Hunter: Damon Dunagan
Points: 10 (5L, 5R)
County: Hancock
Season: 2022-2023
Hunt Story
Day 4 of a weeklong stay on my property in Hancock County. I have a tree lounge hung in the bottom of a hollow that has produced several good bucks over the years. About 9:45 am I looked up at the top of the ridge and saw first his rack and then his body coming over the crest. He was moving in the "got somewhere to be" trot that I think most hunters have seen bucks use. He was coming down the ridge and was set to go past me on my right side, which worked well since I am a left-handed shooter. I picked out a good size hole that he was going to pass through that was pretty much straight off my right side. When he hit that opening and the crosshairs hit his shoulder, I fired. He did not fall with the shot, but I could tell as he was leaving that his front end was not working as it should and he appeared to be hit hard. The shot was about 45 yds and was taken with a Rem. Model 700 in 30-06 with a handloaded 150gr ballistic tip. He managed to run approximately 100 yds before he went down. The blood trail was extensive and made for a quick recovery of the deer. The round entered just behind his right shoulder, passed through his heart and exited through his left shoulder.
