KIDS WITH THEIR FIRST DEER

Make a difference in a kid’s life — it will make a difference in yours

Wade Atchley, Alabama

Every hunter needs to enjoy the thrill of helping a new hunter take his first deer. Not only will you remember that forever, but the newest member to our whitetail hunting family will never forget you as well. In January 2005, I was fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of a very special hunt. Eight years ago God blessed me with my second child, Kolton. Eight years later, we were sitting in one of my favorite double-box stands overlooking a well-eaten No-Plow field. Kolton, armed with his youth model .243, squirmed with anxious anticipation of the deer we knew would arrive right before dark.

After a few bags of sunflower seeds, a Coca-Cola and quite a few giggles with respect to his childish antics, two yearlings, who had wandered into the field a few days earlier, came running into the field again. This time the second deer, a yearling doe, fed into range. As I watched through the binoculars, I slowly reached over and “turned the red on,” as Kolton likes to put it from his days of shooting BB guns. As the deer moved slowly across the field, I was reassured several times by my son that he had the deer in his sights. Within seconds of her turning broadside, the .243 rang out, and Kolton delivered a perfect heart shot. His first deer became a reality and that hug will never be forgotten.

Steve Scott, Alabama

There have been a lot of “firsts” in my life that I remember vividly – my first deer, my first kiss and many, many others.

But this past year, I had a new first that ranks right at the top. My oldest son, Gates, killed his first deer, a 187-pound 10-point. Gates is eleven years old and is a great guy.

He’s been dove, squirrel and deer hunting with me since he was six. I remember the first time we got into a deer stand. We were sitting real still, and everything was settling down. After about five minutes he flatly stated, “Daddy there are no deer coming, let’s go.” Off we went riding the 4-wheeler and just messing around.

Fast forward five years to 2004. Alabama has a special youth day for kids to hunt deer one week before the regular-season opener. We went with every expectation of getting his first deer, and we got skunked. Three more hunts yielded one fawn sighting and gave me a severe case of “I just ain’t got it anymore.” We discussed the fact that it is hunting, we have to keep grinding and good things will happen. This discussion was for me as much for him.

Hunt #5 was in December on a Sunday afternoon with bright sunshine and about 60 degrees. We got in the stand about 3 p.m. with high hopes this would be the day. At 4:15 p.m. Gates asked me, “Are you sure this is a good spot?” With only about 45 minutes of daylight left, I guaranteed him, “Well, it used to be.” At about 4:30 p.m., with his head buried in my shoulder, I told him to be still because a doe was looking at us. Sure enough, she came out to feed on one of our private test plots that includes Imperial Clover, Extreme and many other test crops. Following close behind her were two fawns and another doe. Man, how things can change so fast.

Gates said, “Daddy, I want to shoot that big doe furthest out in the field.” I said OK, and we got ready by getting his gun up and on the rest. He said, “Daddy my knees are shaking.” I told him to remember to breathe deep and to wait until she turned broadside. No sooner had I said that than another deer walked into the field from another direction, and I told him to wait. I saw it was a doe, and he asked which one was bigger. I told him the closest one was bigger.

Now all we had to do was get her broadside and make a good shot. Several minutes later I told him to hold on because there was a buck coming out. At about 120 yards I could see a nice rack, or at least half of one. I could see through the binoculars he was nice on one side and the other side appeared to be broken off. Gates asked, “How many points does he have?”

I said it looked like six, and asked which deer he wanted to shoot. He replied, “The buck,” so we repositioned, and for the next 15 minutes the buck fed and walked facing directly toward us. He was now about 75 yards, and he turned broadside. I said, “Take your time, take a deep breath and squeeze the trigger like a lemon.” Well, what seemed like an hour later – but probably only about 15 or 20 seconds – I asked him what was wrong, and he said, “The crosshairs won’t stay on him I’m shaking so bad.” I had a feeling this might have been the problem because the whole stand was shaking. I told him to calm down and take a deep breath. Then the deer ran off to the edge of the woods and appeared to be gone. Luckily, whatever spooked him didn’t run him off completely as he walked back out and turned broadside. I told him, “Take a deep breath and let half of it out and sq….BOOM. Fire and smoke went everywhere but I could see a white belly through my binoculars.

“Did I hit him Daddy?”

I said the buck was on the ground dead, and now the stand really started shaking as we both tried to calm down.

After several high-fives and lots of hugs we went to see him close up, and he was a great buck. We then proceeded to run up the cell phone bill and basically wore out a set of truck tires riding to see grandparents, uncles, cousins, friends and pretty much anyone standing still.

What a thrill to be able to spend time with one of my best friends and be with him when he killed his first deer. Gates is a fine young man and it looks like he is going to be a great hunter. I know this: I love him very much and thank him for helping me create a new “favorite first.”

By the way, Gates shot his buck with a Remington Youth Model 270 and the new Remington managed-recoil ammunition which is the sweetest shooting high-powered rifle I have ever shot because of the minimum amount of recoil.

Newt Norton, Alabama

My daughter Reed Norton, who’s six years old, killed this 9-point. She loves gymnastics, and she loves hunting with me. We turkey hunt and deer hunt together. It’s an awesome time for the both of us. There’s no better way I can think of to spend time than with kids in the outdoors.

Rush Stallings, Alabama

Jan. 16, 2005 is a day I will remember for the rest of my life. It was sunny, cold and windy. Earlier in the week, I had seen some does on a little piece of property that my family owns. We had never deer hunted on the place, but I decided to set up some hay bales as a ground blind and see if I could convince my 13-year-old daughter to spend some time with her dad and maybe get a shot at a doe. We bundled up and spent most of the afternoon observing nature and just talking about things.

Then, all of a sudden, I caught movement to our left through a treed fence line. I glanced at it with my binoculars and could see the rack of a buck that was slowly and cautiously working his way into our pasture. It was difficult to instruct Kristen on what to do because I was excited to the point of hyperventilation. She kept her cool and made the 80-yard shot, harvesting a 9-point buck that would make any hunter proud. Not bad for a 13-year-old on her first trip to the field as the hunter. It was, without a doubt, the highlight of my 35-year-plus hunting career. Take your kids hunting, and build some memories.

Rodney Honeycutt, North Carolina

My daughter, 12-year-old Emily, is pictured here with her first and second deer ever. She took the 11-point and 8-point on consecutive days. Both were shot at over 100 yards. The seventh grader has always enjoyed fishing with me. Now she has another reason to go afield and afloat with me. I know I’m loving it.

Wade Duncan, Alabama

My son, Chase, is eight years old and killed his first buck, a 6-point with an 18-inch spread, while hunting with me over a Secret Spot field. The field was torn up with deer signs, and we knew it was a good spot. We don’t know how many deer for sure were using the plot because this guy came out first. Chase killed him on a special Alabama Youth Day hunt with his .243. It was a thrill for us both.

Scott Chavers, Alabama

The day after Thanksgiving 2004 was a special day for my son, Parker, and me. After two months of the 6-year-old insisting he could kill a deer with his youth .20 gauge, I finally gave in and took him and his 20 gauge to the woods. Armed with three buckshot shells, I set up a ground blind in the woods 20 yards off a food plot. We knew things would have to go perfect for even a chance at a deer.

A nice doe entered the field late that afternoon and presented a perfect 22-yard shot for Parker. He made the most of it. Parker told me, “I told you I could kill a deer with my .20 gauge.” Parker has now killed his first squirrel, first dove, first rabbit and first deer with that same 20 gauge. He is my favorite hunting buddy and my best friend.