Another Giant Buck From Oconee National Forest

Ben Holt, of Byron, was hunting the Oconee National Forest in Jasper County when he got a shot at a 13-point buck on Nov. 12.

“It was actually the first time I ever went down there,” said Ben. “That morning I hunted out there, and there was a hunter about 50 yards from me, and I didn’t know it until I got up that morning to walk out, so I was pretty bummed.”

Ben called his wife because he was about to head home, but he had a feeling it was going to be a good evening to be in the woods.

“I went and ate lunch and came back and scouted a new bottom and went down there and found some scrapes and sat over those that evening on the ground,” said Ben. “At about 4:45, this joker walked out and scared me.”

Ben said he did a little doe bleating, and he had a little doe pee out, and apparently the huge buck responded to it.

“I didn’t really get a good look at it because he saw me about the same time I saw him at about 45 to 50 yards away, so I threw up my scope really easy and got a shot,” Ben said. “It wasn’t the best shot in the world, but it was enough to bring him down about 150 yards away.”

Ben only found a little bit of blood that night, and he was unable to find anyone with a tracking dog.

“I was really bummed because I thought I missed him,” said Ben.

Ben said that his brother and other buddies convinced him to go look one more time the next day.

“I tried to get a dog again, but it still wasn’t available,” said Ben. “We were all about to give up, and this sorry joker was laying in the gully about 50 yards from where I was looking. Man, I hooped and hollered like a little girl,” Ben said.

The buck had a gross score of 154 4/8 inches.

“He had about a 15-inch spread inside but had some pretty good tines and stuff,” said Ben. “The longest points were about 9 1/2 to 10 inches is what I measured real fast, but we’ll get the official once the guy pulls the tape on it.”

Racks can be officially measured after a 60-day drying period.

“Man, I still can’t believe it,” added Ben.

If you have a picture of a deer you killed, GON would like to see it. E-mail your picture and full caption info (name, hometown, county and details on the buck) to [email protected].