Ruston Hunter Downs Personal Best Buck
Lane Cox, who works as loan officer for the Ruston Branch of Winnsboro State Bank, wanted to be in his stand when a big buck he had been after stepped out.
“My wife, Becca, was returning from a trip to south Louisiana and I usually meet her as soon as she gets home. However,” said Cox, “when I got out of church Sunday, my phone ‘pinged’ and there stood the big buck I had been hunting hard; he was standing right by my stand. I called Becca, told her the situation and she agreed that I should be on my stand the next day, October 19, to give me a chance at this big buck.”
The buck Cox was after had been showing up on his cameras on the hunting club where he holds membership, Winter Quarters near St. Joseph in Tensas Parish.
“He had really blown up this year and I had started getting photos of him beginning in August so in September, I started feeding him corn and rice bran. On October 1, I was walking to my stand before daylight with my red light on. I looked over toward my camera and there stood the buck at 20 yards; he never ran off but it was before legal shooting hours so all I could do was watch him. Then a pecan fell from a tree, made a noise and he took off,” Cox said.
Cox got on his saddle stand but never saw the buck again that day. Making adjustments, Cox moved his camera to a trail closer to his stand to see if he was coming from a different spot and sure enough, he was, necessitating the relocation of his stand. Then came the picture he got at church on his phone.
Sunday afternoon, Cox was on the stand and the buck showed up past legal shooting hours so he had to pass.
“I got on my stand Monday morning, October 19, saw a bunch of deer but the big buck didn’t show. I felt like, though, this was the day when the buck would made a mistake so after going back to camp for lunch and a short nap, I was back on my stand around 2:00 p.m.
“As soon as I got on my stand, I started seeing deer, including one of the bucks the big one had been running with so I knew he had to be close by. I had a bunch of deer around me, I began hearing different footsteps and sure enough, it was the big buck; he came out and stopped at 15 yards,” Cox explained.
Cox usually shoots his compound bow and although he had it with him in the stand, he knew that with so many deer around, he would have difficulty drawing his bow, so he took along his dad’s Carbon Express Crossbow.
“When the buck stopped at 15 yards, I shot and he took off. I knew I had made a good shot on him and heard him crash at 50 yards,” said Cox.
The buck was a main frame 10 point with an inside spread of 21 3/8 inches. The smallest measurement along the length of the antlers was 4 ½ inches, main beams were 27 and 28 inches; bases were 5 ½ inches and the age was determined to be 6 ½. The buck weighed 235 pounds. The tale of the tape measured the rack at 168 3/8 inches.
“This was not only my biggest archery buck but the biggest one I ever got, period. And,” Cox added, “I have my wife Becca to thank for giving me the okay to hunt that big rascal.”
FISHING REPORT
CANEY LAKE – Bass are fair around the grass early on topwaters. Bass are schooling early mornings and late afternoons and hitting shad imitations and soft plastics. Crappie are around the deeper tops and are hitting jigs and shiners. Bream are slow. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Crappie are deep and are fair on shiners or jigs. Some bass are being caught early on topwaters and later using soft plastics and crank baits around deeper brush. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – Bass are fair on crank baits and soft plastics. Crappie are fair in the river lakes. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Bass are overall slow but best on topwaters early. Some are beginning to chase shad and school on the surface. Crappie are in deep water in the channel and fair on jigs and shiners. The bream are slow. Catfish are fair on red wigglers and night crawlers fished just off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie are suspended fairly deep. Bass are in the shallows early hitting topwaters with some schooling. Bream reportedly are slow. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.LAKE YUCATAN – The water is on a slow fall. Catfish are being caught on trotlines and noodles and buffalo caught in nets. No reports yet on crappie and bass. For info call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.