South Carolina’s deer season opened on August 15th, and a non-resident has a bag limit of four bucks on private land, but no more than two per day. Such an eye-opening deer hunting opportunity is overlooked by many hunters eager for the season to start. Approximately half of South Carolina is coastal with dense, flat habitat that has an abundant deer population, and outfitters often offer “plantation style” hunts for deer and wild hogs.
Hunting at 100
Much of the Low Country is swampy land, complete with plenty of mosquitoes and crawly critters. Mid-August can be very hot and humid, and I remember my first hunt there when the temperature read 100 degrees. A guide took me to a remote tree stand that he had baited with corn a few days earlier. Back then, baiting was illegal in my home state, and I had mixed emotions about the sit, despite its legality there. As the sun set on the steamy day, a 6-point buck appeared at the bait, followed by a second a few seconds later. I was reluctant to shoot, but soon drew my bow, aimed, and shot right over the top of the closest buck.
Honey Hole Next
With no buck on opening day, my guide suggested I try a secret spot about 10 miles from camp. “You’ll be overlooking a large bean field that borders a swamp,” he said. “The problem is, your shots may be 200 yards or more, and you really should take a rifle.” He gave me a map and I headed out in the early afternoon, with ominous clouds in the sky. I found the gate to the property, drove in, and walked along the beans to the stand. It was about 15 feet high with a single seat. Back then, I always carried two Nikon cameras, one for color slides and the second for black and white film. Not long after my arrival, thunder rumbled and soon a thunderstorm dumped me and the field with a pelting rain. Luckily, it blew over in about 10 minutes.
Sitting on a Lightning Rod
I had brought a poncho in my pack and stayed relatively dry during the storm, although tree stand hunting in a lightning storm can be bad for one’s health. A couple of hours later, thunder boomed in the distance, and the wind picked up. This was two hours before dark, and I wanted to brave this storm as well, thinking that deer would soon show up. Nada.
Last Chance
Ominous clouds masked the sunset, and just as prime time arrived, a third storm rolled in. This one had intense lightning and would surely last until dark. I reached under the seat of the stand to grab my backpack when a bolt of lightning lit up the entire field. For an instant, I saw a buck standing 20 yards from the stand. The deer was scouring the field for danger and stepped into the opening. Lightning burst again, showing it to be a velvet 8-point rack. The buck continued into the bean field, and I downed it with a quick shot.
Now What?
I had pulled a muscle in my back with heavy lifting, and dragging the buck to my pickup in the pouring rain was a nightmare. Getting it into the back of my pickup was impossible. Each time I tried to lift the deer, I felt a knife-like pain in my back. What to do? Balancing elation and frustration, I walked out to the highway hoping to get phone service. A car was parked next to the gate, and in near darkness, I reluctantly walked up to the driver’s side and knocked on the window; it was like the opening scene of a horror movie. Unbelievably, two hunters had stopped to make a phone call. “Sure, we’ll help you,” and the three of us loaded the deer for the joyous trip back home.
Wonderful Table Fare
If my day wasn’t lucky enough, a fellow in camp asked if he could bone out my deer. “I’ll give you deer roasts that will be the best you’ve ever tasted, ” he said. The venison was superb.