Sportsman user arrows 135-inch buck along Big Black River

MS-Sportsman.com user Max Lovertich arrowed this huge 8-point Oct. 15 just minutes after asking God to let him see a deer.

Prayer to ‘see a deer, any deer’ leads to big deer on club straddling Hinds, Warren counties.

Max Lovertich had been bow hunting a few hours the morning of Oct. 15 when he just couldn’t stand it any longer.

“It was 7:30 and I just asked the Lord to let me see a deer, any deer,” said the 19-year old from Byrum. “I’m not kidding. I wouldn’t have minded a buck, but at that point I was ready to see anything come through because I was getting bored. Doe, buck, something with four legs. It didn’t matter.”

Fifteen minutes later, Lovertich quietly stood up in his ladder stand “to stretch and get the blood flowing again after sitting for a while.” Hunting on club property near the Big Black River in Hinds and Warren counties, he expected to see something in the fertile area. He already had killed three deer on four visits to the stand this season.

“I looked around behind me, and there was a buck maybe 10 steps away from me,” he said. “It didn’t see me and I got my release ready, but when I started to turn it leaped three times and was about 30 yards away just like that.

“He didn’t blow, throw his tail up or anything. He just leaped and stopped.”

Lovertich got a better look at the buck’s antlers then. Up close and far away gives a little perspective. It was the best one he’d ever seen in six years of bowhunting and about 15 years of hunting.

After whistling to get it to stop, the buck began walking back toward him.

“He got within about 20 steps and was still coming,” said Lovertich, who uses his name as his handle on the MS-Sportsman.com forum. “I whistled again, he turned broadside and I made the shot.”

Lovertich didn’t know it immediately, but the shot from his Mathews Monster M-6 had been perfect. The bruiser 8-point weighed 245 pounds and green scored 135 3/8 gross inches (133 inches, net) Pope & Young.

“I was freaking out, calling my dad to come help with this big deer, and he thought I was joking around with him again like I usually do,” Lovertich said. “I thought I heard the deer fall but wasn’t sure because I was so excited. I finally convinced (his dad) to come help.”

They looked around where his Gold Tip arrow and Swacker braodhead entered the deer’s ribcage, but couldn’t find the arrow or blood.

“I think we were both excited and decided to leave for a few hours,” the younger Lovertich said. “We didn’t want to push the deer and have it run away. I thought it might have headed toward the river and didn’t want to lose it.

“I lost a 10-point a couple of years ago rifle hunting because I pushed it too soon.”

After three long hours, the Lovertiches returned with a few friends to continue the search. In his excitement, Lovertich previously had walked past the point of impact. His father found the spot, and they began following the blood trail.

We had some older fellers and a young boy about 11- or 12-years old,” Lovertich said. “The deer ran a little half circle about 75 yards away from where I hit him.

“The little boy said, ‘There’s the rack.’ and that’s how we found him.”

See other photos of this great buck here!

Lovertich said their club land was in the state’s management program for several years before being taken out. To date, they’ve killed several big does pushing 200 pounds and bucks the size of his big 8-pointer or bigger.

He knew his October surprise was a wallhanger when he loosed his arrow, but wasn’t certain how big until he got his hands on the rack.

“It’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen bow hunting,” Lovertich said. “He was close enough that I thought I heard him fall and wanted to go see, but didn’t want to push him.

“When in doubt, back out. It’ll make you sick having to wait to go searching, but it’s better than pushing him on and losing it.”

He’s also catching some good-natured ribbing from his fellow club members.

“We have a biggest doe and biggest buck contest for bow season and right now,” he said, “I have both.”

Check out other bucks killed this season – and post photos of your own – in the free Nikon Big Buck Photo Contest, which is open to all registered users of this site.

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