Is it just me, or is everyone (majority) putting too much emphasis on size of deer killed. I ask this because the opening week of Youth deer season hear in KS, I took my 11 year old son deer hunting, and he filled his tag on his first velvet buck. yes this buck was very small, but was completely in velvet. This deer was just a yearling 6pt. History. My son has hunted since he was 8 years old. This is his fourth year hunting. In his hunting career, he has killed 3 deer before this one. two does, and one other 6pt. All of the deer he has killed were shot with a rifle. He does bow hunt, and has hit two does with his bow, one was lost after a poor blood trail, and the other was hit in the shoulder, and lived. Because of this, he stated to me that he wanted to hunt with his rifle this year during youth season instead of with his bow. I am okay with this because as much as we both like bow hunting, I understand that it is no fun hitting deer and not recovering them. About a week after my son killed his deer, he was approached by a fellow bow hunter, who stated to him; Hey I saw a picture of the deer you killed, why so small? my son just shrugs his shoulders. bow hunter then states; bad enough you had to kill it with a rifle! At this point dad was a little upset, so I asked this gentleman how old he was when he first took a deer with a bow. he stated that he had yet to kill a deer with his bow, but had killed a couple 140's with a rifle. I asked how old he was when he first killed a deer with a rifle, and he replied that he was in high school. I then replied that my son was 11 years old, and had harvested 4 deer in 4 years of hunting, and that every one of those deer the decision to fill the tag was made by my son, the one who's name is on the tag. and as long as he was happy with what he filled his tag with, that's all that mattered. I firmly believe in what I said, but either way my son had so deal with a shamed feeling for harvesting a small buck, and hunting should never make you feel shameful. Just my opinion. pay attention to what you are teaching and saying to the next generation of outdoorsman.
I agree you handled the situation well. Congrats to your son! We do not have kids, but I mentored all my nephews and nieces that had an interest. My one nephew killed a button buck for his first archery kill. I was very proud of him and he was ecstatic. Some clown at the processor (this was right after a back surgery and I wasn't processing my own that year) try to ridicule him for shooting such a small deer. Before I could even say anything the butcher jumped all over the guy. I will never understand why bowhunters try to force their ideals on everybody else. I do not care if you have killed 100 deer and still like to shoot yearlings. I hunt my way, you hunt yours. Why is that so hard to grasp?
This thread fits perfectly to the punch in the face thread. I don't think I could've kept calm in that situation.
First off - congrats to your son (and you!) I have always operated under "my tag, my hunt, 'nuff said". Really have never been interested in what others think, in fact, when some are so "passionate" about going big or go home, I purposefully shoot small things to get them riled up - it's great.
Proud for your boy. I can not understand people who look down on anyone for the animal that they take size or number.Try not to let him get discouraged at what others say.
The guy is an idiot. If your son would have killed a big buck... he probably would have whined about that also. He needs to worry about his hunting since it doesn't sound like he has done anything great with either bow or rifle and lives in a big buck state. Congrats to your son !! Sorry he had to deal with an idiot !! Sadly, the world is full of them. Tim
My first gun kill was a button buck, still one of my fondest memories. My first bow kill was a 3 pt. my kids have his rack on their wall today. Your son should be proud of his accomplishments and you should be proud of him for spending time with you in the woods.
Antler porn, the over comerciliztion of the hunting industry, and hunters who judge there own man hood and the man hood of others by the size of a deer's antlers has ruined the sport. I once saw a guy give a kid grief for shooting a dandy 3.5 year old 9 pointer becuase in this idiots opinion that deer had real potential to be a booner. Your nicer than me. I would have shamed him badly.
Same here.. this is why Im not much of a people person. They (majority) tend to rub me the wrong way and I react poorly in those situations, especially when it comes to my son or wife.
Sorry your son had to listen to that idiot. I just got done taking my pastor's 15 year old son out. He's killed deer before but this was his first year hunting in Iowa. I told him to shoot what he wanted. I didn't care, just wanted him to be happy. Didn't expect for him to shoot what he did after just 3 hunts tho. Lucky kid lol. And even used my muzzleloader. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Luv how you turned it around and belittled that sorry excuse for an adult/hunter. good oppurtunity to teach your son about the caliber of Capital A-Holes that exist, and how to deal with them !
I don't understand the ego part of hunting where someone feels the need to belittle another hunter. My first ten plus years of hunting I would have been ecstatic to have killed a 6 point, big or small.
The only time I find it acceptable to give a person a hard time about their kill is if they are in your hunting party.
Every animal legally harvested is a trophy, enough said! If you hold yourself to higher standards, so be it...don't force your standards on others or talk down to those who don't share your views.
Congrats to you and your son. You can't fix stupid, just have to deal with it. In 2012 I killed a 76 inch buck in Kansas. I called a friend who was hunting a mile away and told him that I'd shot a small buck and I needed help getting him out. He asked "Are you happy with it?" And I said I was; in fact when I got up to him he was "bigger than I thought he was" :D. He laughed and said if its legal and you are happy, so am I. That's exactly how I feel about it.
