Spike Buck 1982-83

I shot this spike buck in about 1982-83, and Ernest Cook (right) finished him off with a shot to the head. This was on the Lafayette County Wildlife Management area in South Arkansas. We used to do a buckskinners' camp there each fall during ML deer season. This deer survived a close shave a day or two before I shot him. One of the guys in our camp cut some hair on his neck with a round ball. Said all he had was a neck shot through the brush, so he tried it. There was a smooth groove cut in the hair on this deer's neck, but the skin wasn't broken.

My rifle in the photo was a .45 caliber made by Hobbs and Hopkins in Elkridge, Maryland (they use to run H&H Barrel Company back in the late 70s to early 80s. I sold this rifle back in the early 80s, and wish I had it back. Ernest is holding a .54 caliber, half-stock English sporting rifle made by Kit Ravenshear. He still owns and uses that one.

Bill Scurlock