This fall Kentucky’s Jeff Humphrey was a man with a plan. The big question? Would a stud of a Kentucky buck return this season to its 2021 stomping grounds? Spoiler alert: It did. For sending in an exciting HuntStand success story and photos of a stunning nontypical drop-tine buck nicknamed “Gnarly,” a buck that scores 200 plus inches, Humphrey is the Week Four winner of the HuntStand 2022 Big Buck ALERT contest. The win earns Humphrey a sweet hunt pack from ALPS OutdoorZ: the versatile Trail Blazer (see below). The weekly win also makes Humphrey eligible for a chance at our Grand Prize: A ground blind/chair combo from Browning/ALPS OutdoorZ and two premium Burris hunting optics with a total value of $1,278!
Enter Today!
“I harvested this buck, which I had named ‘Gnarly,’ on Sept. 23rd,” with my Barnett Wildcat C5 crossbow,” Humphrey wrote. “This was on private land, and it all started back on Sept. 19. That’s when me and a good friend, Brian Gibson, traveled to my hunting area. It’s a secluded wooded travel corridor where we’ve taken some very nice bucks the last couple of years.
“On that day we set up my trusty Tactacam Reveal trail camera, my Moultrie feeder and the best blind that’s out right now, the Rhino 180. I was looking forward to this year’s hunting season because of last year’s encounters with a nice drop-tine mature buck. Last year half of this buck’s rack was broke off, so I passed on him. I watched him on several evenings throughout last season.
“On Day Two this fall, the Tactacam showed two shooters on the scene: A wall-hanger of a 10-point, and an eight. Then the Tactacam showed Gnarly coming in and bumping them off the food plot. Gnarly then began showing up regularly between 6 and 6:45 p.m.
“I knew Gnarly was a pretty good buck by looking at the Tactacam photos, but little did I really know what I had. On Friday, Sept. 22, we decided Brian would sit with me in my blind. We were going to hunt after work, and I had all my gear ready. On the way to the land I decided to check HuntStand and look at the wind. We had checked HuntStand earlier that afternoon, and it showed the wind coming at us, from the northeast. That was ideal. However, using the app to look ahead, I noticed that the wind was forecasted to change to the southwest starting around 5 p.m. That was a deal-breaker for my blind.
“Fortunately, I used HuntStand to check the Saturday forecast, and it showed just what I wanted to see: a Northeast evening wind. The rest of the story is in the photos you see. Thanks to the HuntStand app, my Tactacam Reveal, the Rhino blind and the man upstairs, I was able to harvest Gnarly. Buckmasters scored him at 201 4/8.”
Who Can Enter?
Who is eligible to enter the Big Buck ALERT contest? Anyone who bags a buck this fall with help from the feature-packed HuntStand app.
How to Enter
To enter the HuntStand 2022 Big Buck ALERT contest, simply send us a few clear, high-res. digital photos (three to five) of your 2022 buck bagged after Aug. 1 (Entries accepted NOW THROUGH NOV. 23). 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 how the exciting action 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]
10 Weekly Winners!
Team HuntStand will choose 10 weekly winners that we began sharing with the extensive HuntStand community Sept. 23; EACH weekly winner will receive the versatile Trail Blazer hunt pack (valued at $119.99) from ALPS OutdoorZ (see above). The Trail Blazer offers 2,500 cubic inches of space and is loaded with features. Included are an expandable pocket that can securely hold your compound bow or gun, a hydration pocket and port, and multiple gear pockets. In addition, it offers a large main compartment, mesh pockets and a handy front lashing system. You’ll also find a blaze orange rain cover.
Our Largest-Ever Grand Prize Package!
At the end of the 10 weeks, all weekly winners enter a drawing for a chance at an incredible Grand Prize Package with a total value of $1,278. The package includes the Browning Eclipse Blind ($299.99) and Huntsman Chair ($199.99) (see image above). In addition, it includes TWO premium hunting optics from Burris: A Burris Signature HD 10×42 binocular valued at $539, and a Burris Fullfield IV 2.5‑10×42 riflescope valued at $239 (see images below).
Good luck out there this fall from all of us here at Team HuntStand! And be sure let us know when (and how) you score while using HuntStand, when you enter the 2022 Big Buck ALERT Contest!