10-Year-Old Girl Takes 14-Point Buck—Bigger Than Her Dad’s Best
Three years ago, Cali Butler accompanied her dad, Gary Butler, on a deer hunt in Marshall County, Indiana. Although Gary had been hunting in that area for years, it was the first time he had brought his daughter along.
“She’s my good luck charm. We hadn’t been in the blind for more than an hour when a magnificent 10-point buck appeared, and I took it down with my crossbow,” recalls Gary. “The deer didn’t get far, and Cali assisted me in tracking and locating it. From that moment on, she was captivated by deer hunting. She even looked at me afterward and declared, ‘Dad, I’m going to shoot a bigger buck than your 10-pointer—I’m going for a 13-pointer!'”
For the 2020 deer season, Cali obtained an Indiana apprentice deer license, specifically designed for young hunters. On only her fourth outing, she used her crossbow to take down a doe from a distance of 10 yards.
This year, Cali was determined to set her sights on a buck that surpassed her dad’s 10-pointer from three years prior. On November 21, they set up a ground blind in Marshall County for their first hunt of the season. Just before sunset, they spotted a pair of does 60 yards away, which was beyond Cali’s effective crossbow range of approximately 35 yards.
“At 5:15, with the daylight rapidly fading, a remarkable buck appeared behind the does, but on a different path and closer to us,” recounts Gary. “Cali saw the buck and confidently stated, ‘Let me take the shot. I’m getting this one.'”
Gary used his rangefinder to measure the distance to the buck, which registered at 42 yards.
“That’s further than I prefer her to shoot, but she had a firm rest and is an excellent crossbow marksman with a scoped weapon,” explains Gary. “I instructed her to use the third vertical crosshair on the scope and to shoot as soon as the buck stepped out from behind a tree.”
True to her father’s guidance, Cali executed the shot flawlessly. They witnessed the arrow striking the deer, causing it to spin and flee. Although they located the bloodied arrow, they struggled to find a substantial blood trail after an extended search.
Since it was Sunday night and Cali had school the next day, Gary and his hunting companion, Jeff Corsbie, resumed the search at 8 a.m. the following morning. Within just 30 minutes, they found the buck. The impressive 14-point whitetail hadn’t strayed far from where they had suspended their search the previous night.
No ground shrinkage for Cali’s buck.
The buck will be mounted as a trophy for Cali, who rightfully takes great pride in her accomplishment.
“She claimed she would surpass my 10-pointer with her 13-pointer,” Gary reflects. “Well, she did one better—it’s a 14-point buck!”
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Do you want to share your own buck story with Outdoor Life? Email it to letters@outdoorlife.com for a chance to be featured.
A skilled hunter, dedicated conservationist, and advocate for ethical practices. Respected in the hunting community, he balances human activity with environmental preservation.