Missouri Monarch: A Legendary Buck, a New Cartridge, and the Stories That Define Deer Camp

From an aerial map it’s just a ridge between two ag fields. Hardwood timber stands tall at the top of it and rallies down 100 feet to the bottom where the cover gets thick and the rubs start…trees scarred from seasons of rutting bucks. But this Missouri ridge, also known as Cally’s Ridge, represents a lot more than that to me. For the second time in five years I found myself 20 feet up during the Missouri gun opener for our Winchester Deer Camp at Indian Hill, this time to test a brand new cartridge that would be added to the Winchester hunting line. 400 Legend was about to make its debut in Missouri and my brother Casey and I were one of the select few honored to put it to the test for the first time.  

Opening morning came and went with high deer activity, we just didn’t see a buck mature enough to train the crosshairs on. Across the property Casey made a tough call on a mature buck that slipped into range, it just didn’t present the shot he was looking for. The second morning was a repeat of day one…but it felt like it was just a matter of time before a hot doe pulled a mature buck into range.  

Cally’s Ridge is a morning stand. Deer come off the surrounding fields and filter throughout the hardwoods until late morning. During the field testing of Winchester’s Copper Impact bullet in the 2017 gun season, I was able to punch my tag with a beautiful mature eight point sitting in this stand, so my confidence level was extremely high that we would eventually be able to find success. On the morning of day three I had my opportunity.  

With a cold north wind blowing and temps in the teens, I sat on the ridge once more, Jason Brown over my shoulder with camera in hand. Little movement started the morning with just a few young deer down the ridge in the bottom, but it quickly ramped up when a mature eight crested the ridge behind me following a doe. The doe continued to work closer as he followed, walking directly under my tree. At 20 yards the buck gave me enough of a quartering shot. I pulled the trigger and my hunt was over.  

Some stands during deer season are just a little more special than others. Whether it’s from historical success, family traditions or just the provider of great memories…not all deer stands are created equal. Cally’s Ridge was now the lead character in two of my most favorite stories from the great states of Missouri. I climbed down from that old hardwood to put my hands on my buck and felt immense gratitude for just being part of deer season traditions. As the sun rose higher, it pushed through the trees on Cally’s Ridge, rays bouncing off of the fallen leaves around me. I sat behind my buck and took it all on. These moments are ever so fleeting, and the older I get the more Intake time to reflect in these special times. In the end, a cold front that pushed through had proven to be the catalyst for our best Winchester Deer Camp in history. The birth of the 400 Legend was a success, and the stories I have from that week in the Midwest will last a lifetime.  

AUTHOR: Jason Brown