Gwinnett Giant Taken With 7 Yard Chip Shot

Terry Hollis with his giant Gwinnett County buck he took on the morning of Nov. 1.

Terry Hollis, a 69-year-old hunter from Loganville, said he was prepared to make a 250-yard shot on a giant buck that was hanging out on his 25-acre Gwinnett County tract. However, when the 16-pointer showed up at 7:32 a.m. on Nov. 1., Terry essentially took a point-blank shot 7 yards.

“I’ve been watching this deer for four years,” said Terry. “Back in the summer, I knew it was going to be a deer I wanted to shoot. I went and bought a nice crossbow, I used to hunt with a compound.”

Terry said he takes turns hunting the tract with his two grown sons and his two grandsons. 

“They were at work and school this morning, so it was my turn,” said Terry.

When bow season opened, Terry didn’t know if he’d ever get a chance to hunt the deer. 

“The last picture I got of him was on Aug. 29,” he said. “Then he stayed gone for seven weeks.”

Right on cue, the mature buck made a daylight appearance the Friday before gun season.

“That got everybody fired back up,” said Terry. 

At daylight on Nov. 1, Terry was brushed into a little area along a fence and overlooking a 10-acre field. He was in the process of getting a tripod set up, prepared for that long-distance shot he had practiced. However, he never got the tripod positioned.

“I look up, and he’s walking straight to me along that fence,” said Terry. “I use cover scent, and I was hid good. There was no wind. He got so close coming to me that I couldn’t even see him in my scope. When he turned broadside, I shot him at 7 yards. He bucked and ran off. It all happened so quick.”

Terry’s from-the-hip shot sent the buck barreling toward a powerline.

“He was piled up about 90 yards from where I shot,” said Terry.

Terry’s son put a rough tape on the deer. The main-frame 10-pointer has six additional kicker points, and they taped the deer at 200 4/8 inches. The deer has 7 inch bases.

To say Terry was thrilled is an obvious statement, but to him, the deer alone isn’t what has him so excited.

“I’ve always wanted to get in that Truck-Buck,” he said.

We’ll be getting an official score on Terry’s buck at one of our scoring events. However, Terry’s son put a rough tape on the deer. The main-frame 10-pointer has six additional kicker points, and they taped the deer at 200 4/8 gross inches. The deer has incredible 7 inch bases.

It’s nice to see a man who prepared for the moment be able to take the deer of a lifetime, even if he didn’t have to use his long-range skills or equipment to the test.

“My wife said I bought an expensive crossbow and a tripod, and I didn’t use either one,” said Terry.

She chuckles in the background.

“It was worth every penny,” said Terry.

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