As an outdoor writer, I'm privy to some thrilling accounts of successes in the field and on the water. One of my favorite times of year is the first Saturday in March when I drive over to Bastrop to attend the awards day ceremony that is the climax to the annual Simmons Big Buck Contest. I get to sit down and visit with deer hunters who claimed outstanding deer the past season.

Jeff Simmons, owner of Simmons Sporting Goods, has hosted the contest for the past 20 years, and he continues to be amazed at the quality of bucks Louisiana produces year after year.

"Again, we had a bunch of really nice deer coming out of this state. You can go to Canada or Kansas to chase a trophy, but our contest is proof that there are some real impressive bucks right here in Louisiana," Simmons said.

Indeed there are, and as happens every year, my visit with successful hunters reveals a plethora of exciting and interesting stories. Following is a blow-by-blow account of some of the more impressive tales that came from the Bayou State's woods this past deer season.

AVOYELLES PARISH TRIFECTA
Habitat types in Louisiana run the gamut from upland red clay piney woods to thick, lush swamps in the southern half of the state. One parish that qualifies for the latter is Avoyelles, located in southeast-central Louisiana. Bayous, streams and sloughs coursing through heavily timbered lowlands are characteristic of much of the parish.

It is not surprising that some of the state's better deer come from Avoyelles Parish. The ground on which much of the parish sits is rich in nutrients that give food sources attractive to deer an extra shot of good stuff from which heavy antlers and impressive body weights emerge.

Such was the case this past deer season when three of the winners in the Simmons contest, deer that grew impressive racks and heavy bodies, came from Avoyelles.

Placing second in the Archery Division was Jeff Newton with an 11-point buck green-scoring 181 7/8. Actually, Newton's whitetail was the highest scoring buck taken by archery in Louisiana; the first place winner arrowed his monster in Mississippi.

Placing third in the Archery Division was another Avoyelles Parish monarch, also sporting 11 points, one of which was a handsome drop tine. Greg Gagnard of Marksville arrowed his deer on Dec. 29.

"I hunt on an 1,800-acre private lease with 11 other members. About three-quarters of the land is swampy with standing water," Gagnard explained.

"I was planning to hunt the weekend before with friends, but the weather was windy and just didn't feel right for where I wanted to hunt, so I decided to hunt Monday instead.

"A hunting buddy dropped me off a few hundred yards from the stand and I slipped in to where I'd hung my lock-on, getting there in early afternoon," he continued.

"Around 2:30 or so, I hit my rattling horns and used my grunt call and waited. Some 20 minutes later, this big buck came in with several does and they seemed to be searching for the source of the rattling and grunting."