Kentucky Hunter Finally Arrows Giant Whitetail After Five Years

• Hunter: Christopher Smoot
• Buck: 186 1/8 inches
• Date of Harvest: October 17, 2024
• Location of Harvest: Kentucky
• Weapon of Harvest: Ravin R10 Crossbow

Christopher Smoot’s 2024 deer season was the culmination of five years. The story unfolded on a working cattle farm right outside of city limits. Last fall was a great one.

“I had this buck on camera for five years,” Smoot said. “I was granted access to hunt this piece of property back in 2018. It has always been close to the house. I can leave my house in my Polaris Ranger and be at the farm within 5 minutes.”

In 2019, the big deer showed up. For the past five seasons, it’s roamed the property. Each year, it’d be there from October through late November.

“After having him for the third year in a row, I noticed a pattern,” Smoot said. “For 10 months of the year, I had zero clue of this deer’s home range. I never once found his sheds.”

No matter when or how many times he hunted, Smoot never saw the buck while hunting, though. But the landowner would see the buck while feeding cattle.

After tons of trail camera photos and no in-person encounters, Smoot and his friend, Andrew, went to the property to assess things.

Andrew surveyed the land, and asked, “What about across the creek?”

“I’d never stepped foot on that side,” Smoot said. “It’s just a feed lot. There’s no way that deer is staying there. But we noticed a 1-acre CRP patch on the back of the feedlot.”

“That’s where he’s bedding, I almost guarantee it,” Andrew said.

“I took his advice and placed a camera on a tree hoping the new location would give me answers,” Smoot said. “The first deer to step in front of the new camera was that buck. I finally felt confident in being able to successfully harvest this deer.”

A few days later, Smoot, Andrew, and another friend, Shae, went back to the farm to hang a tree stand. Prepped to hunt the deer, they backed out and waited for the right time.

Several days passed, and on October 17, 2024, Smoot hunted the whitetail. It was chilly with overcast skies. With a 28-degree temperature drop in play, he expected to see the buck.

“Looking at it on a map, you’d think there’s no way ground like this would produce big deer,” Smoot said. “This farm is mostly pasture ground, minimal woods, a small creek running through the middle, and zero crops within 5 miles. Almost non-existent stand locations, it’s very difficult to hunt due to being restricted on access and being so open and exposed.”

Right before sunrise, a bobcat squalled on a neighboring property. Cattle lowed in the distance. Otherwise, the sit started slowly.

Around 8:35 a.m., Smoot stood up. Just as he did, a small buck pushed a doe along a fence line. Seconds later, he had the feeling something was behind him. He turned, looked, and there it was. The big deer’s rack bobbed into view. Incredibly, for the first time ever, the deer walked out in front of Smoot.

“I was caught off guard by the buck slipping in behind me,” Smoot said. “I had parked my Ranger not 200 yards from the stand in an open field. The buck walked right past my Polaris, hopped the fence, and casually strolled down the existing cattle trail.”

Carefully, he grabbed his Ravin off the bow hanger. At 30 yards, the buck stopped and stared directly at him. After a few tense moments, the deer blinked and continued down the trail.

Finally, the deer turned broadside. Smoot settled the crosshairs and took the 22-yard shot. The bolt soared through a small shooting lane window and struck the vitals.

“I don’t know if people would call it luck, or I just happened to be at the right place at the right time,” Smoot said. “I hung the trail camera on Thursday, hung the stand on Sunday, hunted Tuesday afternoon, and then harvested the deer on Wednesday morning.”

Unfortunately, when Smoot went to recover the deer, it hadn’t expired. Eventually, his friends, Derek and Jared, helped recover the buck.

“I am truly blessed to have harvested a buck of a lifetime,” Smoot said. “This hunt goes to show you don’t need a large piece of property full of timber and food plots. In reality, a lot of big bucks go unnoticed on a farm like this. It's the overlooked places that hold mature bucks. They go unpressed and grow to their potential due to minimal interference.”

Of course, the buck’s rack was impressive. The body size was, too. It weighed 296 pounds and had a 27 ½-inch neck. He sent off the teeth for age verification, and the results determined the deer was 8 ½ years old.

“There's no better feeling than sitting in the woods, waiting for the sun to come up, and seeing everything come to life,” Smoot said. “Harvesting a deer is not the most important thing. It’s being outdoors. Being around your buddies at the skinning shed. Replaying how everyone's hunt went for the day. Having success and seeing all your hard work is satisfying.”

That’s what it’s about.

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