When it comes to downing big bucks, Lincoln Parish has been a big producer this hunting season. From two bucks with weird bunches of antlers, to one that sits in the No. 5 position in the Men’s division at Simmons Sporting Goods Big Buck Contest, these three bucks have all been featured here on LouisianaSportsman.com.
Well guess what; another buck has joined this trio of impressive bucks. In fact, a 17-point buck also taken in Lincoln Parish joins the Top 5 in the Simmons Men’s division. How impressive is it that two bucks in that division were taken in Lincoln Parish and within a couple of miles from each other? The latest in the Lincoln legacy was taken on Nov. 1 by Choudrant resident Chris Lewis, who hunts with friends on a hunting club east of Ruston.
“This is a buck that I have had on my trail camera, and this year was the first year he has shown up,” said Lewis, 48, who works in the oil and gas industry.
Hunting the club during the primitive firearms season, Lewis saw quite a few deer but the big one he had his eye on was a no show.
The land on which the club is located consists of a few hundred acres of mixed pines and hardwoods with a little creek running through the property. Lewis hunts from a box stand that overlooks a food plot where a wildlife mixture is planted.
“After not seeing the big buck so far this season, I was starting to get a bit discouraged, thinking maybe he had moved on or another hunter on neighboring property had gotten him,” Lewis said.
Mo-Bucks
Hunting his stand Saturday morning and evening, Lewis said he didn’t see anything and he was getting disappointed. Then heading back to the stand Sunday afternoon, he settled it to give it another try although he wasn’t too encouraged because of the lack of activity.
“I got in my stand around 2:45 that afternoon and for two and a half hours, I didn’t see anything that interested me,” he said. “Then about 5:15, the big one showed up.”
Lewis had put out a pile of deer attractant, Mo-Bucks, some 120 yards in front of his stand. This attractant, according to the company’s website, is a unique specialty blend and is manufactured in Brookhaven, Miss. Apparently deer are attracted to the feed because the big buck stepped out and came to the pile of food and began feeding.
“There are does in the area but this buck was more interested in eating than he was chasing a hot doe,” he said. “As it was getting late, I wasn’t really sure it was him and I scoped him out to be sure the deer was legal for our club; we have a 6-point of better rule and it didn’t take long for me to know this one met the minimum at least.
“When I realized he was a shooter, I didn’t hesitate so I wouldn’t get a case of the jitters. I put the crosshairs on my Thompson .270 bolt action on his shoulder and pulled the trigger. I could tell I made a good hit on him and he only ran about 30 yards before he piled up.”
Genuine trophy
The buck was a genuine trophy with an estimated weight of at least 200 pounds. His rack sported 17 points with an inside spread of 16 5/8 inches.
Lewis took the buck to Simmons Sporting Goods for entry in the contest and measurements revealed a score of 166 7/8, good enough to put him in first place for a short time in the Men’s division.