My son's first deer!!


toddpipkin

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1 1/2 year old button-spike, 96 pounds

Saturday 15 November 2008, 2:30 PM

Issachar Sportsmen Hunting Club, Clarke County , Alabama

On the way to our stand that morning, we saw the back end of one deer as it jumped into the woods about 200 yards away. Couldn't tell what it was, and obviously no shot opportunity. Got to our stand, on what we call the South Patch, a few minutes after daylight. It was COLD and WINDY!! Saw nothing there by 11:00, so went back to the truck for lunch. Met up with some of the other members; decided where to hunt in the afternoon.

I figured that the deer were layed up in the thickets to get out of the wind, so I chose an area in a thick pine plantation, then called the Round Patch.

We rode the four-wheeler to what I thought was within about 500 yards of the plot. I gathered up our blind, chairs and cushions. I told Adam that since the deer had moved very little in the morning, they just might be up and moving and feeding now, so he should walk ahead of me and be READY at every step.

When Adam got to the last curve in the trail and could see into the plot, he was about 8 steps ahead of me, so I could see him well as he froze like a good bird dog on point! He slowly turned his head to look back at me, his eyes so wide it looked like they might fall out! He whispered, "There's a deer in the plot!", and turned back to look at it. As I took a step closer, he waved his hand behind him, signaling for me to stop. He again slowly turned his head and whispered, "Don't scare it off!".

I asked him if it was a deer that he wanted to shoot. His face nearly split in half by his grin, he said, "YES!".

I told him to go ahead.

He turned back to the plot, staring intently. after a few seconds, he took a slow careful step, then another. He slowly raised his rifle, then slowly lowered it. A slow sidestep to his left, then he went to one knee. Again, he slowly raised his rifle.

POW!! The little Rossi .223 single-shot barked. Adam lowered it and reloaded without even looking, keeping his eye on the deer the whole time. I was so proud that he had remembered what I had taught!

He stood up and the grin got even bigger. He tried to whisper, but it didn't quite come out that way, "I got him!!" I asked if the deer was down, and Adam proudly said "He dropped! He never took a step!!".

I walked down to the edge of the plot, and finally saw my boy's first deer. From where I was, it appeared to be a doe, and was bigger than I expected. I told Adam to go on down to it, but be ready to shoot again if it looked like it might get up. He had approached to within about 5 feet when the deer gave a final kick. Adam raised his rifle, but I could see the blood on it's nose, indicating a good lung shot, and told him not to shoot. When I got close, I could then see the antlers. MY BOY GOT A BUCK!!

After saying a prayer of thanks to the One who gave us the woods, the deer, and each other and everything we have, I gave Adam my cell phone, so he could spread the news. I went back to get the four-wheeler, rode back to the truck to get my camera, and came back to the plot. I think he called nearly every number in my address book!

We took a few pictures, and loaded the deer up to take him back to the camp to clean him. Adam wanted to keep his buck whole until the other hunters and club members saw him, so I only field dressed him, saving skinning and quartering for the next morning.

The little 64 grain Winchester Power Point performed excellently. Even at 35 yards, and still over 3,000 fps, it held together. Double-lung shot, breaking both shoulders and exiting. No lead or copper fragments found. If the deer had run, finding it would not have been a problem.

Adam is 11 years old, and in the sixth grade. He has been on the Honor Roll for every grading period since Kindergarten. He has made the All-Star baseball team for his age group in our city several times. He has now taken another step toward turning a good boy into a good man.

I'm so proud of him, I'm about to explode!

Adam2.jpg

Adam5.jpg

Edited by wing_0_nut
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