2007 Youth Deer Hunt. In a ground blind with her father (me) and her younger sister, Emme. Evening hunt, as the morning hunt only produced sighting of deer well out of her range.
It was pretty warm, so very little movement until the last hour of daylight. Both girls do well in the stand being quiet and still, so an extended sit isn't an issue.
60 yards to the west, a perfect cull buck appeared. A spike with about 17 inch horns would make a great first deer and help the lease from a management stand point. Elizabeth settled in will the spike tended a scrape where we had hung the scent bomb loaded with code blue esterous.
Adjusting her scope took a little too much time and the buck moved into a selective cut field, where we could not see him anymore. A call with the can followed by a challenging snort wheeze proved unsuccesful and little Elizabeth was broken hearted.
I put my arm around her for comfort and looked up just in time to see a big nanny goat doe, broadside at 40 yards. No little ones and her size made her another perfect canidate for a first deer.
Elizabeth got over her heartbreak from the spike in an instant and settled her rifle for a shot. Deep breath in, and then out, and she gently squeezed off a shot. The doe bucked and ran into a thicket to the east.
15 minutes short of eternity we waited in the blind and then checked for blood. Her shot proved perfect, double lung and heart, and after a short blood trail, Elizabeth got the blood of a first deer on her checks.
A prayer over the deer, thanking the Lord for provision, and Elizabeth and Emme got to drag her out. Pictures of a proud daddy and hunter sit on my desk til this day.
I've now had the experience with Emme and several other young hunters on their first deer, and it's a joy that can't be described. If given the chance, never turn down this oppurtunity.
Elizabeth’s First Whitetail
