Gage Shepard took this 17-point buck — his first-ever deer from a saddle — while hunting on 5-acre parcel in west-central Illinois last fall. Among the buck’s notable features are three kickers on its left antler. (Photos by Stephanie Shepard)
July 16, 2025
By Mark Demko
Saddle hunting has a fairly steep learning curve, so taking a big, mature buck in your first year or two can be considered quite the accomplishment. What 26-year-old Gage Shepard did last fall, however, is nothing short of extraordinary. In only his second year of hunting from a saddle, the Illinois resident tagged a 200-inch, 17-point monster. And not only was it his first-ever deer from the saddle — buck or doe — he took it on a property of less than 5 acres in size!
The Switch to Saddle Hunting
A resident of Carterville, Ill., Shepard spends most of his time hunting public parcels in the southern part of the state. Over the years, however, the idea of lugging...
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