Think deer hunting’s hard for you? Well, it’s definitely a whole lot harder for 16-year-old Ben Fontenot, but that hasn’t stopped him from whacking some brutes.
I had a great New Year’s holiday, I took a real nice buck at Red River WMA Saturday, Jan. 2. Here is how it happened.
I got to Red River (Wildlife Management Area) Thursday around noon, and hunted that evening. Friday morning I hunted the same stand, then packed up around 9:00 and moved to another spot.
I found some good sign and set up in an area with some sloughs running through and some thickets around. I hunted from around 11 a.m. until dark. I had a deer blow at me while I was walking in, and right before dark I heard a couple of deer blow at another hunter in the area who was leaving, so I knew that there were deer in the area.
Saturday was cold! I got on my stand before (daylight)and was listening to the duck hunters murder the ducks. Around 8:30, the duck hunters stopped shooting as much and it got quiet; I started hearing a few deer hunters shoot.
Around 9:10, I realized I hadn’t used my call yet that morning so I grabbed it and bleated a couple of times. Five minutes later I turn my head to look behind me and I see white horns coming at about 30 yards: He was walking, looking ahead smelling the air and ground.
I turned, got on him, and nail him with a heart shot. He didn’t go 40 yards and crashed in a briar patch. I didn’t realize how good of a buck he was till I got to him – awesome!
He weighed 226 on the hoof, and is a basic 8-point with kickers on both his G2s, but one was broke off. He had real good mass, and I gross scored him at 124 1/2 inches.
I’m still wondering if this really happened. This is by far the best deer I’ve ever taken. I couldn’t be more happy and to take this deer on public land is so rewarding!