‘We feel they are safe,’ official says
The Central Louisiana Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association hosted its annual scoring event in Marksville last week, and once again proved why Avoyelles Parish is probably the top-producing big-buck parish in the state.
Chapter President Bob Stevens welcomed the group, and Scott Durham, Tony Vidrine and the author officially scored 19 bucks for the Louisiana Record Program.
The quality of the racks was such that the three scorers worked non-stop while those attending enjoyed a great meal and traded hunting stories.
Three Avoyelles Parish bucks qualified for the state record bow list, as well as for the Pope and Young Record Book.
Jeff Newton, who killed a 165-class P&Y buck last year, killed one that scored 144 1/8 inches typical in November. Roland Dugas, Sr., whose grandson won the Bowie Big Buck Youth Contest this year with a 157 6/8-inch typical deer that he killed with his bow on the family farm, killed a 138 5/8-inch typical buck in late December.
Jimmy Whittle killed a 138 5/8 typical buck in mid December to also qualify for the P&Y Record Book.
The minimum score for the Pope & Young Record Book for a typical deer is 125.
Henry Pfeffer killed a 150 7/8 B&C typical buck in Avoyelles Parish with his rifle, and qualified for the 2007-2009 Louisiana Recognition Program. Scott Roszell also killed a 178 2/8-inch non-typical deer with a gun that also qualified for listing in the Recognition Program.
Three more racks were scored from the Dugas Farm. Gene Bordelon killed a 144 1/8-inch typical buck. This buck had 15 points and grossed 174 7/8 inches. Dustin Aucoin also killed a 138 6/8-inch typical buck with his crossbow on the farm in late December. The Aucoin buck will make the State Record Crossbow List.
The third Dugas Farm rack came from a deer that the family found dead on their farm. It scored 144 1/8-inches typical points and grossed 169 5/8. It had 24-inch main beams and 5-inch bases.
Quality Deer Management is practiced on the farm, with the emphasis being on quality food and allowing bucks to get into the older age classes.
Other deer that qualified for the State Recognition Program List include a 136 6/8-inch typical buck killed by James Leatherman and 152-inch typical buck killed by Samuel Johnson in Catahoula Parish.
Also, Jason Smigura killed a buck that had three separate antlers, a feature that is not very common. Smigura killed the buck with his .45-70 rifle, and shot it for a 6-point. The buck had 15 points and netted a non-typical score of 148. It was scored as a 6-pointer with nine abnormal points that accounted for 41 7/8 inches.
However, bucks with three antlers are not accepted by The Boone & Crockett Club. The Louisiana Records Program does accept a buck with three antlers, scoring it as a non-typical point.