Dedria Brashear, who lives south of Ruston, is a serious deer hunter. Her husband hunts ducks; she concentrates on big bucks.

On October 12, Brashear had a hair-raising experience when she attempted to recover a big 12 point buck she shot in late afternoon when a big bear beat her to her trophy. Brashear, who works as a relief pharmacist for several pharmacies around the area, hunts on a 1500 acre hunting club in Madison Parish. A 500 acre tract within the club is restricted to bow hunting only.

“I have hunted only with my bow for the past 15 years because I love the challenge of getting a deer close to my stand. I hunt with a Matthews Triax bow, use Carbon Express arrows tipped with Rage Tripan broadheads,” Brashear said.

The area she chose to hunt is a prime spot inside a large food plot. Brashear had found trails leading through the area so she hung her stand 30 yards off a main trail realizing that deer stage in the thicket before coming out on the food plot to feed.

“The weather was warm with daytime temperatures approaching 90 degrees. On October 11, I hunted both morning and evening and only saw a few young deer. The next morning was about the same as the warm temperatures kept the deer from really moving. I rely on the Moon Guide which lets me know when wildlife is more likely to be moving. The Guide indicated that the peak times for movement would be afternoons for the next three days so I was somewhat optimistic as I climbed into my stand that afternoon,” she said.

Sitting in her stand as the afternoon wore on, Brashear watched some does, fawns and small bucks venture out onto the food plot. Then with 15-20 minutes of shooting light left, a squirrel began barking excitedly.

“I have always found that when something disturbs a squirrel like that, it is often a mature buck so I began search the woods and in a small opening, I caught a glimpse of antlers. Light was fading fast when the buck stepped into an opening at 25 yards. I released an arrow, knowing I had made a good shot when I heard him crash at 75 yards,” she continued.

Brashear went back to camp to give the buck time to expire. Informing friends about her shot, she was offered help but, in her words, “I hate to be a burden to other hunters and felt like I could handle it myself.”

Driving back in an ATV to where she had shot the deer, her flashlight shined on a white belly and she was preparing to use the hoist on the machine to lift the buck and transport it to the camp.

“As I walked around the deer to admire what I had shot, I saw that a goodly portion of one of the hindquarters had been eaten; I assumed that coyotes had beat me to it. Then I heard movement in the nearby thicket and realized it was not coyotes; it was a big bear. Here I was by myself in the dark with a big bear nearby, one that was upset because I had interrupted his meal. I waved my arms and shouted and when the bear ran away, it sounded like a big bulldozer crashing through the woods,” she said.

Brashear was finally able to get the big bodied buck, which weighed 265 pounds, field dressed and in a cooler and she did it all by herself.

“When I got it all done, it was breaking daylight; I worked on the buck all night before finally getting it in the cooler,” she said.

The buck was a main frame 10 point with two kickers giving the rack 12 points total. Inside spread was 15 4/8 inches, bases were huge with mass that carried throughout the rack. The buck, aged at 6-plus years old was green scored at 145 1/8 inches.

“I made a vow to never hunt alone this late in the day especially in this kind of heat. Obviously,” she said, “I forgot my vow because I was back there hunting alone a week later with temperatures once again quite warm.”

FISHING REPORT

CANEY LAKE – Jigging spoons bounced off the bottom in deep water are producing catches of yellow bass.. Bass are on the deeper points and some are being caught on deep diving crank baits and oversized plastic worms. Crappie are on the move to deeper water with jigs and shiners picking up a few down deep. No report this week on bream or catfish. For information contact Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – Crappie fishing has been best fishing around the deep tops in the river, fishing 20 feet deep in 30 foot water on shiners or jigs. Bass are fair in the cuts on soft plastics, crank baits and Rat-L-Traps. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Crappie have started their move to the deeper channels now that cooler temperatures are sending the shad down deep. Best bet is to fish shiners or jigs in a variety of patterns. Bass are also moving deep with best catches made on deep diving crank baits or jigs. Bream fishing is slow while catfish are still biting cold worms fished off the banks.. For latest reports, call Anderson’s Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – No report this week on stripers. Catfishing has been best on trotlines or stump hooks using small bream for bait. Crappie have started moving to deeper water with Electric Chicken and Lites Out jigs and shiners picking up a few, especially around stumps fairly deep. Bass fishing has been fair with some larger fish hitting jigs, soft plastics and crank baits in fairly deep water. For latest information, call Misty at Kel’s Cove at 331-2730 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
BUSSEY BRAKE –Crappie are scattered and fair. No report on bass, bream or catfish. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BLACK BAYOU – Fishing overall is rather slow. Contact Honey Hole Tackle Shop 323-8707 for latest information.
LAKE POVERTY POINT – Catfishing has been good with mostly smaller fish being caught. Crappie are fair around boat slips with some larger fish caught on the south end of the lake. No report on bream or bass. For latest reports, call Poverty Point Marina at 318/878-0101.
LAKE ST. JOHN – The lake is being lowered but the gates have now been closed. Fishing overall has been quite slow. For information, call Ken Mahoney at 318-201-3821.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water is high but on a slow fall. A few barfish have been caught. No report on bass or crappie. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.