A Louisiana Hunter Tagged a 174-Inch Buck on Just Six Acres
Six acres for deer hunting can still be successful if it’s the right location. Chad Allison, a 45-year-old welder from Louisiana, has found that focusing on small tracts has yielded impressive results.
According to Allison, “One thing I have learned during my years of chasing big bucks is that you have the best chance [to intercept] mature bucks when you get to hunt them on small tracts in places like just over the back fence. This is especially true when deer are pressured. They like to sneak in and lay up in thickets right behind someone’s home.”
Last year, Allison found a potential hunting spot in Webster Parish, securing permission from the landowner to hunt her six-acre property. He decided not to hunt a good 8-pointer that appeared on trail camera photos. However, in 2021, he got a picture in September of what he suspects was the same buck—a year older and much bigger.
On Nov. 8 at 3 a.m., Allison received another photo of the buck on his phone from a remote trail camera. Seeing this, he decided to hunt that morning. To avoid alerting the buck, Allison hunted from the ground, using a fallen cedar tree as cover. As dawn broke, he spotted movement just feet away.
Allison explained, “I saw something move, I looked up and there stood the buck just 10 feet from me. He saw me move, spooked, and ran. I thought I had messed up.” However, that afternoon, Allison returned to the cedar tree and positioned himself within the cover of its boughs. Twenty minutes later, a doe walked into a clearing 100 yards away—with the big buck following closely behind.
With his Browning .270 in hand, Allison took aim and fired, bringing down the buck. The deer was later scored at Simmons Sporting Goods in Bastrop, where it measured an impressive 174 2/8 inches of antler with 14 points and a weight of 175 pounds. This success proved Allison’s point that big bucks can indeed be found on small properties.
A skilled hunter, dedicated conservationist, and advocate for ethical practices. Respected in the hunting community, he balances human activity with environmental preservation.