Beams on beams and points on points
By Horace Gore
Laura Berry has long been a legend when it comes to taking South Texas whitetail bucks. She has taken her share of both typical and non-typical, some that would fill a No. 2 washtub. She has had many good opportunities while hunting with youngest son, Marty. The duo has brought many trophy bucks to the Muy Grande Deer Contest in Freer, and Laura did it again in 2024.
To boil it down, Marty manages for outstanding bucks on his ranches and Laura hunts for the best. It’s not easy to find a particular trophy buck on a large ranch and she and Marty had seen a non-typical on Marty’s Gloriosa Ranch. She wanted a closer look—on the ground.
I’ve known Laura for a lot of years, and we sing off the same page. I’ve palled around and interviewed her so many times that I know her like a sister. She grew up in the pineywoods of Shelby County and went to Draughon’s Business College in Dallas after Center High School.
Laura met Marvin Berry in Beaumont and tagged him as a winner right from the start. Marvin and Laura married and moved to Corpus Christi where they were successful in both business and raising a family of four boys.
Marvin taught Laura how to hunt and use a rifle, and she often brags about their four boys sitting on her lap on the family’s Flying Bull Ranch in Real County where each shot his first buck. She remarks about the boys, “Four of a kind beats a full house every time.”
Laura took up rifle and shotgun shooting and through time, has hunted deer and hogs with a variety of rifles, including her favorite .300 Weatherby. With her favorite shotguns, Laura has brought competitive shooters all over the world to their knees.
The deer season of 2024 was coming, and Laura thought about the non-typical buck she had seen on the Gloriosa. “Marty, I want to hunt for that unusual buck this season,” she requested. “This year I want to take a unique buck—something odd and different.” Such a request put pressure on Marty, because Laura wanted “a needle in the haystack.”
By the time they both had a chance to go hunting, Marty had seen the buck a few times—a deer that was certainly unique. Marty had never gotten close enough to tell exactly what the buck had in the way of non-typical antlers, but he knew that this was the buck for Laura.
The early December weather was changing, and Laura wanted to hunt. “I want to get that buck before he breaks something,” Laura told Marty. “Can we hunt this weekend?” Marty was scheduled to work on his Gum Hollow Ranch on Friday night—work that would take most of the night. “I guess we can go after I get through,” Marty assured Laura. “I’ll come by for you early Saturday morning.”
Marty worked all night on Friday and called Laura early Saturday, but she wasn’t ready. “Don’t come now,” she said. “It’s early and I don’t have any makeup on.” Marty wondered about the makeup, but Laura always looked nice when they went to Muy Grande. “You’re pretty confident about getting that buck,” Marty surmised. Laura replied, “Yes, I expect to see him sometime during the day.”
The duo got to their hunting spot near a lake on the Gloriosa about 8:15 and Marty scattered some corn. Laura got settled with her .300 Weatherby and before long, a few does found the corn. The weather had turned cold and rainy—just the kind of day to hunt deer. Laura had her eyes on the brush where the does had come from—hoping a buck might be trailing them.
Laura didn’t have to wait long. The big buck she was after bounded out of the brush chasing a doe. “Wait, I want to take a couple of pictures,” Marty said as the buck stopped. “Cover your ears—I’m gonna shoot!” Laura warned as she poked the gun barrel out the pushed the safety off. “Just one more,” Marty said as he clicked another photo. He was hardly ready when Laura pulled the trigger, and the Magnum sent a bullet through the deer’s shoulder. The buck wheeled and fell dead.
Laura and Marty were elated. They got out and inspected the odd-shaped antlers. The right side had split beams, making three beams with points on points. After the photos and admiring the buck, Marty field dressed and loaded the deer. In a few minutes they were on their way to Freer and Muy Grande.
The Muy Grande routine was not new to Laura. She had entered many bucks in the oldest deer contest in Texas. The buck scored 275 gross B&C in the non-typical category. Not bad for a 94-year-old grandmother who has been a legend at Muy Grande since its founding in 1965.
