BayouBucks.com’s outdoor writer Russell Scarbrough, or “Widowmaker” as he’s better known on many Louisiana based outdoor forums, bagged this trophy deer on Wednesday, October 21 while hunting on his new lease in the Delta Region of Arkansas. It was only the Berwick, LA hunter’s second time hunting the property, but he had already seen the buck just a week prior while bowhunting the very same stand.
One of the trail camera photos Scarbrough obtained not long after placing them out on his newly leased Arkansas property.
After seeing the deer on his trail camera during the pre-season, Scarbrough hung his stand for Arkansas’ early bow season, hoping for the chance to bag the trophy buck. The deer showed up during Scarbrough’s first hunt, but after watching him for some time at thirty-five yards, was unable to get a clear shot with his bow. Work obligations back home in Louisiana forced Scarbrough to postpone his pursuit until a future date.
Rejuvinated and determined, Scarbrough returned to his lease for the Arkansas muzzleloader opener a week later in hopes of seeing the buck again. Smokepole in hand and early in his first evening hunt, five does came within range of Scarbrough and remained in the area for over an hour. “I knew I would see some bucks with all of that activity,” he recalled.
At around 6:30 pm, a large buck moved in from Scarbrough’s left. Upon seeing the deer, Russell did not hesitate, shooting the buck as it fed nearly directly beneath him. “It happened so fast,” Scarbrough excitedly recounted. “He came moving in quickly, but it didn’t take me long to recognize who this buck was.” The hunter made a perfect, double-lung shot at 5 yards. When he made it down to blood trail the deer, it was already dark outside, and after setting down his pack and getting his deer cart, Scarbrough set out to find his buck. Having no GPS and being on unfamiliar turf didn’t deter him, however, since he was confident in his muzzleloader’s shot placement. After seaching for a short amount of time, he found the beast piled up 50-60 yards from the trail he was hunting near. When asked about having the buck within 5 yards and the potential opportunity he had to shoot him with his bow had he chosen to carry it instead of a muzzleloader, Scarbrough laughed: “I like to handicap myself with a bow-in-hand most of the season, but as shakey and excited as I was, I was glad I had that gun when he came out.”
Russell Scarbrough with his monster 13 point buck, killed in Arkansas on October 21.
There are still plenty of big bucks roaming the lease, which borders the 160,000 acre White River National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Arkansas. Russell has trail camera photos of two eight points and one “giant” eleven point he plans on pursuing with his bow throughout the remainder of this season. “I couldn’t be happier, to be honest!” Scarbrough recalled with a deadlocked grin. “I accomplished what I’d set out to do, and now the smokepole’s going back in the case for the rest of the season. It’s bow only from here on out!”
24 Responses to: Berwick Hunter Bags Out-of-State Monster
Way to go WIDOW!!!!
Could not have happened to a nicer guy. Glad for you man. Way to go Widow. Nice job, You DA MAN!!!!
WOW!!!!! What a dream buck Russ….. You most of all deserve him…. Your have put your time in brother!!!! Congrats…..
Can’t wait to see the mount…..
Dream Buck!!!!
I want to congradulate Widow on a super buck! You hunt hard and dererved this big boy! Good luck the rest of the season with the Stick and String!
Beautiful deer!!!!! Congrats
congrats again Widow..he’s a man dawg!
YEEEEEEE HAAAWWWWWWW!!!!!……..THANKS FELLAS!!!!
Happy you got him Widow. Even happier you got him with the smoke pole. EOK hehehehehe! Going down, bro, going down.
I would hang up my bow if you did get him stick and string. LOL!
I think you were holding out on me. $$$$
Awesome deer Widow!
I see you tried a Cooyonboy smile in the last pic but you still have a little smirk. I don’t blame ya.
CCCCOOOOLLLL Thats gotta pump some blood WWWAAAYYY TO GO DuDe Thats ROWDY MAN!!!
AWESOME DEER MAN! YOU DESERVE IT! WISH I WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE TO SEE THAT BAD BOY IN PERSON!!! 5 yds????MAJOR BUCK FEVER!!!
awesome job widow!! YOU, more than a lot of people, deserved to kill that giant! you definitely put in your time in the woods! congratulations man…would’ve been awesome if you would’ve smoked him with the bow though! lol
Congrats buddy. You deserve it man! One question: How many times have you peeked at that head chillin’ in the freezer thus far???????? Great buck!!!
Congratulations Widow , great story and Awesome buck!!
this stuff just gets better and better congrats
Congratulations Widow! What a super buck and a great story.
Congrats again to ya bud on that MONSTA!!!….Good luck on getting the remaining monstas with the stick and string…..
Way to go man!!!
Ain’t no doubt that is a buck of a lifetime. Good job and good luck with the bow. I know you put your time in on that one. Waiting for #4 BABY!!!!!!!!!
Thats a fine buck. Glad you got him.
Congratulations Widow, hope you can get the other ones before the season is over.
Congratulations on one outstanding deer!! You said you where going to get him and you did just that. Great job!
That’s livin the HIGH-LIFE there….Man that is one of the finest bucks I have ever seen. Much Props……..AWESOME