Bryan Barton’s management strategy at Butterfield Plantation pays off in a big way with a mature 9-point buck he’d been after for two seasons
It was one of those hunts where everything came together as expected. And that’s rare, especially for the heat and humidity of early season in South Carolina where deer movement can be scarce.
Bryan Barton has been hunting the 1,900-acre Butterfield Plantation in Allendale County, South Carolina, for the past five years with a small group of close friends: Porter, Duncan, Ford, and Keith. Together, they’ve put a lot of effort into managing the property—passing young bucks, maintaining mineral sites, and keeping food plots running year-round.
“This buck had been on our radar for a while,” Barton tells Hunting Southern. “He didn’t get any wider from last year to this year, but he got thicker and taller. He just had that look—like he was hitting his peak. We all agreed: he was mature, and he made the hit list.”
The team had been watching the buck’s habits closely for months, and by early season, his routine was like “clockwork.” Barton says the buck was so consistent, they could pin his movements down to a 30- to 45-minute window.
But South Carolina in early deer season doesn’t always play nice. That Friday evening was miserably hot and muggy, and the group delayed their walk-in because of the heat. Bryan was soaked in sweat and swatting at wasps in the stand when deer finally started moving.
“I looked like hell,” he joked. “Shorts on, sweat everywhere… it was brutal.”
Just as the sun dropped behind the trees, movement appeared in the food plot: a small 8-pointer, two does, another solid young 8—and finally, the mature 9-point buck they’d been after.
“He came in and started pushing the other bucks around, acting like the boss. It took him a few minutes to settle down, but once he did, I knew it was game time.”
The feeder sat 168 yards from the stand. Barton settled in, aimed his POF AR-10 .308, and squeezed off a clean shot from about 170 yards. The rifle did its job. It was a clean upper heart shot and the buck only ran 70 yards before piling up.
The mature buck weighed almost 195 pounds and carried 9 impressive points with thick, 5-inch bases. Barton didn’t waste time getting the deer to Jim Stout’s Taxidermy for a full shoulder mount.
The kill marked a milestone not just for Bryan, but for the whole crew’s years-long effort in managing their hunting ground.
“Honestly, it just goes to show that if you feed them year-round and learn to age deer on the hoof, you’re gonna get results,” Barton says. “It’s hard to pass bucks, especially early on, but you gotta let them hit their potential.”
When asked what advice he’d give to younger hunters or those looking to improve their herd, he keeps it simple: “Feed them. Be patient. Let ’em grow.”
