Mississippi

‘He was just a monster.’ Mississippi teen deer hunter harvests giant 167-inch buck

Published

1 year ago

November 12, 2024

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‘He was just a monster.’ Mississippi teen deer hunter harvests giant 167-inch buck

‘It was getting darker and I had four bucks fighting in front of me. When he walked up he was on a march.’

A Mississippi teen first got a particular buck on camera two years ago and although it was a 10-point, it didn’t really stand out. Since the buck appeared to be young, the teen’s father said they should let him grow and two years later that decision paid off with a huge buck that unofficially gross-scored 167 inches.

“He was nothing special,” said Walker Hilbun, 18, of Starkville. “He was 3 1/2 (years old) and my dad said we should let him go and it was a really good thing we did.

“The next year I passed on the deer four or five times. It was extremely hard to do. It was hard to let him go last year.”

When the buck showed up on camera this summer, it was a different story.

“He was just a monster with tons of mass and tons of points on him,” Hilbun said. “I was extremely happy I let him go last year and immediately wanted to kill him this year.”

Acorns make hunting the big buck difficult

Harvesting the buck was easier said than done. Hilbun said Patterning the buck was difficult because the cameras on the Oktibbeha County property where he was hunting were set up on food plots and at a feeder, but the buck wasn’t frequenting those spots.

Instead, the buck appeared to be feeding on the early crop of acorns in wooded areas, so that’s where Hilbun focused his efforts, but the plan wasn’t working. A month into the season, Hilbun had not had an encounter with the buck.

On Nov. 1, the buck decided to eat something other than acorns. While Hilbun was hunting in a wooded area, the buck showed up on camera at a nearby food plot.

That prompted a change. Hilbun said his dad said he should hunt out of a shooting house at the food plot in case the buck came back. The following afternoon, that’s what Hilbun did.

A food plot filled with deer

“I got in the stand at 3:15,” Hilbun said. “I saw lots of deer. I ended up seeing about 30 deer in the food plot.”

And soon enough, the big buck decided to join them.

“He did pop out at 5:30, 5:35 and I watched him,” Hilbun said. “He’d feed to me and then feed back.”

The buck continued grazing in the food plot for about an hour, but stayed out of range of Hilbun’s bow. Then something happened the buck couldn’t resist.

“It was getting darker, and I had four bucks fighting in front of me,” Hilbun said. “When he walked up he was on a march.”

Hilbun said he was nervous, but he managed to stay calm until he got a shot.

“It was right before dark,” Hilbun said. “I slowly drew back and when I shot he was at 27 yards, I think. I was really confident in my shot.”

Even though Hilbun was confident in his shot, his nerves finally got the best of him.

“I was really shaken up,” Hilbun said. “I was super nervous.”

Long, sleepless night ends with buck of Mississippi hunter’s dreams

Hilbun said he didn’t track the deer that evening because he didn’t want to risk jumping the buck before it expired. He didn’t have to worry about the meat spoiling because the temperatures went down into the low 60s that night.

Even so, it was a long night. Hilbun said he didn’t sleep as he replayed the shot in his mind over and over. The following morning, a handler came with a tracking dog to help with the recovery and it wasn’t long before Hilbun put his hands on the buck.

“It was the best moment in my life, probably,” Hilbun said. “He was just as big as I thought he was. I was really shaken up and excited.”

And there was a lot to be excited about. The buck had 11 points plus a kicker on one of his brow tines. The inside spread was 17 3/4 inches. The G3s measured over 7 inches and the other nine points racked up inches as well.

And the mass was, well, massive. Hilbun said the total circumference measurements came to roughly 40 inches with a total rough score of 167.

The buck is the biggest he’s ever taken and he realizes he may never harvest another of that size. However, that doesn’t mean Hilbun won’t try.

“It’s probably not super likely, but I can’t kill one if I don’t hunt,” Hilbun said.

Do you have a story idea? Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.

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Mississippi

Rapper Afroman plans 3 Mississippi shows. When, where to see new tour

Published

10 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Press Room

Rapper Afroman plans 3 Mississippi shows. When, where to see new tour

Afroman has three Mississippi shows lined up soon. The Grammy-nominee recently unveiled dates for his 2026 Freedom of Speech Tour. The first two are this week. Is one near you?

Afroman’s real name is Joseph Foreman. The 2024 presidential candidate used to live in Hattiesburg.

The rapper is best known for his hits such as “Because I Got High,” “Mississippi” and “Crazy Rap.” He was nominated for a Grammy in 2002 for Best Rap Solo Performance for “Because I Got High,” a comedy song about smoking marijuana.

Here’s what to know about his First Amendment court victory and when you can watch him in the Magnolia State.

Why is it called the Freedom of Speech tour?

In 2022, law enforcement in Adams County, Ohio, raided the rapper’s home. It was tied to allegations of kidnapping and drug trafficking. Afroman was never charged.

Months later, Afroman used video from his home security system in music videos. He has lyrics making fun of specific officers by name. Songs like “Will You Help Me Repair My Door” and “Lemon Pound Cake” have racked up millions of views and streams.

