Hunter: Avery Upchurch
Points: 15 (8L, 7R)
County: Troup
Season: 2024-2025
Hunt Story
SINCE MY DAUGHTER WAS 7 SHE HAS BEEN MY BEST HUNTING BUDDY. THIS YEAR HAS BEEN A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE SHE GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL LAST YEAR & NOW ATTENDS THE UNIVERSITY OF GA, WHICH IS APPROX 3 HOURS FROM HOME. WE KNEW THAT OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO HUNT WERE GOING TO BE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. THE STARS JUST ALIGNED FOR HER TO KILL THIS DEER AS THE UNIVERSITY SHUT DOWN EARLY FOR HURRICANE PREPARATIONS & THE SOUTHWEST WIND WAS IDEAL FOR US TO GET IN & OUT WITHOUT GETTING BUSTED. WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING THIS BUCK FOR FEW YEARS PASSED HIM SEVERAL TIMES LAST YEAR BUT REALIZED THIS SUMMER HE HAD REALLY BLOWN UP. I HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH HIM ONCE EARLIER THIS YEAR BUT DIDN'T HAVE A SHOT WITHIN BOW RANGE. FAST FORWARD A WEEK AVERY IS HOME WE DECIDED TO PRACTICE WITH HER CROSSBOW THANK GOODNESS BECAUSE ON HER SECOND PRACTICE SHOT THE STRING BROKE. AFTER I GOT OVER THE IMMEDIATE HEART ATTACK I CALLED ONE OF MY GOOD BUDDIES TRAVIS TURNER WHO ALWAYS HAS THE RIGHT ANSWER & OF COURSE HE HAD A ROCKSTAR TEN POINT CROSSBOW THAT WAS DIALED IN, AFTER HE AND ANOTHER GOOD FRIEND BRIAN SCHMECK COACHED US UP ON USING THE TEN POINT WE RACED BACK TO OUR HUNTING PROPERTY & GOT IN THE WOODS WE HAD A TON OF ACTIVITY BUT WHEN THE DEER THAT OUR TARGET BUCK HAD BEEN TRAVELING WITH ALL SUMMER SHOWED UP THINGS GOT VERY EXCITING ABOUT FIVE MINUTES LATER OUR TARGET SHOWED UP BUT HE WAS IN MY BLIND SPOT SO I HAD NO CLUE THAT HE WAS THERE AVERY TAPPED MY LEG & WHEN I LOOKED OVER AT HER I COULD SEE THE EXCITEMENT IN HER EYES SHE WAS ON POINT & READY TO SHOOT ( I JUST HAD TO GET WITH THE PROGRAM ) SHE MADE A GREAT SHOT BUT THE AREA THAT THE DEER RAN TO IS VERY THICK SO RATHER THAN GO IN & RISK BUMPING HIM IF WE WASN'T DEAD I CALLED A BUDDY WITH RIVERBEND AERIAL SERVICES TO VERIFY WHAT WE BELIEVED TO BE TRUE AND SURE ENOUGH HE WAS ABLE TO PINPOINT LOCATION & THAT THE DEER WAS DOWN AFTER RECOVERY WE TAGGED & FIELD DRESSED THE DEER & TOOK HIM TO A BUDDIES COOLER OVER NIGHT. WE HAVE HAD A TONE OF WONDERFUL MEMORIES/HUNTS BUT AS A DAD THIS ONE WILL RANKS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST!!!! I AM SURE THANKFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY & FOR ALL OF MY AMAZING FRIENDS!!!
