Well, my Dad was working hard the last couple of months in Vermont adding to his deer stand, putting out cameras, etc., preparing for me to bring my son back to hunt for youth weekend. It would be the first time he has ever been deer hunting (11 y.o.). We were both really excited, getting to have my son hunt where I and my Dad (mostly him) have taken many deer over the last 25 years. My Dad was even able to get a 7 point 2 weeks ago in archery, and of all the deer we have shot there, we have never had 2 bucks shot off the property in the same season. It didn't have to be a buck though, as Vermont allows the kids to shoot any deer, buck, doe, fawn, and no antler restrictions. We said he would shoot anything that wasn't a 60 lb fawn.
So, we got in Friday morning after a red-eye cross country flight, checked out the stand quickly, and went to let him shoot the rifles. He chose my Dad's bolt action 30-30, which is light, 45 years old or so, and shot probably 20 deer already. We were all set, bed early, raring to go Saturday. Well, Saturday was beautiful, not a breath of wind, and cold. I figured we'd see something sometime, but it wasn't to be, as my son had fun watching squirrels, a partridge, and geese. Woke up Sunday morning, hoping the rain and wind held off. Well, as we got to our spot, had to sit and wait for a good shower to pass. After it did, we got into the stand and set up about 15 minutes before shooting light. About 40 minutes after shooting time started, the fun happened, and I will let my son tell the story......
"My Papa thought he heard something behind him, and was looking to his left. Dad was looking in that direction too, whispering to Papa. At the same time, I looked the opposite direction and saw a shadow coming out of the trees from the swamp. Then I realized that it was a deer and quickly hit my dad's arm and said "Dad, Dad, deer...deer.....". Dad looked and saw it and then I quickly told Papa. Papa handed me the gun, and I got set up on the railing of the stand to shoot. We knew it was big enough to shoot that it wasn't a fawn. The deer was walking closer to us from right to left. My papa bleated to get it to stop a little early, but fortunately it didn't hear him because I wasn't set up yet. Now the nerves were getting to me. Dad had me swing a few yards to the left to a bigger shooting lane. I took off the safety, and couldn't find him right away in the scope so I looked through the open sight to find him. When I went back to the scope I found him and followed him until he stepped into the shooting lane. He was about 25 yards away. Dad bleated and he stopped and looked at us, and I took a couple breaths and put the crosshairs right behind his shoulder, and pulled the trigger. As I pulled the trigger, I realized it looked like it had antlers. The deer jumped a few feet in the air, and then ran off through the brush. My papa then looked at me and pointed to his ear, telling me to listen. All I heard was crashing and both Dad and Papa both smiled, and said he was down. I quickly told Dad and Papa that I thought "It's a spike, it's a spike" I was so excited. We waited a second because it was a lung shot and I wanted to give him time. We then quietly got out of the treestand, and looked for blood. We couldn't find any, but we headed into the brush where we had heard him crash. I then smelled something I hadn't smelled before, and Dad said at the same time to Papa that he could smell the deer. I then looked to my left, and there he was, laying in a brush pile. I ran into the brush pile and helped my papa pull him out. I was so excited. After dragging him and getting him on the car, we drove and showed grandma. We then checked him in, and he weighed more than we had expected. It was a 3 point, that weighed 142 lbs. They said he was 2 1/2 years old."
Anyway, we couldn't be more ecstatic! It ended up being bigger weight wise than any of my 4 bucks I've shot in Vermont. Go figure, he's also got a turkey under his belt, something I still haven't done....... LOL
3 Generations sitting together in the tree, continuing to make happy memories!![1105170650a[1].jpg](https://schoutdoors.com/data/attachments/16/16883-a0ee6991bba3edda9f86ad05020db599.jpg "1105170650a[1].jpg")
So, we got in Friday morning after a red-eye cross country flight, checked out the stand quickly, and went to let him shoot the rifles. He chose my Dad's bolt action 30-30, which is light, 45 years old or so, and shot probably 20 deer already. We were all set, bed early, raring to go Saturday. Well, Saturday was beautiful, not a breath of wind, and cold. I figured we'd see something sometime, but it wasn't to be, as my son had fun watching squirrels, a partridge, and geese. Woke up Sunday morning, hoping the rain and wind held off. Well, as we got to our spot, had to sit and wait for a good shower to pass. After it did, we got into the stand and set up about 15 minutes before shooting light. About 40 minutes after shooting time started, the fun happened, and I will let my son tell the story......
"My Papa thought he heard something behind him, and was looking to his left. Dad was looking in that direction too, whispering to Papa. At the same time, I looked the opposite direction and saw a shadow coming out of the trees from the swamp. Then I realized that it was a deer and quickly hit my dad's arm and said "Dad, Dad, deer...deer.....". Dad looked and saw it and then I quickly told Papa. Papa handed me the gun, and I got set up on the railing of the stand to shoot. We knew it was big enough to shoot that it wasn't a fawn. The deer was walking closer to us from right to left. My papa bleated to get it to stop a little early, but fortunately it didn't hear him because I wasn't set up yet. Now the nerves were getting to me. Dad had me swing a few yards to the left to a bigger shooting lane. I took off the safety, and couldn't find him right away in the scope so I looked through the open sight to find him. When I went back to the scope I found him and followed him until he stepped into the shooting lane. He was about 25 yards away. Dad bleated and he stopped and looked at us, and I took a couple breaths and put the crosshairs right behind his shoulder, and pulled the trigger. As I pulled the trigger, I realized it looked like it had antlers. The deer jumped a few feet in the air, and then ran off through the brush. My papa then looked at me and pointed to his ear, telling me to listen. All I heard was crashing and both Dad and Papa both smiled, and said he was down. I quickly told Dad and Papa that I thought "It's a spike, it's a spike" I was so excited. We waited a second because it was a lung shot and I wanted to give him time. We then quietly got out of the treestand, and looked for blood. We couldn't find any, but we headed into the brush where we had heard him crash. I then smelled something I hadn't smelled before, and Dad said at the same time to Papa that he could smell the deer. I then looked to my left, and there he was, laying in a brush pile. I ran into the brush pile and helped my papa pull him out. I was so excited. After dragging him and getting him on the car, we drove and showed grandma. We then checked him in, and he weighed more than we had expected. It was a 3 point, that weighed 142 lbs. They said he was 2 1/2 years old."
Anyway, we couldn't be more ecstatic! It ended up being bigger weight wise than any of my 4 bucks I've shot in Vermont. Go figure, he's also got a turkey under his belt, something I still haven't done....... LOL
3 Generations sitting together in the tree, continuing to make happy memories!
