I've always taken my kids out with me since they were very young. My son just turned 15 a couple weeks ago and has developed into a good hunter. He's been going with me since he was about 3, and got his first deer when he was 9 and has taken about 10 deer now. I completely trust him to do the right thing in the woods 100% of the time. He has logged the miles with me over the years and knows what to do and what not to do. I turned him loose last year to hunt on his own (while I am there) and he's taken 2 now by himself. Proud of him. My daughter just turned 12 last month, and to be honest...I didn't think she'd ever want to actually hunt. She liked going with me a few times a year and has been doing so since about age 5, but never had an interest in actually sitting behind the gun. We have taken some deer together and she's helped field dress, drag, and butcher plenty. She's also a huge animal lover, so my thoughts were she'd probably never actually hunt, and I was completely ok with that. We had a number of conversations about it over the past few years, and I never pushed her. She'd always say...maybe next year. I told her it was ok if she never wanted to hunt, but if she ever did to just ask. A few weeks ago out of the blue she says "Dad, I think I want to try and get a deer this year". I was shocked honestly. She then followed up with "But I don't want to shoot any does, or any babies, and no small bucks either". (LOL, nothing like boxing yourself in I thought!) I agreed to take her on opening day of rifle here in VA which was Saturday, November 17th. We went out and shot the .243 prior, because I told her if she can't be consistent with her shot placement, she'd have to wait until next year and do some practicing in the off season. She did really well, surprisingly - since she'd never shot a centerfire rifle before...only .22's and air guns. I told her I was comfortable letting her shoot out to about 40-50yds max, and my rule when training young ones is broadside or quartering away, and standing still….or no shot. She said fine. So we planned our trip out during the week and she was quite excited the night before. We got up early, got some breakfast, and got dressed and headed out. My son hunted with us also, he went to a stand at the back of our property. Our plan was to go to a box stand that is literally 100yds from my house overlooking a ravine with a brushy creek bottom. The deer had been using this area a lot this year, and I'd seen several bucks the week prior. The weather was crisp, cold, and clear as we settled in about 6:00am. As daylight eased in around 6:30, I told her how I loved the mornings...watching the woods wake up. We saw a few squirrels, and about 8:00 am we saw some movement to our left. It was 4 deer, does w/ fawns. They eased down through feeding along...probably 75 to 80yds away. I had given her the gun when we first saw them in case there was a buck, she had it on the first doe scoping her out the whole way. She whispered to me... "Man I want to shoot that deer right now! But its a momma, and has babies so I'm not gonna". LOL. I wouldn't have let her shoot that far anyhow, but as we discussed it after they left...she said she was right on her behind the shoulder when she was standing still. She said "I know I could‘a got her dad". I told her that was good practice, and she did well. Not long after that those same deer circled back and surprised us, and caught my daughter moving too quickly and they headed on out. I didn't see them coming because of a big tree right at the corner of our stand. Her job was to watch that area, because with both of us in the stand I couldn't see it. She got caught not paying attention and they snuck up on us. Lesson learned by her. About 15mins later she says "there’s a deer". Again it’s behind that tree that’s blocking my view, so I asked where - she said "standing right there, it just crossed the creek". I eased her gun up to her and told her to get ready. As she did, I leaned way forward slowly to peek around the tree. I saw him standing there, a buck. I eased back and told her it was a buck and to get ready. He moved down through the bottom to our left within range, and I told her I'd try to stop him in an opening for her. She eased off the safety and I went "maaahh". He stopped, right behind some trees. A few more steps, I stopped him again - again he's behind trees. He starts to walk again... one more try, this time he stops in an opening about 40yds out quartering away. I think to myself...perfect! I waited...and waited...finally I said, "well if you want to get him, you're gonna have to shoot". Shortly after...boom! He staggers forward about 15yds, then turns right for about 10 more yds and goes down! She looks at me and says, "Did I get him?" I said, "Well, considering he only went about 20-30yds and fell over....I'd say so!" She then yelled really loud "Yeaahhhh!" I gave her a high five and a hug and asked her if she was ok....she said yeah, but I'm shaking now! She said she wasn't shaking at all when she shot, and didn't even hear me tell her to shoot. She said she was lining up her shot where it needed to be and never heard me say a thing, just shot when she was ready. I told her great job. We talked about what happened, and waited about 10 minutes or so with her chomping at the bit to go get him. She shot him about 8:20 am. I took a couple pics, she texted her brother to tell him...and we finally started towards her deer. I couldn't keep up with her! She was so excited….and I was too! He was a 3pt, and her shot was perfect entering at the last rib and stopping in the opposite shoulder. We even got a bonus - we recovered the bullet just under the skin. It was a great day, I couldn’t be prouder of her and we had an awesome time. Great memories made for sure. Here are the pics, enjoy! After the shot…. Here she goes after him.... When she found him... (this is my favorite pic) And of course ... a hero shot
Great story and congratulations to you and your daughter. Nothing like a first deer...and her deciding to do it without pressure from you. Now put a bow in her hand...she'll be ready for next year! :D :D
Great story and hunt. Big congrats to your daughter on her first deer/buck !! A great moment for both of you. Best of luck with you and your boy's hunting now. Tim
That is a great story. I'm hoping to have that happen next year. My daughter is 12, but she can't shoot a shotgun accurately enough yet.(here in DE, rifle hunting is not allowed. Bow, shotgun, or muzzleloader only.) So, I'm going to take her to the range and get her comfortable, and hopefully next year she can try to shoot her first deer.
