Teen plans to enter 7-point in Louisiana Sportsman contest

13-year-old Thomas LeBlanc poses with a 7-point buck weighing 178 pounds. LeBlanc plans to enter the deer in the Louisiana Sportsman’s Big Buck Contest.

Hunting with his grandfather Louie LeBlanc, of Luling, 13-year-old Thomas LeBlanc recently harvested a 7-point buck weighing 178 pounds.

The LeBlancs were hunting on a 2,600-acre private lease in Pennington, Ala. when the big buck walked out into the shooting lane. Both Louie and Thomas were hunting together in a box stand that overlooked a long narrow shooting lane with a food plot. They headed to the stand around 2 p.m. and observed several doe at the end of the food plot.

At 4 p.m., the big buck stepped out into the shooting lane.

"I was checking my text messages when Thomas said that there was a big deer in the shooting lane," Louie said. "I told him to take his time and get a shot."

Thomas raised the Remington Model 700 Bolt Action 30-06 and fired a 150-grain Core-Lokt and dropped the big deer in his tracks.

"Are you going to mount my deer Pa-pa?" Thomas asked.

The answer was an immediate "Yes!" from Louie.

During the hunt that weekend, Thomas also killed a doe and two wild hogs.

Now that hunting season is over, Louie and Thomas plan to take the deer mount to the Louisiana Sportsman Big Buck Contest to be held March 14-17 at the Lamar Dixon Exposition Center in Gonzales. Legally killed bucks shot during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons are eligible for entry in any of the eight categories: Best Louisiana Gun, Best Louisiana Bow, Best Mississippi Gun, Best Mississippi Bow, Best Out-of-State Gun, Best Out-of-State Bow, Youth and Muzzleloader/Crossbow. In addition, all deer racks entered in the contest, no matter how big or small, will be included in a random drawing for a Yamaha 350 grizzly. The highest scoring Louisiana Gun Buck and Louisiana Bow Buck will each win a free executive hunt at Mississippi’s McKenna Ranch. All deer will receive official Boone & Crocket scores. For additional rules, visit Louisiana Sportsman online at lousianasportsman.com.