Robbie Flint shot a massive 252-pound buck nicknamed “Big Hoof” at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday in Lincoln County.
The dressed weight was confirmed on a certified scale at The Meat Shop in Warren, and the buck has 26 points, making it one of the heaviest deer reported so far this season.
Arriving late to his hunting spot that morning, Flint jumped the buck but knew there was still a chance it was nearby. Deciding not to pressure the deer, he returned later and carefully set up near the swamp.
Flint said he and his brother Gage had been after the big swamp buck for a while. He wanted his brother to get a shot, but Gage chose to sit on a different crossing. They figured the deer had bedded down for the day and snuck into their spots with the wind blowing right toward it.
To help lure the buck in, Flint used Dead Down Wind scent cover along with Tink’s 69 and Cronk’s doe urine on a scent wick. He also used a Primos can call to make doe bleats.
The big deer responded, sneaking within 10 yards. Seeing a decent rack, Flint fired his 7 mm rifle, hitting the buck in the shoulder, dropping it instantly.
Flint was sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree when the shot was made.
After bagging the buck, Flint reflected on the hunt. He had put in time while home before leaving for 12 days of offshore scalloping.
He and his brother had hunted the buck hard, knowing the season might end or someone else might spook it before he returned. Flint noted he first spotted the buck two years ago, but it vanished for an entire year.
