Hunter: Collin Morris
Points: 10 (5L, 5R)
County: Toombs
Season: 2016-2017
Hunt Story
Decided to make a brand new food plot in the back corner of our private property. We have been putting in the time and effort to get this spot ready prior to hunting season, clearing trees, harrowing, even had a new wood condo stand built to hunt from. We have been using our trail camera on this spot for weeks and have seen three to four good shooters, and we were extremely excited about our new spot. Opening weekend, our spot, which my son named "The Pines," produced sightings of more than 20 does, two 8-points, two 4-points, and a couple spikes. We were beyond excited to see so many deer, but my son having only killed three deer in his short time period of hunting since he was six years old till now, was wanting to wait on a big one. Every time I told him here comes a good buck for you to shoot he would say lets give him one more year to grow, which amazed me beyond belief and made me happy on the inside, since we have been managing this property for some time now. First good shooter came out on us on a hot Sunday afternoon hunt, and he was so excited he couldn't keep the gun and scope steady and before long my buck fever had crept onto me, we both were shaking with excitement. Make a long story shorter, he decided to pass on the great buck, simply because he didn't want to make a bad shot. We both were disappointed, me more so than him. He knew God had something better in store for him we just didn't know it at the time. Fast forward to the next weekend 11/5/2016. I got him out of the bed early that morning so he could get up and get his composure, since he's not a morning person. LOL. I had told him that we were going to hunt late this morning and since doe season had come in the weekend before, we were going to wait till closer to 10 a.m., and we would shoot a doe if we haven't seen a buck by then. At 10 a.m. on the dot a good buck came out of no where just beyond our food plot, and we rushed to get the gun up and get ready, with all the rush and excitement and trying to get prepared the buck jumps off in the brush and again we were left with nothing and I could see the disappointment in his eyes. So we decided to pray about it, and asked God for peace and thank him for all he does for us and to allow us a good buck if it be his will, either way we give him all the glory either way. Sunday morning 11/6/16 I literally dragged my son out of the bed by his feet, as I have mentioned he isn't a morning riser. It's a little chiller than any morning we have hunted this year. So we decided coveralls and hand warmers would be a good idea. We got to the stand around 6 to 6:15 a.m. (not exactly sure on the time). We had been only sitting there probably 15 minutes talking about getting to church on time because of the time change, when I look up and there's a deer standing broad side at the end of the food plot eating. I quickly jump into action and get the scope on him, and sizing him up to see if he would be a shooter or not, and the deer looks directly at my and I knew exactly which deer this was. It was a good size 10-point we have seen on multiple cameras at two different stands. Without trying to overly excite my son, I told him this is a great deer, is almost as big as the one we had seen opening weekend. I hand off his .223 single shot to him he lines it up, and by this time the deer is facing us and isn't presenting a easy shot, but the buck doesn't seem skittish, so we decide to give him a minute to turn for a good side shot. Finally he turns slightly to the left, and I tell Collin that we can't shoot this one behind the shoulder like we have been practicing, we will have to make the shot toward the front of the shoulder to give the bullet plenty of room to hit the vitals, he just nods. I cock the single shot and told him to take the shot when he is ready. I look over and he is saying a quick prayer, which lasts for 15 to 20 seconds, and before I know it, he pulls the trigger and the deer is on the ground kicking for what seemed like seconds and then he is gone. So we are standing in the stand high-fiving, hugging and in the back of my mind I know there's a great possibility that we may have to track this deer and may not find it. After our excitement settles we start discussing the possibility that this deer may not be laying there, so we might have to track him and don't be disappointed if we cant find him. All he could think about, while I had doubt in my mind, was to ask God for what he wants. And we did, he sat in my lap while he prayed that his shot stayed true and that we will give him the Glory which ever it turned out. Thirty minutes passes and we watch two does feed around for a few minutes in the plot, and decided to make our exit. We walk straight to the back of the plot and look left and there he was 10 yards from where we had pulled the trigger. To God Be The Glory!!!! One of the best weekends of my life as a father. I'm teaching my son to hunt, but I think my son is teaching me to trust and lean on God a little more than I do. I'm not much of a writer, hope this story is understandable.
