Hunter: Stephanie Odom
Points: 9 (4L, 5R)
County: Early
Season: 2018-2019
Hunt Story
I didn't think I was going to get to hunt in this stand because the wind was wrong. It changed up, and I had the perfect wind. I got in the lock-on and got set up about 5:15. It was hot!! According to our cameras, the deer I was after was coming in the morning time only, so I was hoping that maybe he would change up. First, the does started coming in with their little ones. Finally, some bucks started showing up. A good 8 came in, but he was too young. More bucks started coming, and a big 5 1/2 6-point came in and started running all of the other bucks off. There was deer everywhere. I stood up and got my bow hoping the deer I was looking for would show. Well, he did!!! My 9-point showed up. When he came in, my heart was about to beat out of my chest. He was facing me, so I couldn't get a shot. The big 6 was running him off. He turned broadside, so I drew my bow back. The big 6 ran him off, so I let down. He came back and was at 15-yards. Once again the big 6 ran him out again, so I let down again! Finally, he made his way back, and he wouldn't turn broadside. I was getting upset because daylight was fading fast down in the woods. The big 6 came up behind him, and he turned broadside. I said, "There it is!" My heart was pounding so fast once I drew back that I held my breath. When I pulled the trigger on my release, I immediately heard the smack. Deer went everywhere. I watched him run into the woods and sat down. I called my husband, Shannon, on the phone and told I stuck my deer. He told me to calm down and wait for him and my two sons to get there. That was the longest wait ever! They finally got there, and I got down. We got our lights out and started tracking blood. Blood was everywhere. We tracked him to a creek and found more blood where he had walked up the creek and turned. We were about to back out and come back later, but husband said he was going to go 15 more yards. If he didn't see him, then we would back out. Well, when he walked 15 more yards, he spun around and told me to come up there. My deer was laying in the palmettos. I was so thankful he decided to go 15 more yards. He ran about 175 yards. I made a liver shot and clipped a lung. It took us a while to get him out. He was heavy, and it was boggy in the woods. My husband and oldest son, Dawson, dragged him to the creek then down the creek. Then my youngest son, Noah, grabbed a back leg to help. The creek was deep in spots, so they all had water in their boots and was soaking wet. It was so muggy and hot! We were all trying to help drag him while stumbling over Cyprus knees. Finally, we got him out and loaded him up!!! I want to thank my husband, Shannon, and my oldest son, Dawson, for putting me in a great spot to hunt, and I want to thank them and my youngest son, Noah, for bogging through the mud and creek to drag him out. I couldn't have done it without them!!!
