Masters downs big buck he named Maximus

Check out this big buck shot down in Louisiana!

“In 2000, there was an epic film produced starring Russell Crowe. The film, Gladiator, portrayed Crowe as Maximus who set out to avenge the murders of his family. Maximus became a gladiator and rose through the ranks.

Thirty-three-year-old Joel Masters watched a buck grow in stature over the past few years, rising through the ranks in a manner of speaking, to become the bull of the woods. In honor of the leading character in the film, he gave the impressive buck a special name, Maximus.

Masters and his family lease some 3800 acres of land from a timber company and have held the lease for more than twenty years. The family has done a commendable job of turning the acreage in rural Sabine Parish into a top notch area improving the quality of deer the land is producing. Feeding high protein feed plus maintaining food plots are keys to their success.

Two years ago, Masters put the crosshairs of his scope on one of the trophy bucks on the property. Masters named that buck “Bullwinkle” but he said that Maximus was the more impressive buck of the two.

“A year ago, we had this buck on camera but he was an 8-point probably in the 120-inch class,” Masters said. “This year, he really blew up and he was the buck I wanted to take this season. We have a rule on our club where each member can only take one buck per season and it has to be at least five years old. Maximus was the one I knew I’d be looking for.”

Patience paid off

Born with spina bifida, Masters is basically wheelchair bound and is licensed to take advantage of the special season for physically challenged hunters on Oct. 1-2.

“I was sitting in a ground blind with my dad on Saturday, Oct. 1, when Maximus appeared,” Masters said. “However, the only shot I could have had was straight on at 100 yards and he was too special to risk a questionable shot, so I held off.”

The following afternoon, Masters and his dad were back in the stand and were looking at several does, yearlings and a couple of small bucks.”

To read the full article from Louisiana Sportsman, click here. 

Photo credit: Original Author

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