Joey DeVeer picked up a bow three years ago, and he’s killed a number of does. But he’s been waiting for that special buck before putting his first bow buck on the ground.
That special buck showed up Tuesday (Jan. 12) while the Gonzales, La., hunter was on Bassmaster Elite Series pro Greg Hackney’s Washington County property.
DeVeer watched the big 8-point almost an hour. There were deer all over him, including a 130-class 9-point that was too young to shoot under Hackney’s management dictates.
“There was a 10 (point) earlier that was bigger than that, but we can’t kill a 10,” DeVeer said.
The property has been managed for mature bucks for years, and Hackney and his fellow landowners have stepped up the expectations this season after feeding 16 tons of protein over the summer.
While the club has some standard rules for quality bucks, Hackney limits those he allows to hunt to killing bucks only with bows and then no 10-points. Those he takes to the property are limited to 8-points that are at least 3 ½ years old and 9-points that are at least 5 ½ years old.
“If you kill one you’re not supposed to, you break your plate with Greg,” DeVeer said. “You come to the island with a clean plate, and if you mess up you break the plate and you’re done.”
So he, Bassmaster Elite Series Editor James Hall and the author have been passing numbers of bucks that would die on many pieces of property.
DeVeer said had videoed a big-raced 10-point and a massive-bodied 6-point this morning, but was knew as soon as he saw the 8-point that he was going to take a shot.
“I knew as soon as I looked at him with the binoculars that I was going to shoot him,” he said.
But the deer took its time getting into range.
“It took that long to come in,” he said. “He stood there forever looking at that area.”
So DeVeer pulled out his video camera and taped the big animal work its way closer.
“There were some does in there, and he just hung out behind them,” the hunter said. “I scored him and everything before I shot him.”
After an hour, the range was tightening.
“I had a 40-yard tree picked out, and I was going to shoot it there,” DeVeer said. “He kept coming, so I let him come on in.”
When the deer reached the 30-yard mark, it turned its back on DeVeer. The hunter had his bow ready, but had to wait for the deer to offer a shot. And he had to be careful because of the piles of deer milling about.
“The 8-point didn’t know I was there, but all the other deer were freaking out,” DeVeer said.
As the deer finally turned its head, DeVeer eased the bow to full draw and waited for the deer to make the rest of the turn. However, the buck remained at a hard quarter – and DeVeer was beginning to shake.
Finally the deer stepped a little more and the hunter took the shot.
“He ran off, and I could see the arrow bouncing around in him,” DeVeer said. “He didn’t go but about 80 yards, and he stopped and dropped right.”
After waiting 30 minutes (“I counted down the seconds to exactly 30 minutes), he hurried to collect his trophy.
“I was looking at the deer, and I could see that rack,” DeVeer said. “When I got to him, honestly, there was a little bit of ground shrinkage.
“But he was a big, mature 8-point that needed to be taken out,” he said. “And for a first buck with a bow, I’m just proud.
“I was freaking out. That’s a feeling everybody should have.”
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