As the rifle antlered deer season came to a close Dec. 12, hunting stories are being told throughout Butler County. But one 11-year-old Forestville resident has an unusual tale.

Chase Meheney and his father, David, both of Forestville, Mercer Township, were hunting on the final Saturday of buck season on the land of a relative, Robert Johnston of Gilmore Road, Grove City. They arrived late in the day, after the four others in their party already were in their tree stands.

The Meheneys used a radio to contact the hunting party before beginning to drive the area. They hiked the surrounding area, hoping to force deer to move from their hiding places and into the line of fire of someone in their party.

But they found little success. They were worried they would leave empty-handed this season.

David Meheney said they saw some scrapes, spots on trees where deer rub their antlers, but few other signs of deer as they walked.

After a few drives, David Meheney said he called a member of the hunting party on a cell phone to discuss changing locations, when a small group of deer entered their view. He handed Chase the gun, a Youth .243 single-shot rifle.

Chase is a youth mentor, which is a program for young hunters under the 12-year-old, minimum age threshold for the hunter’s safety course, which is required for buying a hunter’s license.

As a youth mentor, Chase has certain limitations, but also some freedoms. He can shoot smaller bucks, but he can’t carry the gun as they walk and can only handle it when he has the opportunity for a shot.

Chase aimed his sights. About 10 to 15 seconds later, he pulled the trigger and dropped a deer. But the deer that dropped wasn’t the one Chase was aiming at. Chase said he was aiming at a doe, but when the hunting party arrived at the deer, it turned out to be a small four-point buck, fatally hit in the neck.

David Meheney said minutes later another member of the group stumbled across a dead doe lying 50 yards away, shot just behind the front shoulder where the heart and lungs are. The group followed a blood trail to discover that the doe was the original deer that Chase shot.

“We weren’t 100 percent sure at that time,” David Meheney said.

David Meheney said the group confirmed the idea by following the blood trail, which led back to where the buck lay. He said he can only speculate how it happened, as the whole scenario passed too quickly.

“The doe was a perfect shot with a pass through and the buck was hit in the neck,” he said. “The buck, I believe, jumped behind the doe after Chase shot.”

Chase Meheney said he was amazed when their findings confirmed he had killed two deer with one bullet.

This wasn’t Chase’s first kill. He has hunted as a youth mentor since he was 8 years old, harvesting a buck and two doe.

Chase said he is familiar with the thrill of seeing and lining up the sights on the deer, which can be so exhilarating it can sometimes interfere with a shot. It is commonly known as buck fever.

But Johnston said Chase has no issues with buck fever. Chase has hunted on Johnston’s property since he started in the sport.

“It was a heck of a shot,” Johnston said. “He’s about the calmest person I’ve seen.”

In fact, Chase said he embraces the thrill he feels when he first spots a deer. That feeling makes him want to continue hunting.

He said hunting also provides a time for him to bond with his family, especially his father and Johnston, who the family refers to as “Uncle Bob.”

Both deer were tagged, photographed and sent to a butcher. Chase said his favorite meat from the deer is the jerky. David Meheney said he made sure to get some, and Chase made sure to remind him.

“He texted me three times to make sure I got jerky,” his father said.

After the meat was home, the stories began to be told and skeptics arose. Chase heard skepticism at school when he told his friends about his experience. His father said he was also accused of making the event up.

“There’s a few guys that thought I was full of crap,” David Meheney said.

“They should believe me,” Chase said. “Because it’s true.”

David Meheney said he plans to get the buck mounted. Despite its small size, he believes the event was a once in a lifetime experience that should be preserved. He said he and Chase will have the mounts to go along with a great story.

“I don’t think we’ll top that next year,” David said.

Chase said he agreed, adding he may never be able to top this year’s hunt even with more many years to come.