Maryland Bowhunter Tags Giant Velvet 8-Pointer With Her Dad Watching

The Buck at a Glance

Maryland might be better known for blue crabs, crab cakes, and Old Bay than giant whitetails, but the state has been producing some impressive deer. Emily Curry’s opening-day buck belongs on that list.

Curry had hunted deer since she was a child, and she and her father already knew the area well. More importantly, they knew this particular buck.

Years of Trail-Camera History With a Giant 8-Pointer

Curry and her father had kept tabs on the buck through trail-camera photos for multiple seasons.

In 2025, and again in 2026, the deer carried the same general look: a massive main-frame 8-point rack with several smaller extra points.

Big, mature main-frame 8-pointers are special deer. Curry knew that, and after watching this buck develop, she was ready to hunt him when Maryland’s season opened.

She had also been deer hunting since she was about 8 years old. Even with all that experience, this buck represented something new: the largest deer she had ever pursued with a compound bow.

A 15-Degree Drop Changes the Opening-Day Pattern

Opening day was still warm, but Curry and her father noticed one important change in the weather.

Temperatures were approximately 15 degrees cooler.

Before the season, their trail cameras had been showing the buck near the edge of shooting light. They believed the cooler conditions might be enough to get him moving earlier.

Curry climbed into a treestand while her father set up in a saddle above her. Timber surrounded them across the rolling terrain.

The deer began moving.

Numerous does filtered through the area. A smaller 10-pointer also made an appearance.

Then the buck Curry had been waiting for stepped into view.

Fifteen Minutes of Waiting Leads to a 21-Yard Shot

The buck moved directly into one of Curry’s shooting lanes, but she still had to wait.

For approximately 15 minutes, Curry watched the mature whitetail and waited for the opportunity she needed.

Eventually, the buck stopped at 21 yards.

Curry drew her compound bow and released. The shot hit its mark, and the buck ran out of view before crashing.

Her Dad Was Sitting Right Above Her

The buck itself made the hunt memorable, but Curry’s father being there turned it into something she’ll remember for a different reason.

He had taught her to hunt when she was a child. On this September evening, he was sitting in a saddle above her as the biggest buck she had ever taken with a compound bow stood within range.

The pair had also taken precautions before the hunt. Because deer could approach from multiple directions, they paid close attention to the wind and used scent-reduction products when showering and treating their hunting clothes.

Emily Curry’s Hunt Setup

Her Biggest Compound-Bow Buck—and Her First in Velvet

The Maryland buck became Curry’s biggest deer with a compound bow and her first buck taken while still carrying velvet.

But when she looked back on the hunt, her comments kept returning to her father.

Years of trail-camera photos had made the buck familiar. A cooler opening day gave Curry the opportunity. But having the person who introduced her to hunting sitting above her when it finally happened is what made this Maryland whitetail truly special.

Photos courtesy of Emily Curry.

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