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Some bucks haunt trail cameras for years, becoming more legend than reality. That was the case for Jordan Pyles, who had watched a giant velvet buck grow year after year in the hills of Kentucky.
Pyles had hundreds of photos of the buck over a four-year span. Judging by the size and maturity of the deer, he guessed it was at least 6.5 years old. And although he knew the buck’s patterns well, it wasn’t exactly a slam dunk.
“I went in with not the best wind,” Pyles says. “But knowing he was in the area, and his running buddies were losing their velvet, I figured he was close. I had a feeling he was about to go nocturnal, so it was now or never.”
With scent control top of mind, Pyles did everything he could to stack the odds in his favor. He climbed into his stand and waited, bow in hand, as the sun began to dip behind the trees.
At 8:01 p.m., movement caught his eye. The big buck stepped out, but instead of presenting a shot, he locked eyes with Pyles at just under 30 yards.
“It was a stare-off that felt like forever,” he says. “I kept telling myself not to look at the rack. Just breathe.”
As the standoff dragged on and the light faded, Pyles started to think his chance was slipping away. Then, in an unexpected twist, a fawn came crashing through the woods and bumped the buck.
“That little fawn was playing and must’ve bumped into him,” Pyles says. “It caused the buck to take a few steps back and quarter away. That was all I needed.” Pyles had a 28 yard shot that he had mentally prepared for hundreds of times.
He drew, anchored, and released. The arrow hit perfectly.
“I couldn’t believe it. I heard him crash, and he didn’t go 40 yards.”
The massive 11-pointer, still in full velvet, was Pyles’ biggest buck to date. Though it hasn’t been officially scored, he estimates the deer will gross somewhere in the 180s.
The hunt was made even more meaningful by the years of history and the dedication it took to finally get within bow range of such a wary buck.
“Put in the time and work, and the benefits will follow,” Pyles says. “This one proves it.”
The velvet giant is a rare sight, especially in early September, and even more so with four seasons of history behind him. Pyles’ story is the kind that inspires hunters to hang trail cams a little earlier, study patterns a little deeper, and stick it out in the stand just a little longer.
For those wondering if they have a chance to tag a monster buck in the Kentucky woods—Jordan Pyles has the answer hanging on his wall.
