Hunter: Samuel Pruitt
Points: 8 (4L, 4R)
County: Hart
Season: 2020-2021
Hunt Story
October 27th arrived at Hart County WMA around 7:30am. After I signed in, decided to hunt the same spot I did while I was there during the muzzleloader week hunt. A deep fog was over the area and misting slightly. Felt like great weather conditions to be hunting that morning. Grab my chair and headed for the woods. Only thing prior to seeing the buck was a few black fox squirrels and woodpeckers. On the dot at 10 am the buck stepped out from a thicket from my left at 65 yards. I had my rifle on my shooting stick and already pointed that direction. It looked at me once, but did not take any interest or threat. Placing it in the crosshairs, it looked once more, and I took a clear broadside shot. Felt great. Buck immediately jumped in the air and took off for the thicket. After giving it some time to expire, I went looking. Tracking the blood trail some 250 yards found it still alive. Buck had the energy to run some 200 more yards, and the tracking continued. After finding the buck once more it was clearly expiring, I took the final shot to end the hunt. The first shot was a lung shot and somehow the buck managed to fight to the very end. 44 Magnum from a single shot Henry Rifle was used. The big bucks from public lands do not come easy.
