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As the years pass I find that whitetail deer hunting is full of uncertainties and that no two years are alike, but to me that is exactly what makes it challenging and exciting!
Tyler Fewell age 13 of Esmont Virginia had a hunt on Sunday 9/25/16 of Youth Weekend that was a perfect example of this.
This young man is barely a teenager, but he is an old soul when it comes to the outdoors. Fortunately his stepfather Mike Young has been a positive influence in Tyler's life taking him along on hunting and fishing trips since he was a toddler.
Tyler also had another very special role model in his life, his "Granddaddy". And even though his grandfather wasn't a hunter he was one of Tyler's biggest supporters and he would often talk to Tyler about the heavily massed bucks that he saw as a kid when growing up in Maine.
Unfortunately Tyler's granddaddy lost his battle with cancer in January of this year, but he still carries his spirit with him when hunting. A month before his grandfather passed Tyler received a Marlin Model XL7 270 rifle for Christmas and just before Youth Weekend 2016 Tyler decided to remove the butt plate on his rifle and insert a bullet charm his mom had given him that had some of his granddaddy's ashes in it.
On the opening morning of Youth Weekend Tyler and his stepfather sat out on their 47 acre hunting property that is just a few miles from their home in Esmont, Virginia hoping for some success. Saturday turned up no harvest opportunities so they returned to their self made stick ground blind before daylight on Sunday morning.
The hunters had only been in place about 45 minutes when Mike spotted a good buck coming their way. As the buck continued toward them it became apparent that this was no ordinary run of the mill whitetail.
This buck had both mass and character and before they knew it the buck had closed to within 17 yards, never noticing the hunters in their stick blind.
Tyler slowly raised his sentimental rifle and fired the fatal shot. The big buck traveled only 40 yards before piling up in the leaves.
As Tyler approached the buck he noticed that not only did this buck have great mass like the one's his granddaddy spoke about, but the buck also had a very unique double drop tine coming off of it's right main beam that was still partially covered in a dark velvet coating.
The buck was so heavy that the hunters gave up on their attempt to drag it out. The buck was deep in the woods and their only means of a motorized aid was the families riding lawn mower so they returned home and loaded it up and finished the job.
Tylers big Virginia 14 point buck green scores 175 3/8 through the B&C scoring sysytem and has a 26" outside spread. This buck had never been seen around the area or ever been captured on their trail camera's.
Tyler's story really hit home for me because I also had a special relationship with my stepfather and granddaddy. I actually still rifle hunt with my grandfathers 70 year old J.C. Higgins 30/06 each season and I also carry his military tags in my hunting backpack.
I truly enjoyed talking to Tyler and his mother Tammy while doing this interview. The family is very proud of Tyler's great harvest and Tammy told me that when they arrived back home with the buck she thought that the drop tine was an old banana hanging off the bucks enormous rack...LOL...
CONGRATULATIONS TYLER ON YOUR BUCK OF A LIFETIME!!
Jeff Phillips
As the years pass I find that whitetail deer hunting is full of uncertainties and that no two years are alike, but to me that is exactly what makes it challenging and exciting!
Tyler Fewell age 13 of Esmont Virginia had a hunt on Sunday 9/25/16 of Youth Weekend that was a perfect example of this.
This young man is barely a teenager, but he is an old soul when it comes to the outdoors. Fortunately his stepfather Mike Young has been a positive influence in Tyler's life taking him along on hunting and fishing trips since he was a toddler.
Tyler also had another very special role model in his life, his "Granddaddy". And even though his grandfather wasn't a hunter he was one of Tyler's biggest supporters and he would often talk to Tyler about the heavily massed bucks that he saw as a kid when growing up in Maine.
Unfortunately Tyler's granddaddy lost his battle with cancer in January of this year, but he still carries his spirit with him when hunting. A month before his grandfather passed Tyler received a Marlin Model XL7 270 rifle for Christmas and just before Youth Weekend 2016 Tyler decided to remove the butt plate on his rifle and insert a bullet charm his mom had given him that had some of his granddaddy's ashes in it.
