Gary King took the top archery buck in the state last season on a hunt in Worth County. The rack netted 153 1/8 P&Y points. Photo courtesy of Gary King

No one could have guessed that of the five South Georgia bucks to make the Pope and Young Club all-time record book in 2004, the two largest would come from adjacent counties not 10 miles apart. Even more astounding is the role that two local creeks would play in the recovery of these twin trophies. Here are the stories.

THE KING BUCK
Gary King, a 31-year-old fireman for the city of Albany, has taken his share of big bucks during the past 20 years, including a 150-B&C-class 12-pointer and an 8-pointer that scored in the upper 140s. But since he started flinging arrows about 11 years ago, other than a few does and small bucks he had yet to take a really nice whitetail with his bow.

King is fortunate to be able to hunt on 4,000 acres of family owned land bordering the Flint River in Worth County. Known as Red Oak Plantation, this property is located in the heart of the Flint River corridor of counties long known for producing trophy bucks. While the former owners were primarily interested in quail, the focus in recent years has been on managing for big bucks. A mixture of upland pines and extensive bottomland hardwoods along the river and Big Abrams Creek, coupled with some 400 acres of summer and winter food plots, make for excellent deer habitat.

Having lived on the property a number of years, King knows the land intimately, and he and Brian McClure, the farm manager, watch and video deer year 'round. They had observed several good bucks in one particular pea patch during the latter part of the summer. Scouting had shown that there was a good travel corridor from that field along a small ridge that ran down into a prime bedding area in the bottoms of Big Abrams Creek. King had picked out a stand location near a large white oak in the bend of the creek where a number of deer trails converged. It was a natural evening stand.

"I knew where I wanted to go because I had scouted the area," he said. "But I was waiting on a west wind that would blow my scent up the hill out of the creek bottom before I hunted there."

Gary arrowed a doe for the freezer on opening day and had hunted four or five times the first week of the archery season. It had been hot, as it usually is in early September in the southern part of the state. Remnants of a couple of hurricanes had recently passed through the area, and the wind and heavy rain had prematurely knocked off a lot of acorns. The deer had already found the oak mast.

On the afternoon of Sept. 17, conditions finally got right for the hunter to try his prime spot on the bend in the creek. He parked his truck just off the highway, slung his climbing stand over his shoulder, and walked several hundred yards to the creek. Attaching the stand to a small water oak about 50 yards from the creek, he climbed the tree and readied his gear. It was 5:45 p.m.

"It was pretty hot, so I was taking my time putting on my gloves and head net and getting situated," King recalled. "I was just trying to cool down."

He had been in his stand scarcely 10 minutes when, over his left shoulder, he detected movement. Along the edge of the creek about 60 yards out, an 8-pointer in full velvet was walking his way. As King slowly swiveled to get a better look, he spotted an even larger 10-pointer behind the first buck. Quickly sizing up the antlers, the now excited bowhunter judged this one a definite candidate for Pope and Young recognition and decided to take the shot if it presented itself.

As the two whitetails slowly approached the big white oaks about 40 yards up the ridge, Gary suddenly spotted yet a third buck bringing up the rear. It was another 10-pointer, but one that dwarfed the earlier bucks.

King nocked an arrow and watched motionless as the first two bucks fed by him at 25 yards. Almost afraid to even blink, he waited as the "boss" buck approached to within 15 yards and started eating acorns. As the big whitetail turned broadside, King drew his compound bow and released.