Lowcountry hunter kills opening day velvet buck

It’s the third opening day velvet buck she’s killed

Rosalyn Ballam killed a lowcountry 8-point buck in full velvet on Aug. 15, 2023 at 6:45 p.m. It’s the third time she’s killed a velvet buck on opening day, and the fourth one she’s killed during the first week of the season.

She began seeing the buck on her trail cameras this past May, and the deer visited often since then. But her first time seeing it in the flesh was slightly more than an hour before she shot it.

“I saw him as I was grabbing my gear to get into the stand. He stepped out in front of my car and we stared at each other for a minute or two,” she said.

Thinking she wouldn’t see the deer again that evening, she got in the stand anyway, hoping for something worth shooting to show up. That was a good move, because her target buck came back and entered the open area on a road she was overlooking. She shot it in the shoulder from 100 yards away. Her father came to help her track the buck, which they found 50 yards away.

Killing a buck in full velvet has become a tradition for the hunter from Awendaw.

“This is the third velvet buck I’ve killed on opening day, and the fourth during opening week. All were trophies, and my dad comes and helps me look for my bucks every deer season. It’s always the best feeling when we find them together,” she said.