ReAnn Chatham, 14, was brimming with enthusiasm and anticipation last Thursday afternoon as she entered her shoot house in Clarke County. Chatham and her dad Greg had located some nice bucks and she was ready to harvest her first buck of the year on this early season youth hunt.
“It was really windy and the wind was just blowing really bad right into my face,” said ReAnn.
Chatham had been in the stand about 30 minutes when things heated up quickly.
“About 4:45 I looked up and a nice 8-point walked out into the greenfield,” she said.
Another buck entered the field right behind him also. This one was a 7-point and not quite as good. Chatham raised her .308 rifle and centered the crosshairs on the 8-point buck but hesitated before making the shot as something caught her eye.
“I was looking at the 8-point with the scope and saw a much bigger deer behind him,” Chatham said. “He was looking right at me so I had to wait until he turned.”
As soon as the buck made a turn Chatham quickly centered the crosshairs on his shoulder and squeezed off a shot. As the rifle roared the buck dropped down on his left side at the impact, whirled and ran into the woods.
Chatham was really excited but concerned as the buck had left so quickly, so she called her dad on her cell phone.
“I shot that 14-point buck,” Chatham said.
“No way,” replied Greg Chatham.
Chatham’s father Greg and Uncle Johnny Cumberland arrived shortly afterwards and they tracked the deer and found him a scant 100 yards from the shot. The young sharpshooter’s aim was straight and true once again.
“That’s the deer people look for all their life and I got him at 14!” said Chatham. The 14-point buck weighed 170 pounds and scored 149 7/8 B&C.
*Don’t forget to enter photos of your bucks in the Big Buck Photo Contest to be eligible for monthly giveaways.
Read other stories about big bucks killed this season by clicking here.
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