The Carolina Sportsmen reported First. Twelve-year-old Justin Hodges of McCormick County blasted a whopper 19-point buck that is threatening the 176-inch Pickens County buck taken by William C. Wyatt as the all-time top buck scored in the Palmetto State. Hodges’ deer has been green-scored at 178 inches.
Wyatt killed the current record buck in 1994, and since that time, very few other whitetails have come close to measuring up. This one certainly does, but Hodges experienced a number of follies during the weeks – and even seconds – leading up to his memorable shot on Nov. 11, that could have spoiled the hunt and left this buck still roaming.
Over Hodges’ short hunting career, he has taken several deer and a few bucks, but none close to this monstrosity he folded in one shot last Friday afternoon. He has experienced some bad luck this year though, missing three deer when his brand new scope malfunctioned.
According to his father, Jason Hodges, it was good that he missed those other deer before this buck arrived on the scene. If this buck would have been the first one he’d shot at, he would have missed. Continue reading – http://www.northcarolinasportsman.com/details.php?id=13559