Dan Preaus, a longtime Shelter Insurance agent in Ruston, had his eye on a particular buck for two years until age and antler development showed the buck had reached the stage of maturity to become this season’s target buck.
“I had this deer on camera two years ago and although he was nothing special then, I could see he was a decent 7-point but he had potential,” Preaus said.
One year later, Preaus kept up with the buck and saw he was a 9-point that had grown noticeably from the previous year.
“I could tell he had improved a lot over the past year but felt that another year he had the chance to be a really nice buck,” he said. “I had a chance at him last year but decided to pass up a shot and hoping he’d make it another year thinking this year he would be special.”
Preaus hunts on 2,000 acres of private property in Union Parish, land that is mostly a pine plantation. Pines were harvested 10-12 years ago, replanted and the area has grown up into plenty of thick cover, just the type of area deer, especially older bucks, like to call home.
In order to plan for this season, Preaus stayed out of the area where the buck had regularly shown up on camera, putting out a mineral block and camera to keep track of the buck as the season approached.
“Photos I got of him in velvet in August showed what I hoped I’d see,” Preaus said. “He had really matured and subsequent photos told me this was the year I’d take him if I had the chance.”
The right time
By September, photos showed hardened antlers after losing velvet. Even more exciting was the fact that the buck was on camera during daylight hours, something that gave Preaus more optimism.
“A week before the season opened this year I put up a bow stand, but because of the absence of trees big enough for a lock on or climber in the area I wanted to hunt, I decided to put out a 10-foot tripod stand I could better hide in the cover,” Preaus said. “Two hours after putting up the tripod, he was back on camera so I knew I hadn’t disturbed him.”
Preaus got on his stand the afternoon of opening day, Oct. 1, and saw several deer but the big one didn’t show. The following afternoon at around 4:15, he was back on the stand.
“The weather was warm and muggy as I got settled in, feeling that eventually I’d get a chance at the buck because I knew he was in the area,” Preaus said. “At about 5:35, I heard a deer coming up behind me and a young buck, one I had been seeing running with the big one, walked to the pile of corn and rice bran I had out. Momentarily, he raised his head and was looking back from where he had come so I knew he heard something. I was hoping it wasn’t a coyote or a big hog that I had seen in the area. Then I caught movement and saw it was the buck I was after.”
Squeak almost gives Preaus away
The big buck came out to the feed at 20 yards but the young buck got beside him and Preaus had to wait until the little one moved to draw his bow. When the young buck looked away Preaus drew the bow, but in doing so his tripod made a small “squeak” and the young buck looked directly at him.
“I was afraid the game was over but the big buck didn’t seem to hear it,” Preaus said. “When the young one finally looked away, I was able to release my arrow. The buck ran about 75 yards before collapsing.”
Preaus shoots a Mathews Legacy bow, Carbon Express arrows with a Hammer Head broadhead.
The buck, determined to be 4 ½ years old, had 9 points, an inside spread of near 17 inches, main beams 24 and 25 inches and tipped the scales at 187 pounds. The tale of the tape measured the antlers at 142 inches.
Keeping an eye on the buck for two years, passing up a chance at him a year ago and watching him grow, paid off nicely for Dan Preaus this season.