Hunter: Alan Everett
Points: 9 (5L, 4R)
County: Tattnall
Season: 2018-2019
Hunt Story
During the afternoon of opening day, a large rain storm traveled through our area. As soon as the rain had diminished and hoping to stay dry in case it started back, I set out to my ground blind on a food plot that is surrounded by 5-year-old planted pines. After getting settled in the blind, sure enough the rain returned for a few minutes. I began playing solitaire on my phone to pass the time. When my phone got down to 70% charge, I put it away for fear that I would need it later. About 20 minutes had elapsed since I had got into the blind. I decided that my chair was not positioned in an optimal position, so I moved it to get more comfortable. After re-positioning the chair, I noticed a small bird that was sitting on a small dog fennel outside the blind. I began watching the bird dry itself from the rain and got caught up with how God takes care of the small animals and birds that we take for granted. I was still watching the bird, and not paying attention to hunting, when I turned to look in the opposite direction down the food plot. There he was standing about 80 yards from the blind facing me. I slowly raised my Remington model 700 in 308 win. As I took a shooting position, the buck started walking toward me. Being an ethical hunter and always aware of shot placement, I would not take a straight on frontal shot. After closing the distance to about 60 yards, the buck turned to walk out of the food plot giving me a broadside shot. I was afraid he was going to get into the pines before I could take my shot. I quickly dropped the cross-hairs behind the front left shoulder and squeezed the trigger. The Federal Accubond 308 win. did its job. The buck did a huge mule kick and ran into the planted pines. After giving the deer about 20 minutes, I slowly left the ground blind and made my way over to where the buck had been standing. I found the hoof marks where he had kicked and ran. There on the ground just beyond the tracks was the first blood. I followed the blood into the small pines, but with the wet bushes and underbrush the blood was hard to see. I followed the trail for a good 30 minutes, often having to back track due to the wet conditions. While scouring the brush for blood, I looked up and there was my buck. I had made a good double lung shot and the deer expired after running about 70 yards. I have not mentioned this before, but while hunting this same blind on the opening day of blackpowder season I saw this buck. He was about 140 yards from me and standing behind dog fennels and sage brush. I didn't have enough time to judged the size of the deer and make an ethical shot. I passed that day hoping I would get another opportunity and, as luck would have it, I got that chance.
