Cook County 10-point Returns After Year-Long Disappearing Act

Ron Purvis, of Adel, killed his second big buck in recent years while hunting in Cook County in October. The first Cook County buck was killed back in 2016 and netted 146 typical inches. That first buck had 182 inches of bone and was creamed by deductions, but Ron’s latest buck is a clean 10-point, and he said it grosses in the mid 160s. After the 60-day drying period, we’ll see what the buck grosses and where it stands in GON‘s Georgia Deer Records listing for Cook County.

Ron started the hunt for the big 10-point in October 2020 when it showed on his trail camera for the first time.

Ron Purvis with his big 10-point from Cook County.

“I hunted him hard for most of that October, then on the 27^th he showed for the last time,” said Ron, “I never saw him again that year.”

This hunting season Ron said he’s tried to stay out of the woods as much as possible, only going in as needed to fill feeders and check trail cameras.

“I don’t walk around and really don’t do much other than cameras and feeders,” said Ron. “In the middle of October, I decided to put a camera near one of my feeders.”

On Oct. 24, six days after putting up the new trail camera, Ron checked his pictures for the first time. He was surprised to see a photo of the big 10-point taken from the same morning he was checking photos.

“I knew I had to hunt him hard, I didn’t want to lose him again,” said Ron.

About a week later, Ron climbed into his ladder stand nestled in a section of hardwoods near a river slough and the wait began.

“I was texting a friend who was hunting a few miles away, and he was seeing deer like crazy, but not me,” said Ron.

Although the morning started slow, not long after receiving the text from his buddy, he saw a deer coming up a dry creek bed right toward his stand.

“I knew it was a mature buck,” said Ron, “He came right to me at about 100 yards.”

Ron quickly put the crosshairs of his .308 Thompson Center rifle on the buck and dropped him in his tracks. The big buck’s 165-inch green score included a 22-inch inside spread and 24-inch main beams. We’ll be keeping our eyes open to hear from Ron a third time on a Cook County buck for GON’s Georgia’s Deer Records.

“I already have my sights set on another one, but hunting gets pretty tough this time of year,” said Ron.

Ron’s buck had a 22-inch inside spread.

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