The Jones family killed these two quality bucks from same spot over 24-hour period.

The Jones family killed these two quality bucks from same spot over 24-hour period.

Deer season may be over, but the stories keep coming, like the one shared with me last week by a LaPorte County hunter.

While several Hoosiers lamented they didn’t see many bucks last fall, that wasn’t the case for Dave Jones.

He and his 78-year-old father, Gene, hunt an 88-acre parcel in southern LaPorte County. It’s kind of an island of habitat surrounded by farm fields. It generally attracts a few deer but not many quality bucks.

Until this year.

Gene, who is retired, hunted there throughout the bow season. Dave, an attorney, works a lot so his hunting time was limited to opening day of gun season.

“Dad saw some deer during bow season but nothing like what we encounter in one weekend,” explained Dave.

For example, on Veterans Day, Gene shot a dandy 10-point with a crossbow.

“It’s depressing when your dad kills one a day before the gun opener,” joked Dave.

That depression didn’t last long. He climbed into his tree stand early that next morning, and within five minutes, knocked down a big 9-point with a rifle - only a few yards from where his dad shot his 10-pointer the day before.

“It was my first time in this stand and I had done no scouting,” said Dave. “Hard to believe we killed two big deer in a small area.”

But wait…there’s more.

When the Jones family returned from church the next day, a neighbor and friend were parked in his drive.

Neighbors took these nice racks not 500 yards from where the jones took theirs and on the following day.

Neighbors took these nice racks not 500 yards from where the jones took theirs and on the following day.

Lying in the bed of their pickup truck were two deer - a big 8 point and an 11-pointer - that they shot on the adjacent property.

That’s four trophy bucks shot within 72 hours.

“And they were all shot within a 500-yard area,” said Dave. “We’ve hunted that land for 25 years and only know of one big buck killed here all those years. This was incredible.”

Indeed.

The Jones family doesn’t manage the property for quality bucks and basically hunt to put venison in the freezer. And while this year’s deer will provide a lot of meals, there will be a couple of big head mounts going on the wall.