On the opening morning of Youth Weekend Tyler and his stepfather sat out on their 47 acre hunting property that is just a few miles from their home in Esmont, Virginia hoping for some success. Saturday turned up no harvest opportunities so they returned to their self made stick ground blind before daylight on Sunday morning.
The hunters had only been in place about 45 minutes when Mike spotted a good buck coming their way. As the buck continued toward them it became apparent that this was no ordinary run of the mill whitetail.
This buck had both mass and character and before they knew it the buck had closed to within 17 yards, never noticing the hunters in their stick blind.
Tyler slowly raised his sentimental rifle and fired the fatal shot. The big buck traveled only 40 yards before piling up in the leaves.
As Tyler approached the buck he noticed that not only did this buck have great mass like the one's his granddaddy spoke about, but the buck also had a very unique double drop tine coming off of it's right main beam that was still partially covered in a dark velvet coating.
The buck was so heavy that the hunters gave up on their attempt to drag it out. The buck was deep in the woods and their only means of a motorized aid was the families riding lawn mower so they returned home and loaded it up and finished the job.
Tylers big Virginia 14 point buck green scores 175 3/8 through the B&C scoring sysytem and has a 26" outside spread. This buck had never been seen around the area or ever been captured on their trail camera's.
Tyler's story really hit home for me because I also had a special relationship with my stepfather and granddaddy. I actually still rifle hunt with my grandfathers 70 year old J.C. Higgins 30/06 each season and I also carry his military tags in my hunting backpack.
I truly enjoyed talking to Tyler and his mother Tammy while doing this interview. The family is very proud of Tyler's great harvest and Tammy told me that when they arrived back home with the buck she thought that the drop tine was an old banana hanging off the bucks enormous rack...LOL...
CONGRATULATIONS TYLER ON YOUR BUCK OF A LIFETIME!!
Jeff Phillips
As the years pass I find that whitetail deer hunting is full of uncertainties and that no two years are alike, but to me that is exactly what makes it challenging and exciting!
Tyler Fewell age 13 of Esmont Virginia had a hunt on Sunday 9/25/16 of Youth Weekend that was a perfect example of this.
This young man is barely a teenager, but he is an old soul when it comes to the outdoors. Fortunately his stepfather Mike Young has been a positive influence in Tyler's life taking him along on hunting and fishing trips since he was a toddler.
Tyler also had another very special role model in his life, his "Granddaddy". And even though his grandfather wasn't a hunter he was one of Tyler's biggest supporters and he would often talk to Tyler about the heavily massed bucks that he saw as a kid when growing up in Maine.
Unfortunately Tyler's granddaddy lost his battle with cancer in January of this year, but he still carries his spirit with him when hunting. A month before his grandfather passed Tyler received a Marlin Model XL7 270 rifle for Christmas and just before Youth Weekend 2016 Tyler decided to remove the butt plate on his rifle and insert a bullet charm his mom had given him that had some of his granddaddy's ashes in it.
On the opening morning of Youth Weekend Tyler and his stepfather sat out on their 47 acre hunting property that is just a few miles from their home in Esmont, Virginia hoping for some success. Saturday turned up no harvest opportunities so they returned to their self made stick ground blind before daylight on Sunday morning.
The hunters had only been in place about 45 minutes when Mike spotted a good buck coming their way. As the buck continued toward them it became apparent that this was no ordinary run of the mill whitetail.
This buck had both mass and character and before they knew it the buck had closed to within 17 yards, never noticing the hunters in their stick blind.
Tyler slowly raised his sentimental rifle and fired the fatal shot. The big buck traveled only 40 yards before piling up in the leaves.
As Tyler approached the buck he noticed that not only did this buck have great mass like the one's his granddaddy spoke about, but the buck also had a very unique double drop tine coming off of it's right main beam that was still partially covered in a dark velvet coating.
