[oucorry]

Courtesy Cindy Stewart

Baler Stewart displays the rack on his unusual prize, complete with fence wire.
RINGLING, Okla. — Cindy Stewart, the mother of 9-year-old Baler Dee Stewart, who bagged a buck with an enormous rack, says he's having fun with his fame.

"He's been enjoying it," Stewart said.

Baler Stewart was using a .50 caliber rifle on his first muzzleloader hunt in October when he harvested the animal. It has 41 points to hang a ring on, but officials are scoring it closer to 30 points.

Never having fired a muzzleloader before, Baler asked his father Patrick Stewart if the gun was "on?"

When his father confirmed that it was, Baler replied with "Well then, I got him, Dad."

Photos of the boy and his eye-catching prize have been circulating on the Web and in e-mails ever since.

The once-in-a-lifetime trophy rack came complete with a tangle of fencing wire wrapped around its tines. The wire, it was determined, came from the fence around Baler's grandfather's black-eyed pea patch.

Baler's father, who'd been accused of tilling under the missing fence portion, was exonerated with his son's buck. According to his mother, Baler felt a reward was in order for bringing in the pea patch thief.

"Papa" Harley, Baler's grandfather, replied that if asked, he'd deduct the bounty from the cost of the wire, seeds, fertilizer and labor that led to Baler's big prize.

Cindy Stewart says the holiday rush diverted the Stewarts from contacting the Boone and Crockett Club for an official score, but that's on their to-do list.

In the meantime, however, Mike Handley, chairman of Buckmasters Whitetail Trophy Records, measured the rack, scoring the deer at a composite of 228 7/8. The rack also received a Buckmaster's Trophy Record score of 211 1/8.



Fame and fortune

Many online posts suggest now that Baler's climbed the Everest of deer hunting at such a young age, he may find it difficult to top his own success. When he's asked about his plans from here, his typical reply is, "I'm gonna hunt."



Cindy Stewart says the calls and requests for information and images just keep coming — Baler's fame has led her to joke about a new vocation.



ESPNOutdoors.com

Papa Harley's black-eyed pea patch raider, busted.
"I guess I'm not your mom anymore," Stewart said, "I'm just your PR woman."



Despite the pomp and circumstance, Stewart says Baler is still a diehard outdoorsman at heart. He won a Playstation 3 in a recent contest in Texas, but was disappointed: He wanted the rifle they were giving away.



He's not sulking, though — Santa brought him a bow for Christmas and he's looking forward to using it.

Baler's love for the outdoors carries over onto the water as well, as his 8 1/2-pound bass on display in the Stewart family home bears witness.

"We went fishing the other day and he outfished us all," Stewart said. "We had a 4-pound, and 3-pound, and probably about a 2-and-a-half. And a half-pound crappie."

Stewart says Baler's love for hunting is innate. It began when he was 5.

"He's always been able to shoot — with a BB gun — just kill birds out of the air," Stewart said. "He squirrel hunts. He hunts just about everything. He's real good at shooting ducks."

Around the time he started using his first air rifle, Stewart says Baler was asked to serve as a ring bearer for a local junior high school's homecoming. At some point that evening, he was asked what he wanted to be when he grew up.

"I wanna be a hunter and a fisher, and a part-time farmer and rancher, like my Dad," Baler Stewart said.



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[D Winkler]

Thats a monster for a 90 year old

[DrakeHunter]

sorry winkler but it's a 9 year old not 90!!! Although it would be a monster for either.

[birdman]

That kid is ruined for life!!!!!

[shortbus]

Originally Posted by DrakeHunter

sorry winkler but it's a 9 year old not 90!!! Although it would be a monster for either.

Uh, yeah, that's what he was saying! It would be a monster for EVEN a 90 year old!

[oucorry]

Sorry, Drakehunter had his head in a catfish hole.