HuntStand Sets Trap For MO Public-Land Brute [Big Buck ALERT]

Missouri’s Charles Gholson, 33, is a fanatical public land deer hunter who goes about scouting with near-military precision, and his command central is the many-featured HuntStand app. For sending in photos and story of a unique MO 14-point buck taken on public land that he first scouted virtually using HuntStand, Gholson is the Week 4 winner in the 2021 HuntStand Big Buck ALERT contest. The win earns Gholson a sweet hunt pack from ALPS OutdoorZ: the versatile Covert pack (see below). The weekly win also makes Gholson eligible for our Grand Prize drawing in November (more on that below).

We’re still looking for six more weekly winners so enter today!“On Sept. 17th, I traveled about an hour from my house to hunt a popular piece of Missouri public land with several of my friends,” Gholson wrote. “I have hunted this area for a few years, but it is a large piece that receives a lot of pressure. For the past several years I have been marking hundreds of pins on HuntStand and systematically scouting through the property. I have seen several large bucks on the property in past years, but this was my first time hunting it for 2021.“On Friday morning, I jumped a really nice buck out scouting, and hunted him that night and the next morning. I never laid eyes on him again, but my friend Johnny saw a big 10 point in a CRP field that morning. I pulled out my HuntStand app and saw that the wind was the same for that night. I had never hunted this part of the property, but I had marked what I believed to be a large bedding area right where Johnny last saw the deer that morning. His intel was enough to make a game plan. I set up in the southeast corner of the field and Johnny was in the southwest corner.“At about 6:45 p.m., I saw a really nice, young 14 point, and a few minutes later I saw the 10 point my friend had seen that morning, a big, mature deer probably scoring in the mid 150s. A few minutes after that, another big 14 point walked out with some crazy splits. The three deer got to about 110 yards, and I probably shook for at least 5 minutes straight. Not long after that, a young 8 point popped out about 80 yards north of me and eventually walked down to my corner. When the bigger bucks followed him, I could not believe my luck. When the 8 point was about to catch my wind, I shot the larger 14 point at 40 yards. I’ve never had three deer that large in front of me at the same time before, and I sat there shaking and in shock for a good five minutes after the shot.”This was one of the best hunts of my entire life. I usually walk a lot further and don’t set up on a field edge, but with the intel from that morning and all my pins on HuntStand, I knew this was the right spot for the wind. HuntStand plays a valuable role in all of my hunts, but especially this hunt, since I had never scouted this specific location in person.

“There is no way I could keep track of several thousand pinned locations without HuntStand. I have used HuntStand very heavily for the last six years, and upgraded to HuntStand Pro for this season; the extra features and maps are more than worth the money! If you’re on the fence about hunting public land, first download HuntStand, and then go find the overlooked spots that no one else is hunting.”

To enter the HuntStand 2021 Big Buck ALERT contest, simply send us a few clear, high-res. digital photos (three to five) of your 2021 buck bagged after Aug. 20 (Entries accepted NOW THROUGH NOV. 24). Be sure to include the following:

A. A brief story of your hunt that explains how the HuntStand app played a part.

B. Be sure to tell us if your buck was known to you or a newcomer, then describe the area where your stand sits, or where the encounter took place.

C. Include the fateful day’s wind and weather conditions, and of course, the blow-by-blow account of the exciting action as it unfolded.

D. Also include your full name, age, successful hunt date and state, weapon used, and your mailing address. Your e-mail subject line should read: Big Buck Alert! Send your photo(s) and requested info to: [email protected]Team HuntStand will choose 10 weekly winners that we will share with the extensive HuntStand community; EACH weekly winner will receive the versatile Covert Pack (valued at $59.99) from ALPS OutdoorZ (see above). This unique compact design will take you from deer season to waterfowling and everything in between. It’s ideal for hunters who want to pack light but still carry essential gear. For cold-weather comfort, deploy the pack in front of your torso, and utilize the integrated hand warmer channel between the belt and main compartment. You’ll also find a clear smartphone pocket on the main compartment lid that offers safe storage of your mobile device.In addition, at the end of the 10 weeks, all weekly winners will be placed in a drawing for our Grand Prize: an ALPS OutdoorZ Impulse Pack (valued at $199.99; image above). This ultra-quiet design won’t betray your presence when your next trophy is closing in, thanks to ALPS’ new Deadquiet fabric; it features outer fleece with a polyester backing and incorporates a membrane between the two fabrics to help keep out moisture. The zipper-less main compartment allows you to access items quietly and easily; a series of magnets and an aluminum hook secures the top lid when needed. Ideal for ground blinds or treestands, the flat-bottom structure allows the pack to stand up independently. Included are an ambidextrous quiver holder, two deep side pockets, a drop-down pocket to carry your gun or bow, a two-piece adjustable waist belt with pockets, and a hydration pocket with two side ports.

Good luck out there this fall from all of us here at Team HuntStand, and let us know when (and how) you score with HuntStand!