Kentucky's Jacob Fortney made this mainframe 10-point his top priority for the 2024 season, and it didn't take him long to fill his tag!
October 30, 2024
By Clifford Neames
Like so many other bowhunters, Jacob Fortney was anxiously awaiting the 2024 season. His home state of Kentucky has one of the earliest opening days, and he had a big buck dialed in.
He and hunting partner, Mark Combs, had put in hours of planting and planning on their 425-acre tract in western Kentucky. His cell cams had helped him narrow down the area where a huge mainframe 10-point hung out, and he had an elevated blind set up in a prime spot for afternoon hunts. Now, it was time to cash in.
Jacob doesn’t hunt mornings in the early-season, so he decided to play in a golf tourney the morning of the opener. That took longer than expected and had him much later than planned for his hunt, but he snuck and was set up by 5:30 PM. A quick check showed all clear — no deer on the plot when he arrived, check. Ozonics in place, check. Arrow nocked and ready, check. Bring on the deer!
The game plan Fortney had in place worked to perfection, even though a golf tournament that ran late didn't allow him to get into position until 5:30 PM. The first 30 minutes of the hunt passed quickly as he watched some does, a few yearlings and a flock of turkeys file past his perch. A steady breeze remained in his favor for nearly two more hours as Jacob sat patiently waiting. Then he spotted a smaller 8-point coming into the half-acre of clover, followed by his target buck.
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”Everything was so perfect, I would have been surprised if he hadn’t shown up,” he recalled. “And now, it was go time!”
The big buck fed around the small field as he moved closer, but kept his body turned at an awkward angle for several minutes. When he turned broadside at 35 yards, Jacob lined up his sight and released the arrow.
Fortney's buck was gross-scored at 167 6/8 inches. “My first thought was the shot looked like it had hit his shoulder,” Jacob said. “But I saw the shaft buried up to the lighted nock as he took off. I texted Mark that I had hit him, then waited for him to come help recover the buck.”
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That turned out to be a short walk when the pair found the buck piled up only 100 yards from the blind. The beautifully-balanced rack features long evenly-spaced tines on unturned beams, and a nice bonus kicker. It gross-scored 167 6/8. “Even though I’m done in Kentucky, my daughter has an elk tag. I want to see what we can come up with for her,” he explained.
That sounds like another really good plan!
