This deer has been hanging around my dad’s lease in Area 2, Natchitoches Parish, for a few years now. He visited a few other corn piles, had his picture taken on a few other trail cameras, and caused some folks to lose a little sleep the last week or so.
I had to work Monday-Wednesday. Thankfully, I got my shift covered for Wednesday and went on to the lease to try my luck at this deer. On Nov. 26, Wednesday morning, around 8:20, I sent my dad and my husband Dustin both a text that said “check cam now” because there was a big buck walk out. After I sent the text, I kept watching. The deer looked up straight towards my stand, and at that moment I realized it was him. My heart was about to beat smooth out of my chest. But the deer never turned and I really didn’t have time to get a shot.
Over the next few days, I hunted morning and evening. Nothing. Some evenings barely any activity. The deer I was after would come at midnight or sometimes right after I left the stand.
On Sunday morning, Nov. 30, I got up at 3:30 a.m. It was raining, and I had an hour drive to go hunting. Thankfully, I chose to make the drive today. Deer were on the move. I saw a ton of them on the way. Normally, I take a short little nap in the stand because there is no sleep better than a good deer stand nap. But this morning I was focused.
Patience pays off
Watching down the lane the deer came out like last time. I took a glance out the window to my left and saw a buck poking his head out the bushes. It was close enough that I didn’t want to move too quick and cause it to run off. By the time I got turned and my put my gun out the other window he was already crossing. I had enough time to see that it was him, but no opportunity to shoot. He was headed in the direction of the corn pile in the other lane so I got ready.
I was constantly back and forth. Looking both ways to see if he’d come back out. Finally, I saw movement at the corn pile. Again, he walked straight across and didn’t stop. He walked into the edge of the woods and then back out towards the corn pile. This time facing me staring right at the stand. (After the last time he showed up, my dad and Dustin both told me just get a bullet in him. Shoot him in the chest, the butt, the shoulder, wherever you can shoot him) I aimed straight for his chest.
As I was getting ready to shoot, dad got a camera notification and was attempting to text and let me know it was him at the corn. I didn’t care at that point. I was pretty confident. I shot. He jumped straight up and ran off. Not a drop of blood in the corn pile. No hair. Nothing.
Losing hope
My husband had seen the deer on the camera also and was texting asking if I shot it. Calling to see if we found any blood. I wasn’t ready to tell him I missed. Dad searched one way and I searched another. Still no sign of blood or hair anywhere.
“I’m not giving up yet,” Dad said. “Tell me again where the deer was and which way he went in the woods.”
After I showed him, he walked a good ways in where I had looked, then asked how far I went. I told him just a little further than where he was. He saw a red leaf and thought it was blood. While he was kneeling down he also saw a white belly through the woods and then the horns.
He hollered, “Ally, come here.”
When I made it to where he was, he asked if I had seen any blood in this direction. About that time, I saw the deer’s belly and took off. I didn’t know whether I wanted to yell, cry, scream, or what! I’m thankful for opportunities like this. It was an awesome experience. The buck scored 150 3/8.
