Hunter: Merlin Paulk
Points: 12 (6L, 6R)
County: Turner
Season: 2022-2023
Hunt Story
We’ve had this deer on trail camera for three years now. He recently started showing up on a new food plot we created over the summer during the daylight hours. My brother and I couldn’t make it to hunt the property until October 21. On that day, my brother (Myron) and I saw a lot of deer activity but no signs of the deer we named High and Tight. The next morning, I had a good wind and temperatures in the lower 40s. I had a good feeling he would be on his feet that morning. At 8:15 High and Tight was the first and only deer that entered the food plot and was walking straight toward my stand. He walked within 25 yards of me but would not give me a clean shot. I had good wind but he started acting very nervous, as mature deer do when a hunter is near. Thankfully he turned, and I was able to draw back and get a slightly quartering-away shot at 28 yards. He ran into the woods out of sight but I felt good about the shot placement. I waited an hour until Myron got off the stand to recover the deer about 20 yards off the food plot. I would like to thank my brother for letting me hunt that deer that morning, we both knew whoever hunted the food plot that morning had a good chance at taking this deer. I have always had a passion for hunting trophy whitetails but the best part is sharing the experience with the closest people in your life and having the memories to share. Maybe one day our dad, Melvin Paulk, will get to share an experience like this and tag a deer of his own.