The buck was so heavy that the hunters gave up on their attempt to drag it out. The buck was deep in the woods and their only means of a motorized aid was the families riding lawn mower so they returned home and loaded it up and finished the job.
Tylers big Virginia 14 point buck green scores 175 3/8 through the B&C scoring sysytem and has a 26" outside spread. This buck had never been seen around the area or ever been captured on their trail camera's.
Tyler's story really hit home for me because I also had a special relationship with my stepfather and granddaddy. I actually still rifle hunt with my grandfathers 70 year old J.C. Higgins 30/06 each season and I also carry his military tags in my hunting backpack.
I truly enjoyed talking to Tyler and his mother Tammy while doing this interview. The family is very proud of Tyler's great harvest and Tammy told me that when they arrived back home with the buck she thought that the drop tine was an old banana hanging off the bucks enormous rack...LOL...
CONGRATULATIONS TYLER ON YOUR BUCK OF A LIFETIME!!
Jeff Phillips
As the years pass I find that whitetail deer hunting is full of uncertainties and that no two years are alike, but to me that is exactly what makes it challenging and exciting!
Tyler Fewell age 13 of Esmont Virginia had a hunt on Sunday 9/25/16 of Youth Weekend that was a perfect example of this.
This young man is barely a teenager, but he is an old soul when it comes to the outdoors. Fortunately his stepfather Mike Young has been a positive influence in Tyler's life taking him along on hunting and fishing trips since he was a toddler.
Tyler also had another very special role model in his life, his "Granddaddy". And even though his grandfather wasn't a hunter he was one of Tyler's biggest supporters and he would often talk to Tyler about the heavily massed bucks that he saw as a kid when growing up in Maine.
Unfortunately Tyler's granddaddy lost his battle with cancer in January of this year, but he still carries his spirit with him when hunting. A month before his grandfather passed Tyler received a Marlin Model XL7 270 rifle for Christmas and just before Youth Weekend 2016 Tyler decided to remove the butt plate on his rifle and insert a bullet charm his mom had given him that had some of his granddaddy's ashes in it.
On the opening morning of Youth Weekend Tyler and his stepfather sat out on their 47 acre hunting property that is just a few miles from their home in Esmont, Virginia hoping for some success. Saturday turned up no harvest opportunities so they returned to their self made stick ground blind before daylight on Sunday morning.
The hunters had only been in place about 45 minutes when Mike spotted a good buck coming their way. As the buck continued toward them it became apparent that this was no ordinary run of the mill whitetail.
This buck had both mass and character and before they knew it the buck had closed to within 17 yards, never noticing the hunters in their stick blind.
Tyler slowly raised his sentimental rifle and fired the fatal shot. The big buck traveled only 40 yards before piling up in the leaves.
As Tyler approached the buck he noticed that not only did this buck have great mass like the one's his granddaddy spoke about, but the buck also had a very unique double drop tine coming off of it's right main beam that was still partially covered in a dark velvet coating.
The buck was so heavy that the hunters gave up on their attempt to drag it out. The buck was deep in the woods and their only means of a motorized aid was the families riding lawn mower so they returned home and loaded it up and finished the job.
Tylers big Virginia 14 point buck green scores 175 3/8 through the B&C scoring sysytem and has a 26" outside spread. This buck had never been seen around the area or ever been captured on their trail camera's.
Tyler's story really hit home for me because I also had a special relationship with my stepfather and granddaddy. I actually still rifle hunt with my grandfathers 70 year old J.C. Higgins 30/06 each season and I also carry his military tags in my hunting backpack.
I truly enjoyed talking to Tyler and his mother Tammy while doing this interview. The family is very proud of Tyler's great harvest and Tammy told me that when they arrived back home with the buck she thought that the drop tine was an old banana hanging off the bucks enormous rack...LOL...
CONGRATULATIONS TYLER ON YOUR BUCK OF A LIFETIME!!
Jeff Phillips
