This is my son Teegan's first ever harvest. He is 7 years old. This is the coolest hunt and one I personally (as his dad will never forget). We were walking into our property. We were about 20 yards from our blind and we jumped a doe that was bedded down 5 yards behind our blind. I looked back at my son who's carrying two beef sticks looking off into the other field not paying attention. I look back and said "Teegan, look" he the smile on his face was true happiness. I climbed into the blind first and rested the .350 up against the wall and turned around to help him get into the blind. He was half way up and dropped the two beef sticks on the ground. Instead of climbing back down quietly he just jumped off the side (loudly) picked them up and got back up and in the blind. I told him to sit down in his chair so I could get the front window down and the BOG stand set up. I got the window down and when I was trying to set the Bog Stand up to get the 350 ready There was a doe at 35 yards. I looked at Teegan and said "Do not move, there is a shooter doe at 30 yards." without time to set the bog up, I slowly reached back to grab the 350. Blindly grabbing it, the stock bumped the metal part of the chair and she was staring directly at us for about 20 seconds. As soon as she looked down I got the lens cap off the 350 and got Teegan ready to take the shot. While he was getting ready this larger (older) doe came following the other doe. I told Teegan to switch to the second doe that came out. I asked if he had the red dot where we had spent all week going over to ensure a lethal shot. He said he did. At that time the doe was head turned toward us itching her back left hind leg. I told him okay keep your dot on her front shoulder. DO NOT SHOOT UNTIL I GIVE YOU THE GO AHEAD. She stopped itching then made it about 3 steps before I "grunted" she stopped dead in her tracks staring into our souls. I said are you on her? Teegan said "yes dad" i said okay, fire when ready. I saw the impact and KNEW he put one of the best shots he could had on her. Blood everywhere she made it about 25-30 yards. I was an emotional wreck as a dad. I hugged him and immediately become emotion. I am not an emotional person mind you. He said "dad, you're hugging is a little tight" we high fived about 900 times. His first statement was "I SMOKED HER" followed by "Dad, I cannot stop shaking". I know this is a long story but we were not in the blind for more than 2 minutes. The fastest, most exhilarating hunt I will never forget. Especially for it to be my sons first ever harvest. I had to teach him our tradition of when we find the deer, we place out hand on them and thank them for their sacrifice for our family to eat.
I know this is not a buck but I wanted to submit it because the story is worth a million, at least to this dad. I am a veteran who struggles with the outside world but to be able to share this moment in the great out doors with my son is one of the best things I could ever have imagined. You can see the emotion in my (dad)'s face in the photo.
The beginning to a life long journey.
More Info Coming Soon.
