Girl Arrows Two Deer With One Shot

During these crazy days when people don’t want to work and grocery stores are often waiting on the next truck to dock with food or employees to stock the shelves, it’s not a bad idea to get the freezer full of venison. Ava Morgan, 13, of Wray, got pro-active in meat collecting on Oct. 1 when she killed two deer with one shot from her crossbow during a hunt in Coffee County.

Ava Morgan with her two deer from Oct. 1.

“Ava saved up her own money this summer and bought a crossbow from Academy Sports in Valdosta, one month before bow season started,” said Terry Morgan, her dad. “She had never killed a deer with a bow. She actually had only killed one other deer, in 2020 with a rifle.”

On the morning of Oct. 1, Ava went hunting with her adult neighbor and good friend Christy Smith. Before she became Christy Smith, she was Christy Padgett, Billy Joe Padgett’s sister. Billy Joe is the man who took the Georgia State Record Whitetail in 1998.

“At 8:45, five deer came within shooting range of her crossbow,” said Terry. “She took aim at a large doe.”

At the shot, the deer proceeded to scatter in multiple directions.

“Upon reaching the spot where she shot at the doe, Christy and Ava found a blood trail,” said Terry. “They followed it about 50 yards to the deer they believed to be the doe. Upon finding the deer, Ava realized it was not the deer she was aiming for. It was a 3-point buck. The arrow hit the buck behind the left ham and the broadhead exited out the throat, severing its windpipe.

“In disbelief, Christy and Ava went back to the spot where she had shot the doe,” Terry said. “There was a second blood trail in another direction. Following this trail for nearly 100 yards, they came upon the doe. Two deer down with one arrow. The arrow was found and undamaged, and needless to say a legend was born. Robin(ette) Hood is a real person…lol.”

Ava with her arrow that produced her first two archery deer ever—and with a single shot.

Ava was using a Barnett Stalker 405 crossbow.

Her dad said that all the meat was on ice, and the family will process both deer themselves when the meat ages a few more days.

Ava and Christy Smith.