Hunter: Chase Hemphill
Points: 10 (5L, 5R)
County: Lumpkin
Season: 2024-2025
Hunt Story
After checking a camera during the November hunt, I had several photos of this buck. However the camera had died in early September and all the pictures I had were from mid summer until the end of August, and there was very little buck sign in the area. I hunted two full days during that hunt with zero results. I knew the deer was probably still in the area and took off work for the December. The first two days were mostly uneventful, but I hoped the low winds and cold temps would have the deer on their feet. The morning of December 6th I was in the stand just after 6 a.m., and it was cold, like 9 degrees cold. When day broke on the ridge the only thing out and about were a few squirrels intent on finding acorns and chasing each other; until they all left the ground and started barking for no obvious reason. As I started looking for whatever had spooked them, I heard the cause coming through the ivys. When I turned, three does came busting out of the thicket with the 10-point I was looking for hot on their heels. When the buck cleared the brush, I shouted, trying to stop him, with no effect other than stopping two the does 20 yards to my left, while he ran the other doe back into the thicket. I thought it was over and thanked the Lord for the chance to have at least laid eyes on him, then as quickly as he had left, him and the doe came running straight back toward me, him head down grunting every step. When the doe reached her two companions she stopped, he followed suit about 30 yards behind and started walking to them. I had the buck in the scope but it was too thick to try a shot as long as he was still heading my way, soon enough he hit a small opening where my crosshairs were waiting. At the report of the rifle, the buck folded and hit the ground. He was still moving a little and I wasn’t chancing him getting away so as soon as he tried to lift his leg I shot once more and the hunt was over. I had prayed hard that the Lord would just give me a chance, and he not only did he guided my first shot as I had shot through a birch sapling the size of a golf ball and still hit the buck through the spine. God is good all the time amen.
