dogdoc Posted October 12, 2013 Report Share Posted October 12, 2013 I know a lot of the old timers on here have seen plenty pics of my kids deer and duck hunting with me and plenty of pics with them helping with the food plots. Izzy's has been wanting to go deer hunting for a while but was a little intimidated by a rifle and not strong enough to pull back a legal hunting bow. Well thank goodness for Cabela points credit card. I use that card exclusively and hadn't redeemed any points for close to 5 years. The points kept building up and before I knew it I had $800 built up. Never really wanted a crossbow but I thought that would be a great way to get her hunting and have a long season to hunt since crossbows were legalized last year for bowhunting. Well Izzy fell in love with the crossbow. The girl wants to shoot it all the time and she is a darn good shot. So this season we were all set to go. She didn't want to hunt in a tree stand so I purchased a couple pop up blinds and she was determined to kill her first deer. After practicing for several months on a 3-D deer target we both felt very comfortable shooting out to 30 yards and she learned different angles and what shots were ethical and what were not good shots. So last week it was off to Academy and she purchased her first deer tag. Fall break was this week so i took off work yesterday and we has an afternoon hunt. It was hot and a little windy but our hopes were high. We sat on my big food plot and around 6pm a group of does and a fork horn buck showed up. She was excited but unfortunately a shot never presented itself. We had a doe trot 5 yards in front of us but It happened so quick she couldn't shoot. Izzy came home super excited and decided she wanted to go in the morning. However a front is moving in and the wind was shifting out of the north and I don't have any pop up blinds for a north wind. She didn't care so we decided to sit in a 2 man ladder stand on a big pecan tree overlooking a small micro-plot of wheat and turnips. This stand can be hunted with either a north or south wind as long as their is a westerly direction with it. The hourly forecast said we would be having a NNW wind until 8:30am then shifting to NE. A NE wind is a killer for us so I thought we would have at least a couple of hours to hunt. So last night I found a full body harness that came with the stand and after a few modification I made it fit a 80 pound kid. Four am came quickly this morning but she up and ready to go talking the entire time. Off to 7-11 for chocolate donuts and chocolate milk. Got in the stand around 6:15. First two deer show up at 6:45. My 47 year old eyes couldn't see them but Izzy said she could see them fine. Then I felt the wind on my neck--wind had just shifted to NE and I knew we were in trouble. No blowing but they smelled us and off they went. At 7:15 two more showed up from the north. Thought we were good but sure enough they circle around the plot and come in down wind--busted. They weren't too spooked but they could just get a little scent of us and scattered off. Izzy was getting down as we had seen 4 deer with no chance at a shot. Then the wind shifted back to the NW and I was hoping for another chance. I told her to be patient that I thought we would see more deer--it was still very early. About 20 minutes later her come 3 more deer. A big doe and her twins. The twins were good size so I knew we were good taking the big doe. She walks on the food plot and for the 3rd time I feel the wind shift just slightly. She starts sniffing the air and was getting nervous. I told izzy she needed to take the shot. She was using my arm as a gun rest. The doe walked in front of us about 17 yards away. I could feel Izzy shaking like crazy. I kept telling her that the doe was getting nervous and about to go and to take the shot. She said she couldn't get the doe in the scope good--then just a few seconds later she said "got her" and then i felt and heard the twang of the crossbow and saw the bolt slice right through her. She rain about 70 yard and then we lost sight of her behind a big clump of willow trees. We waited 20 minutes and went to retrieve the bolt. Bolt had a little blood and I could smell intestinal contents on the bolt. I thought the shot was perfect but then I started doubting the shot placement. Izzy was 100% sure it was a good shot. She wanted to start looking immediately but lessons are learned in the field. There was also no blood. I told her it was early and lets go back to the truck and listen to the radio and give her an hour.We gave it an hour and Izzy started tracking--no blood. So we went to the last place we saw her--behind the willows and there she lay. How exciting it is to watch your child grow up and then watch her enjoy the same things that I enjoy. It was a great shot. She was slightly quartering to us and so the bolt took out one lung, liver, and exited out the abdomen. Deer didn't go 80 yards.Sorry for the long story but this was one of the most exciting hunts I have ever been involved with--because it was my daughter!!Izzy's first deer (dressed out at 98#) with her daddytodd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husabud Posted October 12, 2013 Report Share Posted October 12, 2013 Awesome! Congratulations Izzy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WStreblo Posted October 12, 2013 Report Share Posted October 12, 2013 Izzy's first deer...... Pass along my congrats to your daughter and accept my written hand shake to you for taking the time to teach a youngster the importance of our hunting rights and ethics. That squeezing of the trigger will be remembered by her for the rest of her life. Wish she was on our hunting team... That's 5 points!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 Congrats to Izzy. Great story with some life long memories. So great to here about youth interested in hunting and keeping the tradition alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archerjg Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 Congratulations to her on a great deer. Archerjg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowhunter97 Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 Congrats to both of you. I couldnt have placed that shot any better by the looks of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 Congrats to Izzy! Enjoyed the read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 Always enjoy reading these stories with kids. Congratulations to Izzy and to you too Todd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straight Shooter Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 Congrats to you and HER, I know it must be a total rush. Its awesome having your kids out the woods with you, I can't wait until mine connects with his first. Hopefully this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 That's great Todd! Loved the story, and it's great to watch them get so excited. I'm trying hard this year to get my twins on their first bow kill, I hope I get some pics to post of them with something soon. Congratulations pop, job well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 Congrats to you both. That's awesome! Looks like you got a new huntin buddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierhunter Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 Izzy's first deer...... I'm sure you won't forget that moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pointing_dogs_rule Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 Congrats and enjoy that doe meat. good luck to all the dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrow32 Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 Awesome! Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted October 14, 2013 Report Share Posted October 14, 2013 Congratulations Izzy!!! You too Todd! Yep...it's a special moment you shared and one you'll both remember for the rest of your lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted October 14, 2013 Report Share Posted October 14, 2013 This is awesome! Congratulations Izzy and Todd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted October 14, 2013 Report Share Posted October 14, 2013 That's great! Congratulations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfletch7441 Posted October 14, 2013 Report Share Posted October 14, 2013 COOL! Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 Way to go IZZY....good job pops!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted October 16, 2013 Report Share Posted October 16, 2013 Awesome story and pics! Congratulations to both of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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