Late-Season 160-Inch Mountain Buck

Levi Morrow, of Talking Rock, was having a very successful deer season already this year. He killed a full velvet buck on opening day of Georgia archery season, along with taking four does.

“I killed a full velvet 8-point on opening morning of bow season,” said Levi, “and I killed a doe with my crossbow on opening day of rifle season. I got picked for the Coosawatee WMA quota hunt, and I killed two does on that hunt. I also got picked for the Dalton Utilities hunt. I ended up seeing 19 deer on that hunt. I try to hunt as much as possible.”

“I planned on hunting a big tract of land that I got permission to hunt a few years ago,” said Levi. “I never have run trail cameras on this place because of how big it is, but I always hunt a place where I know deer will be. I was in there for an afternoon hunt, and at 4:25, I watched a few does pop up into the powerline at about 450 yards, and they were feeding.

Levi Morrow with his Gilmer County 11-pointer killed on Jan. 7. The long-tined rack has great brows and G4s.

“When you hear squirrels walking through the woods, it sounds like a deer, but when it’s really a deer walking, you just have the gut feeling, and you know it’s a deer for sure. That’s exactly what I heard next.”

At 4:30, a buck appeared for Levi and presented a perfect shot. Little did he know, it was going to be his biggest buck ever.

“I knew he was a good buck, and I was going to shoot him,” said Levi. “The buck presented a shot at 125 yards right inside the wood line of the powerline, and I took it. I shoot a .243, which was passed down to me by my grandpa when he passed away, so I was very confident enough to take the shot. I watched the buck stumble 45 yards and fall over in the powerline. I didn’t know how big he was at the time, but I could tell he was a good buck. I called my stepdad, Kent, and told him I had shot one.”

Levi walked over to recover the buck and couldn’t believe what he had in his hands.

“I immediately noticed his long brow tines,” said Levi. “I love gnarly brow tines. I couldn’t believe it. We took a few pictures and proceeded with the long drag out.”

This buck is a true north Georgia giant, and to kill it this late in the season is an even greater accomplishment.

“The next day, we scored this buck at an amazing 162 inches,” said Levi. “It’s the biggest buck I have ever killed. He also had a huge body. I killed a buck in 2012 on Cohutta WMA that weighed 198 pounds. This buck had a much bigger body than that one. I am guessing around 220 pounds or more.

“What makes this even better is on the way home from church that day, my two daughters, Taylen and Trenley, wished me luck before I went hunting and told me to kill a big 10-point. Sure enough, I killed a 10-point with a little crab claw at the end to make him a 11-point. I thank the good Lord for letting me be able to do this.”

GON’s Gilmer County All-Time Deer Records