Truck-Buck 2019-20: Week 2 Winner, Kevin Carnes

Week 2: Kevin Carnes, 140 7/8 typical
County: Cobb
Date: Sept. 22

Kevin Carnes, of Atlanta, already had some awesome suburban bucks to his credit before the 2019-2020 season, including a 2015 buck that netted 195 2/8 non-typical. That’s one of only eight Georgia bow-bucks to ever score high enough to qualify for the all-time Boone & Crockett record book.  

Kevin’s 2019 season got off to a great start with an opening week 9-pointer from Fulton County that netted 133 6/8.

The second week of the season, Kevin was hunting another suburban spot in Cobb County.

Week 2: Kevin Carnes, of Atlanta, with his Cobb County 11-point buck that netted 140 7/8.

“The buck first showed himself about 30 yards in front of me, dead downwind, and not where I expected him to come from,” Kevin said. “I recognized him from my trail-camera pictures. He was my target buck.

“He knew something wasn’t right. Even though I had an Ozonics running, I believe he caught my scent. He warily began to circle my location and stood to my right for about 10 minutes, checking out the area. He was only 10 yards away, and I did not have a shot. He slowly moved off, and I could hear him walking around and could see an occasional patch of brown through the leaves. Then I saw a small tree shaking—I assume he was making a rub. Shortly after, a group of does came in directly in front of me. Seeing the does, he slowly approached them until he was 20 yards in front of me, broadside. I drew back and shot, making what appeared to be a good double-lung hit. He ran off a short distance and stood there, but out of sight behind a large tree. A few seconds later I was pretty sure I heard him pile up. To play it safe, I decided to wait 30 minutes in the stand.  Knowing I would need help dragging the deer out, I figured my good friend and hunting buddy Brannan Southerland, a former fullback at UGA, would be the logical choice. I texted Brannan, during what was probably his family dinner, told him what happened, and he said he would be right over. Thirty minutes later Brannan arrived, and we found the deer where I thought he had piled up. My taxidermist aged the deer at 5.5 years old.”

Kevin’s Week 2 buck from Cobb County was an 11-point that netted 140 7/8. 

Kevin will be shooting in the finals to win a new Silverado pickup truck from long-time Truck-Buck sponsor John Megel Chevrolet. He has already won $1,100 Mathews bows and a prize package which includes Antler Addict Mineral and 4S Draw from 4S Advanced Wildlife Solutions, a safety harness from Hunter Safety System and Shoot-Out shirts from Realtree.

GON’s Official Cobb County Bow Buck Rankings