8-year-old wins ALBBAA Big Buck contest

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Grayson Milner, an 8-year-old student at Wilmer Elementary and a resident of Mobile, won the 2022-23 Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) Big Buck Photo Contest for harvesting a 9-point while hunting with his father in Dallas County.

Grayson Milner sat in a deer stand with his father just before sundown on New Year’s Eve, wondering if he was going to have another opportunity at a big buck again.

Earlier that day, he had missed a deer, and things were not looking good as darkness was closing in on the day’s hunting adventures. However, just before dusk, a buck appeared.

Daniel Milner, Grayson’s father, took a look through his binoculars at the deer, which was standing about 130 yards out. “That’s a shooter right there,” Daniel stated to his son.

Grayson, who has hunted since the age of three, took aim and dropped the 9-point 200 lb. buck.

“It’s my biggest deer ever,” said Grayson.

“He’s got the biggest one in the house,” added Daniel.

ALBBAA holds the Big Buck Photo Contest annually, and the contest is designed to celebrate the amazing deer hunting available in the Black Belt. People can then go online and vote for a winner.

Grayson said his classmates at Wilmer Elementary definitely helped him win the Big Buck Photo Contest. “All of them voted for me,” he said with a smile.

As the winner of this year’s Big Buck Photo Contest, Grayson won a $300 gift card sponsored by Tutt Land Company for use at any outdoor retail outlet.

The deer was processed and used for family meals, and Grayson said he was happy to contribute to his family’s dinner table. In addition, the trophy will be mounted for a keepsake to display in the family’s home.

All of this year’s contest entries can be viewed here.

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