Deer of the Day 2025

Click the artwork above to visit Route 262 Outdoors' Facebook page. 

Deer of the Day is back!!!

Buck or doe. Shotgun or bow. We are welcoming everybody’s nominations for the Eagle Country 99.3 Deer of the Day, presented by Route 262 Outdoors, located on....State Route 262 in Dillsboro, of course! 

Route 262 Outdoors is Your Firearm and Ammunition Headquarters. For more information, visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063569681332. 

The tri-state’s BEST and ORIGINAL deer photo contest is giving our listeners the chance to show off their prized whitetail harvested during the 2025-26 hunting season. Each day, we’ll publish on this page a photo and story submitted by a listener. 

The Deer of the Day grand prize winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to Route 262 Outdoors!

We are welcoming your nominations now through December 31, 2025! There are some simple rules to follow:

• Email your medium to high resolution photo in JPEG or GIF file format to news@eaglecountryonline.com. Please include your name, city of residence, and location of the harvest along with a one paragraph story detailing your successful hunt.
• Keep your photo and story tasteful. Photos showing too much blood and/or guts won’t be considered (yuck!).
• The deer shown must have been hunted legally and ethically during the bow, firearms, muzzleloader, or youth hunting season in local areas of Indiana, Ohio, or Kentucky.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4

Submitted by Allie Eckerle

9 year old Avery Eckerle got her first doe. Hunt was in Franklin County.

 

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3

Submitted by PJ Beach

Corbin Beach, age 12, harvested this very nice 10 point buck on his family farm in Boone County.

 

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25

Submitted by Harold Scranton

Fairview, IN 
Switzerland County - Private Farm 

Well after missing the Indiana Firearms opener last weekend for the first time in as many years as I can remember due to attending a friend's funeral service, I was able to seal the deal Saturday afternoon with a nice buck!! Well the stars must have been just right cause I almost missed this guy coming thru due to texting a co -worker ( I was the On-Call guy for work) I just happened to catch the antlers moving thru some heavy brush and was able to drop the phone and get the rifle up just in time for him to present a shot!!! Very thankful for this harvest from our Farm. 

 

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24

Submitted by Julie Gray

Greg Gray of Milan, Indiana shot this deer between Milan and Elrod.  230 pounds.  His first deer of the year.

 

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22

Submitted by Ron Young

10 Yr old Ryder Young of Crittenden Ky shot this 9 pt buck Sat.Nov.15th while hunting with his dad on his pap and granny`s farm in Gallatin county Ky. It`s not his first deer but it is definitely the biggest. Congratulations Ryder! biggest. 

 

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21

Submitted by Ethan Back

My daughter, Anna Back got her first buck on Sunday the second day of gun season! She hunted all but two hours of the first day of season (thankfully the was nice!) and only seen one doe and two small spikes. Around 9am on Sunday morning this nice 8pt stepped out and and Anna was able to fill her tag with 140 yard shot! Anna is not a stranger to good marksmanship she’s nocked out several squirrels with a .22lr. Anna’s mother and I are extremely proud of her dedication and determination in everything she does! Most importantly she was still able to make it to church that morning! Deer was harvested in Ripley County.

 

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20 

Submitted by Heidi Jones

Sawyer from Milan, Indiana got his buck that he’s been hoping to get!  He was hunting at his Grandpa’s farm in Switzerland County when this nice buck came out into the field. He was very excited!

 

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19

Submitted by Noah Veid

Luke Veid- 7 years old- Aurora, IN 

Luke was hunting with his dad when his persistence paid off on 11/17/2025. He was able to punch his tag on this great Dearborn County buck. 

 

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18 

Submitted by Savannah Metcalf

Hoyt Metcalf
Milan, Indiana 
Shot in Franklin County 

Hoyt is 4 years old and has been hunting with his dad Jimmy since youth opening day. He has been very patient and anxious to get a deer down. Opening day of gun Hoyt and his dad went out for an evening hunt to hopefully finally make his little dreams come true & soon enough a buck walked out and he shot it with his 350 legend and the rest was history! 

 

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17

Submitted by Ashley Tinker

Chance Tinker (5 years old) got his first ever deer this past weekend in Dearborn County with his 350 legend. He hunted his little heart out all weekend with his dad, passing up smaller bucks and some doe, waiting to get the “big buck” he was hoping for. His patience finally paid off Sunday evening! Brennan and I are so proud of him! Truly an unforgettable moment for Chance and his dad! 

 

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 

Submitted by Maddy Beatty

Luke and Jason Beatty are a father son duo from Lawrenceburg, IN. They both got their deer 15 minutes apart (11/5), finding them laying next to each other 8 yard apart. Luke got an 11 pointer weighing in at 230, and Jason’s a 10 pointer weighing in at 185. Truly an unforgettable moment! 

 

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10 

Submitted by Ashley Wesley

Owen Wesley - 11-years-old
West Harrison, IN

Owen Wesley (11 yrs.old) got his first deer on November 9. He's been hitting the woods hard and it paid off. He was able to get a clean 30 yard shot with his mom's crossbow, right through the "heart beat" as he used to say when he was younger. Randy and I are extremely proud of him. He's hooked and can't wait to get back out there.

 

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5

Submitted by Anje Sizemore

Anje Sizemore, of Rising Sun, shot this 10-point buck on Halloween night (10/31) in Switzerland County. She was only in the stand one hour when this guy walked in. She shot him with a crossbow at 30 yards. This is her biggest buck to date.

 

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3

Submitted by Leah Mondary

Wyatt Smith 7yrs old- Dillsboro, IN / Harvested 11/1

Wyatt was hunting Saturday evening with his mom in a blind. He held his composure as this deer came into the food plot at 25 yards, and he put a perfect shot on his biggest buck to date. 

 

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23

Submitted by Chris Hountz

Clayton Hountz (6 years old) got his first deer youth weekend with his 350 legend. He named the gun Hardy after his favorite country singer. He had to be patient and wait for the right shot. We're so proud of him. Nothing beats being with your boy on his first successful hunt.