Yancy Phillips of Lake Charles, a long distance 18 wheeler driver, has hunted for more than 20 years on a lease near Singer in Beauregard Parish.
There was one particular buck that had grabbed his attention, a heavy-racked buck he has hunted and been watching for the past four years.
“Two years ago, my granddaughter was in the stand with me when the buck stepped out,” Phillips said. “Since she had never shot a buck, I let her give it a try, and she missed.”
Another chance
Phillips had to work the morning of Sunday, Dec. 10, but he was able to get away and head for his stand that afternoon, a box stand that overlooks a fire lane lying adjacent to a grove of oaks.
“I got in the stand around 3:15 and soon after, I watched three does come out to feed on the corn and Acorn Rage I had on the ground,” he said. “They hung around about 30 minutes before leaving. I have hunted here long enough that I sort of ‘know’ the deer where I hunt and these three were young does I didn’t recognize.
After the does left, Phillips was using his binoculars and enjoyed watching some raccoons and squirrels feed on the corn when one of the does he recognized, an older doe with a white marking on her neck, along with a smaller doe came out to the lane.
“This old doe did something I have never seen a deer do,” he said. “She squatted down right in the middle of the lane on all fours like she was scared to death. I felt like maybe something was about to happen so I laid the binoculars aside and picked up my Savage .308.
“The old doe had reason to be disturbed because I looked up to see the big buck I had been after so long step from the woods and he had an air about him, like he was king of the mountain just strutting his stuff. My heart started racing and I said to myself, ‘there he is’. He walked over to the Acorn Rage, took a couple of bites as he was watching the doe that had squatted.”
King of the Mountain
The buck stood broadside at 120 yards, Phillips got the scope on his vitals and hit the trigger. The buck ran maybe 10 feet before stumbling and falling.
The big buck, determined to be at least 5 ½ years old, sported a rack of 11 points. Inside spread was 17 inches with main beams measuring 26 inches each and impressive 6 inch bases. The buck weighed 180 pounds.
The buck was taken to K and K Taxidermy in Reeves where the rack was measured with an unofficial score of 153 1/8 inches.
“I’ve hunted on this club for more than 20 years and this is by far the biggest one I have ever had a chance at,” Phillips said.