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You Never Forget Your First Deer Hunt
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By Herb Boldt
Associated Press
There isn't a hunter alive who doesn't remember his first deer hunt.
Even more so, there isn't a hunter who doesn't remember the first deer he hoisted onto a car fender or stowed away in the trunk or the back of a truck.
I still remember my excitement when I took my first deer shortly after coming home from the U.S. Marine Corps in the '40s. While it was a spikehorn, it was a heavy deer, and the memory of that hunt comes back to me every time I hunt.
In this case, I'm not writing about myself, but River Peludat, 14, who scored an eight-point last week on his first day of deer hunting.
Let me tell it like it was.
I was backing my truck out of the driveway when I saw a truck stop and block my way to the street. As I was getting out of the truck, I saw a friend emerge from the vehicle and wave to me.
"Wait 'til you see this," he called and pointed to the eight-point on the bed of the truck.
When I got to his truck, my remark was that it was a little early for deer hunting.
"Relax," Bill Ryan Jr. said. "My stepson took him this morning — with one shot. He got a permit for the early juvenile season."
The smile on his face was as wide as the mouth on a Halloween pumpkin, but it was no match for the grin on the face of the 14-year-old hunter when he stuck his head out of the truck window a second or two later.
There was no doubt that it was a really nice buck. I thought it was worth a column and arranged to talk to the pair later because they were on their way to show it to the family.
The excitement still had a hold on River the next day when the pair came to the house to talk about the hunt.
"I missed my first shot," River said. "It was bigger than the one I got."
I told him to start at the beginning.
River said his stepfather took him to get his license and picked out a spot where he has hunted for several years.
"We were sitting on the ground when four deer came into a clearing in front of us," he began. "One was a really big deer — bigger than the one I got — and I watched it for a long time. It got to about 150 yards when it stopped and looked at us."
He said he looked at Ryan for instructions and waited until he let him know it was OK to shoot.
"I was shaking a little when I squeezed the trigger. The deer jumped and ran back along the way it had been walking. The deer didn't look hurt, and I thought, `There goes the deer.'"
Ryan had his arm on his shoulder to keep him still, and a few minutes later a second deer came along the same path as the first.
"Take him," Ryan whispered.
River said he waited until the deer stopped and looked around.
"I really squeezed this time," River said. "And when I shot, I saw the deer jump and fall to the ground. That's when I felt a slap on the back."
They were both excited while they field-dressed the deer and dragged it back to the truck. They were still excited when they got to my house.
They were on the way to show Grandpa Ryan the deer and weren't going to stop until they spotted me getting into my truck.
It was a great day for me watching the excitement of a youngster with his first deer. I wasn't surprised when they told me the next day they had dropped the head off at the taxidermist.
I'm glad they stopped, and I could see the excitement on River's face. It was the same grin and agitation when my second son (and only deer hunter) got his first deer.
No doubt a new hunter is born...........
I found this article on the net and it made me think how
It never gets old taking about your first buck kill. Let me hear your story. I would love it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Herb Boldt
Associated Press
There isn't a hunter alive who doesn't remember his first deer hunt.
Even more so, there isn't a hunter who doesn't remember the first deer he hoisted onto a car fender or stowed away in the trunk or the back of a truck.
I still remember my excitement when I took my first deer shortly after coming home from the U.S. Marine Corps in the '40s. While it was a spikehorn, it was a heavy deer, and the memory of that hunt comes back to me every time I hunt.
In this case, I'm not writing about myself, but River Peludat, 14, who scored an eight-point last week on his first day of deer hunting.
Let me tell it like it was.
I was backing my truck out of the driveway when I saw a truck stop and block my way to the street. As I was getting out of the truck, I saw a friend emerge from the vehicle and wave to me.
"Wait 'til you see this," he called and pointed to the eight-point on the bed of the truck.
When I got to his truck, my remark was that it was a little early for deer hunting.
"Relax," Bill Ryan Jr. said. "My stepson took him this morning — with one shot. He got a permit for the early juvenile season."
The smile on his face was as wide as the mouth on a Halloween pumpkin, but it was no match for the grin on the face of the 14-year-old hunter when he stuck his head out of the truck window a second or two later.
There was no doubt that it was a really nice buck. I thought it was worth a column and arranged to talk to the pair later because they were on their way to show it to the family.
The excitement still had a hold on River the next day when the pair came to the house to talk about the hunt.
"I missed my first shot," River said. "It was bigger than the one I got."
I told him to start at the beginning.
River said his stepfather took him to get his license and picked out a spot where he has hunted for several years.
"We were sitting on the ground when four deer came into a clearing in front of us," he began. "One was a really big deer — bigger than the one I got — and I watched it for a long time. It got to about 150 yards when it stopped and looked at us."
He said he looked at Ryan for instructions and waited until he let him know it was OK to shoot.
"I was shaking a little when I squeezed the trigger. The deer jumped and ran back along the way it had been walking. The deer didn't look hurt, and I thought, `There goes the deer.'"
Ryan had his arm on his shoulder to keep him still, and a few minutes later a second deer came along the same path as the first.
"Take him," Ryan whispered.
River said he waited until the deer stopped and looked around.
"I really squeezed this time," River said. "And when I shot, I saw the deer jump and fall to the ground. That's when I felt a slap on the back."
They were both excited while they field-dressed the deer and dragged it back to the truck. They were still excited when they got to my house.
They were on the way to show Grandpa Ryan the deer and weren't going to stop until they spotted me getting into my truck.
It was a great day for me watching the excitement of a youngster with his first deer. I wasn't surprised when they told me the next day they had dropped the head off at the taxidermist.
I'm glad they stopped, and I could see the excitement on River's face. It was the same grin and agitation when my second son (and only deer hunter) got his first deer.
No doubt a new hunter is born...........
I found this article on the net and it made me think how
It never gets old taking about your first buck kill. Let me hear your story. I would love it.
