Best Hunt Ever

[archerycrazy]

My story this year is similar to one posted by the user Jeff. I had high hopes of taking a good buck on the Utah rifle hunt this year. I had seen some good bucks but had been unable to get a shot. With several days left to hunt I liked my chances of killing a respectable buck.

My five year old daughter is crazy about hunting. She will sit on the couch all day and watch hunting shows. She had been begging me for weeks to take her hunting this year. I finally decided that I would take her out yesterday afternoon when I left work. My wife dropped her off to me at work as I was leaving and we headed out of town. The wind was howling and a small cold front was coming in as we left the truck to start our hike.

Knowing how far a five year old can usually hike I never really expected to see many deer. A short while after leaving the truck I spotted a herd of deer about 600 yards away on a small hill. We had the strong wind in our favor so we slowly made our way to where we last saw them. After heading in the direction I thought the deer were going my daughter began to complain about a sticker in her sock. As I bent down to pull the sticker from her shoe my daughter said, "Dad, is that a deer up there on the hill?" I looked up where she was pointing and sure enough there was a small buck on the hill above us.

With my daughter begging me to shoot the buck I made a quick decision to not wait for the bigger ones I was after but instead make a memory for my daughter and I. It was her very first day ever hunting deer with me and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to perhaps get her hooked on hunting for good. (Her older sister says she is too much of a girlie girl to go hunting, so I have been hoping one of my girls would enjoy hunting)

I took quick aim and made a good shot that put the deer down. My daughter was thrilled and was declaring it to be the greatest day of her life. Reality quickly set in as the GPS kindly told me that we had wandered 3/4 of a mile from the truck over some not so flat terrain. I spent the next 2 1/2 hours dragging the deer and carrying my pack and rifle. My daughter kept me motivated with lines from the story The Little Engine That Could. "I think I can, I think I can."

We finally made it back to the truck with about 10 minutes of light remaining and off we went to tell everyone of our success. My daughter is telling everyone she knows and is calling it her deer.

What turned out to be one of the smaller bucks I have ever shot has very quickly turned into perhaps my most memorable experience in the field. I wouldn't trade the experience we had for a big buck without her there. She is already talking about next year and the year when she will be old enough to hunt.

[Buckmaster]

Congrats to you and your new hunting partner! That’s what makes some of the best memories when you can share them with your kids. The smile on her face says she is hooked…. “I know she is, I know she is, I know she is!!” Great story

[one hunting fool]

Great Story.. i hope the bug bit her hard and she is following you for the next 15 or 20 years before she strikes out on her own. No greater feeling than hunting with kids and having success

[daveytech]

Thanks for sharing such an awesome story. There's nothing quite like the first deer hunting experience. It's hard to beat being able to tell that story together for years to come.

[killerbee]

anyone can be a father, it takes someone special to be a DAD! great on you for understanding what hunting is truley about. this is in my top 10 posts of the year, i have a 3 yr old that helped me gut my deer this yr. she wanted so bad to go with me, but couldn't. but i dang sure made sure to bust it home and get her before i tracked [ a for sure thing] him down. that part of the hunt was way cooler than the kill itself! even at such a young age she will absolutly remeber it. i can remember my dad taking me elk hunting when i was 5 yrs old, by far the most memorable time , that i really remember, of my younger days. congrats to you and thanks for sharing!

[Bowtech43]

Archerycrazy - That is fantastic! It brought tears to my eyes. I can't wait to experience the excitement of havesting an animal with my son. Those are the greatest memories I have with my Dad. I can remember that first buck that stepped out that my Dad killed. What a great memory. Your daughter will never forget that. Way to go!!!

Congrats!!!

[NotEnufTags]

Awesome! That's what it's all about. Congrats on a great memory and time with your duaghter.

[AGCHAWK]

Very cool! I love seeing the youngesters out there. CONGRATS

[heshen]

Congrats Jason, to you and your daughter.. I loved your story. Hopefully you have her hooked on hunting now. I remeber the first buck my dad shot when I was there. It is still in his garage on top of the tool box.. Everytime I see it it brings back those memories. Way to go.. Now you need to hang it in her room so she can keep talking about it

[BOHNTR]

Simply awesome hunt........