The deputies filed a lawsuit in 2023, arguing that he’d committed defamation and invasion of privacy.

He continued releasing police diss tracks. “Batteram Hymn of The Police Whistle Blower” was dropped this month.

A jury acquitted Afroman on March 18.

“I didn’t win, America won,” he told Cincinnati’s WCPO 9 News outside the courthouse.

His new album “Freedom of Speech,” includes the songs from the lawsuit. It drops on April 20. The date, 4-20, is popular and an unofficial holiday for weed smokers.

When will Afroman play in Mississippi?

He has three shows in Mississippi this spring, according to Afroman’s tour webpage and event organizers.

Afroman most recently drew attention following victory in a three‑day trial in Ohio after deputies with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office sued him for using real footage from a 2022 police raid on his home in viral music videos. The videos were “Will You Help Me Repair My Door” and “Lemon Pound Cake.”

Contributing: Edward Segarra and Taijuan Moorman

Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Have a tip? Email her at pdankins@gannett.com.

Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with USA TODAY NETWORK. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.

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Mississippi

Vote for Clarion Ledger Mississippi girls high school athlete of the week March 23-28

Published

22 hours ago

March 30, 2026

Press Room

Vote for Clarion Ledger Mississippi girls high school athlete of the week March 23-28

There were several top performers across the state in girls high school sports, but only one can be voted as the Clarion Ledger athlete of the week for March 23-28.

Fans may vote in the poll BELOW one time per hour per device. The poll closes at noon on Friday.

To nominate a future athlete of the week, email mchavez@gannett.com or message him on X, formerly Twitter, @MikeSChavez.

To submit high school scores, statistics, records, leaders and other items at any time, email mchavez@gannett.com.

Nominations

Lexie Dixon, Alcorn Central: Dixon had eight hits with two home runs and eight RBIs in Alcorn Central games against Booneville and Corinth.

Alyssa McMurtrey, Pisgah: McMurtrey had seven hits with 10 RBIs in Pisgah’s games against Morton and Quitman.

Madison Rhodes, Clinton: Rhodes had four hits with eight RBIs and a pair of stolen bases during Clinton’s games against Madison Central, Germantown and Murrah.

Abbie Robertson, Itawamba Agricultural: Robertson had two home runs and nine RBIs during Itawamba Agricultural’s wins against Amory and Pine Grove.

Addy Walker Phillips, Neshoba Central: Phillips produced six hits and six RBIs in Neshoba Central’s games against West Lauderdale and Choctaw Central.

Michael Chavez covers high school sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X, formerly Twitter @MikeSChavez.

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Mississippi

When will you get your April 2026 SSI check in MS? See payment schedule

Published

1 day ago

March 30, 2026

Press Room

When will you get your April 2026 SSI check in MS? See payment schedule

People who get Supplemental Security Income checks will get paid on Wednesday, April 1.

The payments sometimes go out early. It happens when the first falls on a weekend or a holiday. Checks get sent on the last weekday before the normal send date.

Social Security recipients also will get their regular checks as scheduled in April. Benefits are typically disbursed to almost 74 million people on Wednesdays later in the month. Your payment date depends on the day of the month you were born.

Here’s what you should know about the April payment schedule, when the next time SSI checks will go out early and where to find a Social Security Office near you in Mississippi.

March 2026 Social Security payment schedule

The Social Security Administration’s 2026 payment schedules are online to help beneficiaries plan their budgets.

Regular Social Security retirement benefits will be issued according to the SSA’s standard payment schedule in March:

March 11: Birthdates between the first and 10th of the month
March 18: Birthdates between the 11th and the 20th of the month
March 25: Birthdates between the 21st and the 31st of the month

When will SSI checks be sent early in 2026?

The next time checks will be sent early is Friday, July 31. August 1 is a Saturday this year.

SSI checks also will be sent out early for November because the first is over a weekend.

And the first check of the new year always gets sent on New Year’s Eve because of the holiday conflict.

SSI payment schedule for 2026

Supplemental Security Income checks will be sent out on the following dates in 2026, according to the SSA calendar.

It’s usually sent on the first of the month, but they are disbursed early if the first falls on a weekend or holiday.

Wednesday, April 1 (check for April)
Friday, May 1 (check for May)
Monday, June 1 (check for June)
Wednesday, July 1 (check for July)
Friday, July 31 (check for August)
Tuesday, Sept. 1 (check for September)
Thursday, Oct. 1 (check for October)
Friday, Oct. 30 (check for November)
Tuesday, Dec. 1 (check for December)
Thursday, Dec. 31 (check for January 2027)

➤ Most Americans think Social Security won’t be there for them. Are they right?

Why will some people get paid 3 times in certain months?

People who get both SSI and regular Social Security will be paid three times in October and December.

The regular SSI payment will come on the first. The Social Security check will be paid on its usual date. Then the SSI funds for the following month will be sent near the end of the month because the next SSI disbursement date falls on a weekend or holiday.