 4R)
County: Peach
Season: 2017-2018
Hunt Story
An east wind prevented us from sitting in a few of our go to stands, so we decided to hunt from the ground in a small block of hardwoods bordering a clearcut where I had found plenty of scrapes and rubs earlier in the year. We set up against a large tree with some brush just behind us. I put him between my legs with his .243 resting on a tripod in front of him. We saw one deer just before daylight but couldn't tell what it was. About 45 minutes after shooting light, we caught movement coming up from the bottom. The buck came in searching and grunting was obviously cruising for does. He went into the clearcut a few yards then turned and came right to us, within about 30 yards. I whispered as low as I could to wait until he turned broadside. The deer then turned and jogged about 30 yards up the hill to our right and stopped broadside with his head behind a tree but his vitals exposed. Luckily we had cleared some leaves and were able to move the tripod and twist enough to get off a shot. Smisson made a perfect shot, and the deer made it about 50 yards before crashing in the clearcut. For some reason I seem to get more nervous than he does when he's behind the gun... there is no better feeling or celebration in the woods than watching your kid walk up on a nice buck!
