We’re right in the middle of one of my favorite times of year. Deer season is going strong, I have the privilege of writing stories of big bucks taken around the state for LA Sportsman magazine and this year, some of the stories are exciting; some are quirky.
Let me start by mentioning a quirky one. Mitchell Legendre, Houma resident who hunts in DeSoto Parish told me a story that is wacky to say the least. While walking to his stand one afternoon last month, he saw what he at first thought was a big buzzard. The startled bird flew over him and something fell, almost hitting Legendre in the head.
He got a better look at the bird and realized it was a bald eagle and upon checking to see what the bird had dislodged as it flew overhead – he thought a branch must have been been knocked aloose. He looked down to find a three pound largemouth bass, freshly caught by the eagle from nearby Toledo Bend lake. He took the bass back to camp, fileted and fried it for supper. The next morning, he walked back to his stand and downed a big 9 point buck.
“I was blessed twice during my two day hunt,” said Legendre. “First a bass falls from the sky at my feet and I downed the biggest buck I ever got.”
Next, here’s a story about two impressive trophy bucks taken on the same day less than a hundred miles apart in one of the state’s areas set aside for hunting, Area 2 which encompasses much of north central Louisiana.
Having an encounter with a genuine trophy buck is not that uncommon for hunters in the eastern part of the state along the Mississippi delta. Soils in that part of the state are richer and provide the impetus for plant materials high in protein that can produce bucks with impressive antlers and body weights. In general, Area 2 does not offer the same high quality soils and foods to make deer grow that large. To take two bucks, each with antler measurements over 180 inches is a rarity for Area 2. To take them on the same day is rare indeed.
Lee Comer was hunting near Black Lake in Natchitoches Parish when he had an encounter with a huge buck. When the big buck stepped out on the morning of November 13, Comer got his scope lined up on the buck that was standing broadside at 40 yards.
When he touched the trigger, the sound he heard was sickening…..CLICK….the firing pin landed on a faulty bullet. The buck continued to stand and look at him while he nervously and as quietly as he could, eased the action open, removed the faulty bullet and inserted another. Incredibly, the buck was still standing and staring at him when he finally got his shot off. The
buck, which carried a rack of 11 points, scored an eye-popping 182 1/8 inches of antler.
Meanwhile on that same afternoon, November 13, Jordan Parker who lives in Benton, was hunting land in Bossier Parish. As he settled into his ground blind in a hardwood bottom, he first watched a doe step out at 100 yards and then watched her ease on off.
While he was watching the doe, he heard another deer walking through the woods and the biggest buck he ever saw, one that had shown up in mostly nighttime images on his trail camera, stepped out. Parker was able to get the crosshairs of his scope on the shoulder, hit the trigger and watched the buck run about 10 yards before collapsing.
Parker’s buck, a 12 point with symmetrical evenly matched antlers earned antler measurements of 181 inches.
An eagle delivering a gift fish plus two 180-plus inch bucks on the same day in an area not known for trophy bucks. I can’t wait to hear what the next successful hunter has to tell.
FISHING REPORT
BLACK BAYOU – Crappie fishing is fair on jigs and shiners. No report on bass or bream. Contact Honey Hole Tackle Shop 323-8707 for latest information.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Crappie fishing has been best on jigs or shiners around the boat ramp and nearby trees. Bass have fair to good flipping jigs around structure. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – Overall, fishing for bass and crappie has been fair at best. Nothing really good to report. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Crappie fishing had been on fire this week with lots of reports of limits with some nice sized fish caught mostly along channel edges on shiners or jigs. Bass fishing has been best fishing soft plastics and crank baits off the points with the Corney Creek area producing best. Bream are slow while catfish are biting cold worms fished off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie fishing has been best fishing around the lights at night with shiners or jigs. Bass have been fair fishing crank baits off the points. A few catfish have been caught on cold worms with jug fishing using chunks of wieners taking a few. The bream and stripers are slow. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-
4498.
CANEY LAKE – Jigging spoons and tail spinners are working best on bass bouncing these lures off the bottom in 18-20 foot deep water. Soft plastics and deep diving crank baits have been producing some around humps just off the channels with a few in the 7-8 pound range. Crappie fishing continues to be best fishing the deep tops on shiners or jigs. No report 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.
LAKE POVERTY POINT – Crappie fishing has improved both around the slips and on the lower end of the lake on shiners or jigs. Catfishing continues to be good with mostly smaller sizes reported. No report on bass. For latest reports, call Poverty Point Marina at 318/878-0101.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water has come up just a bit but is still quite low. Some real slab crappie have been caught on jigs or shiners. Bass have done well with some nice sized fish caught on soft plastics and spinners. Catfish are doing well on trotlines. For information, call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.
To report an issue or typo with this article – CLICK HERE
