A buck that appeared to have the potential to become a trophy had done just that. He'd blossomed into a 150-class buck, but trail camera photos of him only came at night.
He seemed to be a buck that couldn't be hunted until he made the same mistake twice last week.
"We've watched that deer for three years now," said Joey Brock of Slayden, located in Marshall County near the Tennessee state line. "He was an 8-point three years ago.
"I'd looked at him two or three times in 2022, but I let him go. Then he got to be a 9-point. He kept putting on length and mass."
His antlers were growing bigger, and he was growing smarter, too. The buck managed to stay out of sight during daylight hours.
It is definitely a day I'll never forget.
That Brock didn't get daylight photos of the buck in 2023 didn't really matter. Brock said he only harvests mature bucks, and the 9-point wasn't quite there in 2023. Brock said he's fortunate because adjoining landowners also give bucks a pass until they reach maturity.
"Having good neighbors is the key to having big deer," Brock said.
The buck was big enough to shoot this season, but like last season, he wasn't seen during daylight. However, on Dec. 10, the buck broke his pattern and was caught on camera in a food plot during midday. Brock thought it was a one-and-done event.
"I couldn't believe it," Brock said. "He didn't get that big by being stupid. When I saw that picture, I thought he'd slipped up the only time for the year."
The following morning, Brock was in a stand overlooking the same food plot, but deep down, he didn't think he'd see the buck.
"I thought it was a long shot, but the wind was right, and I knew he was in the area," Brock said.
It was a cool morning with a light breeze and frost, and Brock began seeing activity almost immediately. A doe and a small buck walked by, and a little later, a young 8-point appeared, followed by a group of does.
"At 8:30, he started coming in, and he was right behind them," Brock said. "I thought it was a dream at first.
"My breathing was out of control. I had to get out of the scope twice or three times before calming down. I never thought he'd step out like that."
Brock got his nerves under control and pulled the trigger. The buck fell on the spot and didn't take another step.
"I ran out there to get my hands on him, and it was an awesome feeling," Brock said. "For a typical deer, he's my best deer."
The inside spread was 16 1/4 inches, with main beams measuring 24 1/4 and 23 3/4 inches. His G3s were 10 inches, and his G2s measured 12 1/4 inches and 12 inches. His total gross score was 157 7/8.
"His G2s are what makes him," Brock said. "We don't have any other deer on camera at any of our farms as tall as him."
When Brock said there aren't any deer on the properties he hunts with G2s that long ago, he meant right now. Brock said there's at least one young buck with antlers very similar to those on the buck he harvested.
"I guess we're getting pictures of his offspring," Brock said. "His genes are out there. The one that looks just like him, hopefully he'll make it two more years and get as big as this one."
My congratulations to Joey in our great Mississippi outdoors!
What an awesome hunt!
