Tales from the Timber: Shofner

You can’t blame Aron Shofner for aiming big.

How big? Well on Nov. 13, 2008 Shofner had a nice 12-pointer walk right under his tree stand in Putnam County.

Rather than reaching for his bow, though, Shofner decided to take a picture of the deer with his camera.

In addition to the camera clicking, something must have clicked in Shofner’s mind, as well.

“It wasn’t until he walked directly under me while I was taking picture of him that I decided to shoot,” Shofner said. “I then had to swap my camera for my bow, get drawn and get him to stop where I could get a good shot.”

Easier said than done. By that point the buck was quartering away. So Shofner settle the pin at the back of the buck’s rib cage.

From there Shofner made a good shot and his arrow drove up through the front shoulder. The buck ran 30 yards, walked 15 more yards and then disappeared over a rise.

But Shofner’s aim was true. After a short search he found the buck not 5 yards from where he had lost sight of the deer.

The pair of shots—with camera and bow—have provided Shofner with an unusual story to tell.