RangerClay Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Two years ago when I started getting serious about bowhunting stuff I thought to myself, how cool would it be to get my get my kids involved in the whole tracking of a deer. They have been with me after I have dragged a deer out of the woods but I wanted them more involved. Then last year Toddybowman posted that awesome video of himself and the kids tracking a blood trail. I knew I had to make this happen one day. Well yesterday was that day. Have you ever had one of those feelings that something good was going to happen as you were heading out the door for a hunt. I did yesterday. Even though this season has been the slowest start ever (3 days of not seeing one deer when I usually see a least 3-6 per trip) I had a real spring in my step as I walked out the back door at 5:30 am. I like to get in the ground blind an hour or so early. I bumped a deer as I was walking in and it blew at me. I climbed into the blind and settled in for my little nap. But that nap was short lived as I could hear deer in the dark walking in the leaves around me. Too excited to sleep I sat there in the pitch black waiting for enough light to see what was out there. After a while shadows turned into shapes and I had a fawn in front of me. I peeked out to my left and two more deer were coming in. I slid my hand into my wrist sling, grabbed the loop with my release, and checked to see if my pins were lit. All systems were a go. And the deer walked past my food plot and on up the hill. "D'OH!" As I was trying to make sense of where the deer went, this doe appeared out of no-where. I hate it when they do that. She walked into the food plot and started to feed near my 20 yard marker. I waited about 10 minutes and then she turned broadside. I sent the arrow and heard a "thwack", plus I saw the Nocturnal Nock hit its mark. She ran about 25-30 yards and collapsed. LOL, the first thing I thought was, "Couldn't you have run a little farther for my kids blood trail" But the Slick Trick just ate her up. So I text the house and told the Mrs to get the kids dressed and ready. The text comes back, "It may take a minute, the kids are screaming and running through the house with excitement". 15 minutes later, here come my hunting buddies down the trail. I waved them into the food plot to where the arrow was stuck in the leaves. The lit nock sticking up in the air like a red stop light. I climbed out of my blind to meet them. Now the real fun began. It was tough to control the kids excitement. I remember at one point my daughter asked if deer hunting was always this exciting. I smiled and told her that this is what deer hunting is all about. We started with a lesson about the blood on the arrow and what it means. We talked about what is "good blood". I took them over to where the deer stood and told them which way the deer faced and where it ran. We started looking for blood on the ground when we found our first sign. We found our first drops of blood and my Abigail shouts, "There it is Daddy!" Needless to say it was a short tracking job. The kids ran over to the deer. It was fun to see there reactions and wonderment to this dead deer. I think I answered 100 questions in a span of 5 minutes. Next I let them in on something that no one besides God has ever seen before. I showed them how Daddy always says a prayer over the deer after a kill. After our prayer we then posed for a picture. You can see my blind in the corner. "Do you want to see Daddy gut the deer?" The vote was unanimous so I broke out the knife and went to work. The kids ate it right up and were very attentive. I did get some "ewe, gross" when I cut out the touch hole but they loved every minute of it. It dawned on me that this was their first real anatomy lesson so I slowed down and showed them all of the organs (including the 4 point star in each lung ). I tipped her over to drain and we took the gut pile down the hill to keep the coyotes out of the area. My backyard is only 150 yard behind me so I left the rope in my pack. I grabbed a front leg and the kids grabbed the other and away we went. Everytime we stopped for a breather I told them short stories of some of Daddys really tough drags and how dying deer never run toward the truck. We dragged the deer to the garage and I let them hook it on the winch and crank it up. Together we skun out the deer and went in for a celebration breakfast and to call grampa with the news. They were bouncing around that kitchen like their pants were on fire. After breakfast I decided to take them back out with me, maybe some turkeys would come in and make the day a double header. Here is a view from my back porch. The leaves are going to peak this week. We settled in for about 3 hours but nothing came by. The double header wasn't meant to be. While we were out there we had one deer start to come in but wouldn't commit. But the kids did get to see plenty of bluejays, squirrels and timber tigers. Plus they got to see a Sharpshin hawk come streaming through the trees and land. After a while boredom set in so we packed up and called it a day. It was later on when things calmed down and I had time to reflect on the day that it really started to hit me. It really was one of the best days ever. I've been deer hunting for 29 years and I've bagged some real monster bucks. But they paled in comparison to this little one and a half year old doe that will be always be one my biggest trophies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Great story and good shootin' Joe. You're gonna ruin them kids before they get started!:rockon: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Awesome story Joe, and a great day indeed for you and the kids. It's something they'll never forget too. Sharing your thanksgiving prayer with the kids was awesome too. That really helps them to appreciate where our food comes from, and who made it all...awesome. What a great day indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Joe, I can honestly say that this thread has touched my heart in a big way. To have your kids involved and the way you handled the best hunt ever are one thing, but how you put it to words, put me to tears. Thank you for sharing this. The smiles on those young faces says it all. A fortunate man you are indeed. :rockon: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohiobucks Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Great story Joe, awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shockwave Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Great story, I love reading stories like that..I had almost the same thing happen to me saturday night. i shot a doe took it to my mothers to skin and butcher it, my neices and nephews were there, they were amazed while i was skinning and butchering her... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebohio Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 thanks for sharing great story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 What a great story! Congrats on not only a great doe but being a great father! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Great Story Joe....LOL @ "Dying Deer never run toward the truck" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloodtrails Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Man! you have got to love bowhunting! That was a fantastic story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckshot Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 That's awesome! I've taken my daughter out a few times to drag a deer out.Something they will never forget.Congrats on a great hunt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Great Story and congrats on the Doe, Joe. I cant wait to be able to take my little guy out and do the same..Congrats again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbeck Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 amazing story, thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfletch7441 Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 That's awesome Joe! Nothing like getting the kiddos involved. You're a good man! Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamond Archer 01 Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Awesome job Joe! Glad you got to break the turbohawk in!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Too cool, Joe; too cool! Dakota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckrich Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Great story Joe. Brought back memories of how I got started, "helping" my Dad and Grandpa track and gut their deer. You can't really complain about the short tracking job though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 That was a great hunt Joe! Congratulations! im sure your kids will be talking about their tracking job for quite a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c_lou Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Awesome story Joe. Glad to see you get the kids involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Great job Joe! Looks like this American tradition has a couple future hopefuls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aldridgem1 Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Great story. Thats what hunting is all about and a lot people get so caught up in the size of deer that they forget what the sport is all about. congrats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloodtrails Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 :ninja: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PA_Spike_King Posted October 11, 2010 Report Share Posted October 11, 2010 Great hunt there Joe! Your post has even brought back memories of my child-hood, with hunting family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamabeardbuster Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Cool story i cant wait til my little man is big enough to join in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Good stuff Joe, excellent story. Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.