Welcome to Rack Tactics Outdoors

     Hi, my name is Amanda Smith and January 13, 2018 was my lucky day.

      It started back about a week and a half ago when my husband (scotty) decided he would stay home, cook and take care of the kids so I could get a chance to hunt. That Saturday afternoon my husband went ahead of me and feed the deer with the special blended formula he has perfected through the years of hunting. It will be on the market soon.  Not only does it attract big bucks, it also produces BIG RACKS!

So, it began. I hunted a few days, seen a nice 6 point but he just was not what I was hunting for so decided to let him walk and sat there patiently. Then the day came. It started off as a normal Saturday. Around 3:30 pm that afternoon, I decided to sit on a deer stand. So, I slipped into my camo, put on a few extra cloths to stay warm because it was so cold outside, put on my jacket, grabbed my 444 rifle with my bullets, and got ready to head to my hunting spot. But before I left, my husband made a comment and told me not to come home unless I came home with meat. We laughed and joked about it, then headed off to my stand.  

    So, when I got to my stand, I climbed on in, set my gun down, lite my heater, and decided to hit my deer call a couple of times, then sat there and waited, hoping that big buck came out.

    So around 5:40 pm that afternoon, I decided to turn off my heater and get ready for the wait, with so much anticipation to see a buck come out.

    Then it happened, there he was, walking down the trail heading my way. As he was coming my way he stopped behind a tree and stood there for a min then continued to walk on toward me. As my heart began to race I knew I had to calm myself down and fast. So, I eventually got myself calm and watch as he entered my eye site. I got my 444 ready. When I went to look through my scope to my surprise the scope was totally fogged up due to my heater being on in my stand. Thank goodness, I had my little handy bag on the side of me and had a couple spare Kleenex with me. So, I grabbed one and slightly began trying to wipe away the fog from my scope. So finally, I had a little spot in my scope that I could see the deer through , so I took aim and shot. After I shot I turned my ear to window to see if I could hear the deer run, but to my surprise I heard nothing. So, I turned back toward where I shot and there he was still standing, then to my excitement, he just dropped right in my eye site. It was crazy!!!!!  In amazement, I unloaded my gun, got out my stand, and went to check out the deer I had just harvested. As I approached him I instantly dropped to my knees in excitement. I realized he was not the deer I thought he was at all, he was much bigger, he was the Rougarou. And I realized it was the deer I had been hunting all along. Tears came to my eyes as I began to count his horns and realized I had done something most people dream of doing and never get a chance. I was really excited by then. We had him on our camera a few times but never imagined I would be the one to get him.

    Seconds after I saw him my husband came running down the hill toward me and realized what I had done. He was astounded by it and think maybe a little more excited than me lol. I was so shocked. I had got the big one. 25 pts to be exact. He had two points that were almost an inch but a little shy and didn’t make it. There we celebrated and thanked God for the meat he had provided for us through that precious deer he created and thanked him for giving me and my family the opportunity to experience the hunt and deer of a lifetime. It was a very heartfelt moment and blessing to our family.

    So, then my husband headed back to the house to get our 4-wheeler, so we could retrieve the deer and bring him on back to the house. After we got back home, we took some pics, celebrated a little more then we went ahead and gutted him. Afterwards we went on to Kate and Ivy store in the Brouillette community to let them all see what we had done. There we sat a while as people came in and out and seen the deer and celebrated with us. It was an awesome time there. Seen many people that evening. So, from there we went on to show family and friends, then head back home for the night. The next day Tammy Lemoine came over and scored him unofficially and scored him at 238. Just to give us an idea of about what he was.

    Just a few days later Senior Wildlife agent Doug Anderson Jr came by and validated the deer as a good kill. Have to say he was very polite and respectful person in every way and just want to say thanks for his politeness and respect.

   Then on January 25, 2018, I brought him to the LDWF office in Pineville, La to have him green scored by Jonathan Bordelon. There he grossed 240 5/8 and netted 228 3/8. His official score will be done in March by same person and results will go into Louisiana records under gun-nontypical division.

    Also had him scored by Buckmaster scorer Mr. Cecil Reddick on January 31,2018 and he will go into Buckmaster score books as 249 2/8.

    He was harvested in Avoyelles parish on the evening of Jan 13, 2018 around 5:45pm that evening. He was killed on private land and was a free-range deer. I was just lucky that day. My family and I really enjoy nature. I love sitting in my stand and just listening to all the sounds around me. It’s the most awesome feeling in the world to just be listening to nature.

  Want to give a big thanks to God for his many blessing he has brought upon us, my husband for all his support and taking over the duties of the house to let me hunt, my family, Mr. Jimmie Stickells for working on our deer so quickly and doing an awesome job, Rack Tactics (Paul and Krishell Bordelon) for all their help, Adam and Wendy Dupuy for all their support and also to an awesome man that has been there for us through the years, Mr. Andre Caubarreaux. Thanks To All involved and participated in the adventures of this deer   harvest.