Young Hunter, Grandson of Earl Bentz, Scores Huge Tennessee Velvet

Age is only a number. Just ask Bentz Rich, the 8-year-old grandson of Hall-of-Fame boatbuilder Earl Bentz. He’s been tagging big deer … since his younger days. Well, at least since last season, when young Bentz harvested this nice 8-point whitetail at the family ranch in Tennessee.

The young hunter did even better during Tennessee’s "velvet hunt" at the very end of August, harvesting a velvet monster with a crossbow on Aug. 28 in Williamson County. The free-range buck gross-scored 177 2/8 points. The previous day, young Bentz killed his first coyote with a crossbow during the same hunt.

Earl Bentz, an inductee in the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, is the founder of Caymas Boats (Stratos, Javelin and Triton previously)