Post by HighCotton on Oct 3, 2015 21:07:18 GMT -5
A few weeks ago my 14 year old nephew called and asked if I could take him hunting. His Dad was coming down to spend time with his sister at BSU homecoming and he wanted to hunt instead. He was thinking squirrel hunting since that is all he has done so far. I told him that would be fine BUT, What did he think about deer hunting?! He said that would be awesome and he would like to try it. He just has never had anybody take him and teach him. He said he didn't have a bow so how could he go. I told him I would teach him how to shoot my crossbow and then I would sit with him in the 2 man stand. He's been jacked up for weeks. I told him our rule was anything was a go if he desired for his first deer.
4 o'clock came early and we both downed some coffee and breakfast. Twas raining as we left Indy and headed south. He talked non stop for the next hour about the next gun he wanted to buy and what it would be used for and all the options.
As we hiked through the briars toward the stand, he asked if this was some kind of jungle and did they have bears or mountain lion "down here?" Funny what goes through a youngsters mind. We stopped at one point and I literally could hear his heart pounding. This was all so new to him and I had to pause for a second and assure him that we were fine and all would be well!
We were in the stand quite some time and I heard a dog come barking towards us. I told him to get ready as it might be pushing deer to us. We heard commotion but never saw anything. A few minutes later, I here running and he nudged me, and whispering "Deer, deer!" I asked where and he pointed directly under the stand. a deer had come running and stopped right under our stand. for about 5 minutes we couldn't move. then the deer bolted away! He was so jacked up and I explained to him that was deer hunting.
Not much longer and he nudges again pointing the opposite direction. He had a deer in sight and soon I saw it coming straight towards us. I motioned for him to get ready and at about 20 yards I bleated softly. Nothing! I bleated again and...Whoa! the dude stopped in his tracks and looked up at us. Just as I whispered, "thump him!" I heard THWACk!
That deer dang near bucked over himself like a rodeo bronco!
Went about 25 yards and dropped dead!
And then I felt the tree stand starting to shake like we were in an earthquake! My nephew was shaking so hard I thought good thing we got the lifelines connected! And then he said, "Well, maybe I don't care about a gun right now! I think I'm gonna start to read a little more about crossbows!"
Here's the first pretty sign of the day...a blood soaked bolt after a complete pass through:
And then a very happy uncle and nephew:
We ended the day cutting up his deer. Here he is with a knife learning about some first hand anatomy:
From sons to relatives and friends, I don't think I will ever grow tired of watching and being a part of that first deer harvest.
And now, we will feast on some fresh cooked loins before we put the lights out for the night!
The older I get, the more I live for days like this!
4 o'clock came early and we both downed some coffee and breakfast. Twas raining as we left Indy and headed south. He talked non stop for the next hour about the next gun he wanted to buy and what it would be used for and all the options.
As we hiked through the briars toward the stand, he asked if this was some kind of jungle and did they have bears or mountain lion "down here?" Funny what goes through a youngsters mind. We stopped at one point and I literally could hear his heart pounding. This was all so new to him and I had to pause for a second and assure him that we were fine and all would be well!
We were in the stand quite some time and I heard a dog come barking towards us. I told him to get ready as it might be pushing deer to us. We heard commotion but never saw anything. A few minutes later, I here running and he nudged me, and whispering "Deer, deer!" I asked where and he pointed directly under the stand. a deer had come running and stopped right under our stand. for about 5 minutes we couldn't move. then the deer bolted away! He was so jacked up and I explained to him that was deer hunting.
Not much longer and he nudges again pointing the opposite direction. He had a deer in sight and soon I saw it coming straight towards us. I motioned for him to get ready and at about 20 yards I bleated softly. Nothing! I bleated again and...Whoa! the dude stopped in his tracks and looked up at us. Just as I whispered, "thump him!" I heard THWACk!
That deer dang near bucked over himself like a rodeo bronco!
Went about 25 yards and dropped dead!
And then I felt the tree stand starting to shake like we were in an earthquake! My nephew was shaking so hard I thought good thing we got the lifelines connected! And then he said, "Well, maybe I don't care about a gun right now! I think I'm gonna start to read a little more about crossbows!"
Here's the first pretty sign of the day...a blood soaked bolt after a complete pass through:
And then a very happy uncle and nephew:
We ended the day cutting up his deer. Here he is with a knife learning about some first hand anatomy:
From sons to relatives and friends, I don't think I will ever grow tired of watching and being a part of that first deer harvest.
And now, we will feast on some fresh cooked loins before we put the lights out for the night!
The older I get, the more I live for days like this!
