It's Really HOT when it's Cold !

BIG Deer are being taken at Wild Game Adventures
in Mississippi Now!
by Mike Lane

The deer are hot, BIG Deer! Helmut, Alison and I just came back from "Deer School". First deer hunt for Alison and me, the second hunt for Helmut.

We were invited by Wilton Helveston, owner of Wild Game Adventures in Mississippi, just to the southwest of Jackson and about 15 miles east of the Mississippi River. It is only a 3 to 3 ˝ hour drive from New Orleans.

Our first evening hunt, Saturday the 22nd:

Opening day in Mississippi - Alison and I were in one stand and Helmut was in another. The weather was working against us. The temperature was in the high 70's maybe  low 80's. We got into the stands around 4:15 and at about 5:00 two does moved onto our food plot about 150 yards from the stand. One was very young and the other a little older, the biggest probably weighing 60 or 70 pounds. Remember this is our first deer hunt.

Alison and I enjoyed watching both deer graze and watch us watching them. The larger deer never took her eyes off of our stand except when she would take a break and graze for a little while. We were amazed at how aware this deer was of the potential danger that the stand might offer.

I took advantage of raising my rifle and watching them through the scope. Alison watched through Helmut's Nikon Binoculars. At one point something spooked them and they ran about 25 yards, tail high in the air then settled down again. Great show but too small to shoot.

Charlie picked us up after dark and drove us back to the camp for dinner. The dinner was great. Mesquite smoked venison, turnip greens, macaroni and cheese and corn bread. Peach cobbler was desert. "Just another meal at the plantation" said Wilton.

We sat with Wilton during dinner and asked a bunch of questions and Wilton shared his in depth knowledge about his place, how he manages the resource, how he feeds the deer year round, not just during the season. He explained how deer have less of an incentive to move when it is warm than when it is cold. He explained how they rely on their sense of smell for their survival and how to use the knowledge relative to the sense of smell to the hunter's advantage.

Wilton explained how to become a successful deer hunter in simple terms so that even new comers like Helmut, Alison and I could understand. He showed us hundreds of pictures of deer (BIG deer… 200 hundred pounds plus…) that have been harvested on his land. His leases consistently produce big deer.

Wilton has 75 stands strategically placed over the 4,500 acres of prime Mississippi deer hunting property. He told me "I don't decide which stands to put the hunters in until about an hour before hunting time". The weather conditions dictate the prime locations and our stands and feed plots are oriented so that we can place our hunters using the wind to their advantage regardless of the wind direction.

Second evening hunt Monday, 24th:

We were scheduled to come back on Tuesday after a front had passed through. Wilton called early Monday morning and said "the BIG boys are on the move, get your butts down here today if you can!". At 3:30 we were on the way to the stands. Only three hunters this afternoon. Alison, myself and a Wild Game Adventures regular customer, Jim.

Alison and I had to walk about 1/8 of a mile to the stand.  As we approached the food plot there were two does grazing. One was too small to take but the other looked to me a little over a hundred pounds. We reacted like novice hunters and blew the opportunity. By the time I came to my senses and got us down the damage was done and the does were on their way back into the woods.

In the stand. set up and ready 4:15. The temperature was dropping fast and the wind was gently blowing in our face, giving us wind advantage. I told Alison you take the first shot. 

At 5:05 he stepped into the food plot about 60 yards upwind of us. Wilton told us to be calm and wait for the buck to settle down and not take the shot too fast. He was wary and looked up at our stand, we didn't talk, we didn't move. After a good long hard look he began to graze.

Slowly and quietly Alison got into shooting position and braced the front of the rifle and her right shoulder against the blind as Wilton had taught her. Wilton said "get him in your crosshairs, squeeze the trigger very slowly and keep your eye on your target until you see the bullet impact." Alison listened and followed the directions well. She only fired her rifle once. The big buck dropped where he stood.

Wilton told us "stay in the stand until we come and get you. If the deer runs into the woods do not go after him. We will send the dog after him and he will find the deer." The dog would not be needed.

As the adrenalin started to wear off we started to get cold.  We put on every sweater and jacket we brought. We were happy but we were cold. We continued to watch the food plot hoping for a second opportunity. 

It was getting darker, the temperature was still falling and the wind was coming to a standstill. A deer appeared about 100 yards from us near the edge of the food plot. We didn't see him come out of the woods and don't know how long he was there, but there he was. I was thankful for the big Leupold scope that Helmut and I had bought two years ago. The deer seemed better lit through the scope than with the naked eye. The pressure was on as I got my rifle ready and my body in position. Squeezing slowly, watching the bullet hit the target (I still don't understand that one) and the explosion rang through the stand but the deer didn't fall. He slowly lumbered off of the food plot and into the woods. I wanted to shoot again but wasn't prepared, he was gone.

Disappointed and now very cold, we waited for the truck to come so we could go out and see Alison's deer. It got really dark in what seemed like a few minutes.

When we saw the truck lights coming we climbed down from the stand and put our gear in the truck, then out to the deer.

BIG! Nine points, over 200 pounds Charlie guessed.

I told Charlie I had shot and missed and he asked me to show him where he was when I shot at him. We drove the truck over in the direction and pointed the headlights into the woods and we looked around.

Charlie said "guess what Mike, you didn't miss, here he is!. He is big, seven points and he might be bigger than the other buck.

I guess Wilton really knows his stuff. He told us the big boys were moving around and he was right.

You know what they say about BIG deer… "When Wilton speaks everyone listens"!

Wilton told me that the hunting is only going to get better. "With a little more rain and cold weather the acorns will sour and the food plots will be the food of choice".  Now is the time to book a hunt or two with Wilton. Whether you are an experienced hunter are new to the sport Wild Game Adventures can put you in a position to get a wall hanger and maybe a trophy.

Our deer weighed in at 225 and 245 pounds... BIG Deer!

Give Wilton a call and tell him you want to go after the big boys still out there!

Wild Game Adventures Phone: 337-845-5519
Cell: 337-849-3698
Plantation: 601-535-7061
http://www.wildgameadventures.com/