Many Firsts this Deer Season

This year is by far the best deer season ever for me. There were so many “firsts” this season. Throughout opening weekend, I’d either get a call or receive a text, “I got a deer.” For many it was their first deer, for some their first buck, others their first big buck and some their first time deer hunting.

Opening morning I took my daughter, Ashley, hunting for her first deer hunting experience. It was incredible. She was excited about participating in a family tradition that for so many years she had just sat on the sidelines. I had enjoyed going with her to the Hunter’s Education classes and helping her get her gun sighted in. We decided on a .30 caliber carbine with open sights. The gun didn’t kick, and she wouldn’t have to deal with learning to use a scope until she got more experience.

For several years I had told her about all the great things you can see when you’re out hunting, but until you experience it firsthand, it’s hard to explain to someone else. We were sitting in the deer stand together, and as it was becoming more and more daylight, I noticed a dark spot that I hadn’t seen earlier in the same location. She spotted it right off too, and she watched intently as it continued to move in closer. It was still far enough out that we weren’t sure if it was a buck or a doe. Even before I could be sure, she whispered, “It’s a buck!”

I watched her as she got her gun up and got a rest, and could tell she was getting pretty excited. I whispered to her to try to relax, although my heart was beating so hard, I was sure the deer could hear it. The buck continued coming in our direction, but was moving along at a pretty good pace. Just as he got out in front of her, about 150 yards out, I gave a grunt call to stop him. Sure enough, he stopped in his tracks, presenting a shot. She shot and missed the deer, and he turned and bounded off into a nearby patch of woods.

“Man, I missed him.” I explained to her that we’ve all done that at some time or another and not to be too hard on herself, at least she got to see the buck. That was the only deer we saw the rest of the season on the days she hunted. I know she relived the moment a thousand times, trying to figure out what she should have done differently. It was also fun listening to her tell the story to the rest of our family and friends. The excitement in her voice and sparkle in her eye told me that she was elated with the whole experience. That’s a lot of the enjoyment of it, remembering the details; the sights, the smells and the sounds.

I’m sure she’ll have many, many more hunting excursions in her lifetime. It only took this one time to get her hooked on the feeling. She’s already talking about going rabbit hunting this winter and turkey hunting this spring, and the list goes on and on.