Mississippi Bowhunter Tags 166-Inch Typical Buck on His First Sit

The Buck at a Glance

A Familiar Buck That Stayed Out of Daylight

Yates knew the family land well, and the buck had been part of his trail-camera history for multiple seasons. He had photos from 2024 and 2025, but identifying the deer and getting a shot at him were two different challenges.

“I got serious about trying to kill him last season, which I guessed him then to be in the 150s,” Yates said. “I had several pictures, including him breeding a doe, but never could see him in daylight.”

When that season ended, Yates kept watching. The buck stayed on camera through spring and summer, frequently visiting the clover while remaining within a small core area.

The wait came with some anxiety. Knowing the buck was still around didn’t guarantee Yates would be the hunter who eventually tagged him.

“Honestly, watching this deer over the years was stressful, especially knowing that he was there, and that at any point, I might see him on social media having been killed,” Yates said. “I knew he was special when I first started seeing his pictures and hoped he could make it a few years to spread those genetics.”

A Small Clover Plot on Family Land

On September 12, 2026, Yates climbed into his stand for his first sit of the season targeting this deer. Sunny skies and light winds out of the south greeted him.

The surrounding ground was flat, with a mix of harvested timber, mature timber, and cattle pastures. A small clover plot lay in front of his stand. Nearby, a clear-cut and a grown-up fencerow gave him other places to watch for movement.

Yates had high hopes that afternoon. After watching the deer through previous seasons and the months leading up to this hunt, he finally had a chance to see whether the setup would produce a daylight opportunity.

A Broadside Opportunity at 30 Yards

A doe and a spike entered the plot first. Three more does followed. Later, a large 8-pointer appeared.

Soon afterward, the buck Yates had been waiting for eased into view.

Yates waited for an opportunity. When the mature whitetail turned broadside at 30 yards, he drew his Mathews bow and released.

The 6½-year-old Mississippi typical carried a reported score of 166 6/8 inches. A buck Yates had watched for years was finally in hand after one afternoon in the stand that season.

Hunting the Wind and Limiting Pressure

Yates had decided to target the deer during the velvet season because he was consistently getting him on camera. Looking back, he pointed to hunting the wind and minimizing pressure as central parts of his approach.

He avoided visiting the spot unless he needed to. The stand was already in place, and he worked to limit disturbance around an area the deer regularly used.

Jeremy Yates’ Hunt Setup

A Family Effort and a Buck Worth Waiting For

Yates’ wife and both sons were regularly involved in the family’s hunting efforts. This deer represented the kind of opportunity he hoped their approach to the property could produce.

“It means that, if you let the smaller deer go, then this is the result,” Yates said. “If our neighbors would follow the same conservation methods, we could consistently grow nice deer.”

The shot came on his first sit for the buck that season, but the story began well before that September evening. Years of photos, a stand hung in spring, and restraint around the deer’s core area all preceded the moment the mature Mississippi whitetail turned broadside over clover.

Photo courtesy of Jeremy Yates.

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