HERRON, Mont. — Whiting resident Scott LaDuc came back from a recent trip to Montana with a lot more than photos of the beautiful scenery — he returned with a hunting story and the meat of an 8-point deer.
LaDuc began hunting when he was 10 years old; he was taught by his family in Whiting, a group of people who have always loved the sport.
On this past Nov. 23, all of those years spent hunting paid off while on a hunt in Herron, Mont.
LaDuc had never been hunting in Montana, though he has been hunting in Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island — mainly places in New England. And throughout the years, he has shot many white-tailed deer.
Then he saw an advertisement online for a six-day hunt in Montana.
In November, LaDuc traveled to Big Sky country, where he stalked and shot an 8-point, 185-pound buck. The veteran hunter said the animal would have been even bigger but for the weight it lost during mating season; he said he bagged the beast about two weeks into mating season, and LaDuc estimates it would have been about 225 pounds before mating began.
The hunting party kept an eye out for elk, but had to settle for deer. Nonetheless, deer made more-than-worthy trophies. LaDuc’s friend shot a 9-pointer on the same trip.
When asked what he does with the meat, he said that he consumes it, although with the Montana buck he left one key part out west. The animal’s head is still in Montana being mounted, and it will be sent to LaDuc in Vermont when it is ready.