MERIDIAN —    An American proverb appeared in a teacher’s manual in 1840 and was popularized by Edward Hickson, a British educational writer, in his “Moral Song” in 1857. The saying is common to this day; “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” The words are a perfect fit for the Meridian deer hunter, Ricky Sullivan. On Wednesday, Ricky bagged the most spectacularly antlered buck that has ever been taken in Lauderdale County according to many hereabouts who have searched their memories. And he succeeded after countless days afield with the big buck in mind.

    The monster buck began showing up in 2010 on trail cameras placed by the two men who hunt the property, Sullivan and Duke Wilson. This season the photos, beginning with those taken when the buck was in velvet, showed an outstanding deer that possibly was eight years old. The impressive aspect of the antlers was the spread, which proved to be 23 inches.

    Supplemental feeding that followed the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks rules, included high protein food. This surely contributed to a body weight which proved to be 210 pounds.

    The buck fed at night, but showed himself more in daylight than some trophy bucks are inclined to do. This was aided by the two hunters keeping their distance from the buck’s core area, thus keeping pressure on him to the minimum.

    Wednesday was the fifth day Ricky had seen the deer this year and had shot and missed the buck once before his successful day with his .308 and Custom Hornady 165 grain BTSP bullet. From a shooting house, Sullivan saw the buck cross the corner of an opening at 6:48 a.m. He made the 210 yard shot and the buck fell in place. The patient hunter had hunted daylight to dark Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday before his payoff day.

    This type of dedication is only possible if a hunter who has a family is blessed with a spouse who is understanding of the hunting passion and is sacrificial to the point of assuming many responsibilities of the often absent mate.

    “I owe this success to my wife, Becky,” said Sullivan. “She is the means behind the cause,” he said profoundly and with obvious gratitude. Without her support, he could not have practiced the enormous patience that it took to live in the great buck’s territory long enough for the deer to make the mistake that led to Ricky’s harvest.

    News of the fine buck spread like a grass fire. Already, plans are for a sketch of the story to appear in the March issue of Mississippi Sportsman magazine with a full length story following in October. Another editor inquired just 24 hours after the buck fell. Many stories will be written about this special deer and the patient hunter who bagged him.

    Sullivan’s lesson for the rest of us? Learn as much as you can about the deer’s habits and then, “If at first you don’t succeed … “