I have enjoyed taking my son in the woods with me since he was 18 months old, he is 4 now. I remember changing diapers in a ground blind during a Dawson Forest adult child hunt, Having to call Uncle Larry to help us drag out our first kill, a big nanny doe. Every year he sits longer and longer enjoying the sounds of the woods. We have killed several deer together with the rifle but hunting with a compound bow is a challenge. My son and Took that challenge and hear is how we ended up.
Oct 11th 1500 hours we get set up in a double ladder stand and the first thing we see is a squirell, lots of them. "Daddy, I hear a deer,"
"Son thats a squirell."
"Daddy they make a lot of noise"
After a pound of goldfish and several pieces of beef jerky later, my partner fell asleep on me. To be honest with you I wanted to see a deer so it was kinda of pleasant, but depressing in the same. I missed his little coments about which birds flew faster?, or what do squirells do? Can you eat a chipmunk?
Around 1830 hours he awoke to his goldfish and whispered. "Daddy, you seen any deer? Is it time to go yet?"
"Still no deer but almost time to go home" He then looked at me and Said " Look at that cat, Daddy you see that big ole cat!" I looked all over and could not see anything. I asked him where it was and he replied" Its in that tree right there. See it that big ole cat in the tree?
His first Raccoon sighting, It was amazing to watch his blue eyes light up when i told him it was not a cat. " Can we kill it?"
"No son we can't They are not in season"
"Daddy that is totally awesome, I never seen a raccoon befor that was cool?"
1910 hours draw back my bow to see if I can still see my pins, Barely
1915 hours I take off my release put it in my bag, pack up my leafies and tell him we can go home. "Daddy theres a buck, daddy theres a buck"
" Where son?" "Right there daddy."
A small eight point had snuck right in about ten yards out. I fumbled through my bag trying to find my release. Found it, put it on. "Daddy the deer is right under us."
15 yards later and slightly quartering away I hit my release. My mark was off but the deer acted as if it was hit by a truck. I squinted watching in the dusk as he stopped about thirty yards away from us. In my head I was repeatedly saying fall over, fall over, just fall over. He did! "Daddy that was a good shot, I love you"
Our first bow kill ever. Remember Don't hunt for your kids, hunt with them.
Oct 11th 1500 hours we get set up in a double ladder stand and the first thing we see is a squirell, lots of them. "Daddy, I hear a deer,"
"Son thats a squirell."
"Daddy they make a lot of noise"
After a pound of goldfish and several pieces of beef jerky later, my partner fell asleep on me. To be honest with you I wanted to see a deer so it was kinda of pleasant, but depressing in the same. I missed his little coments about which birds flew faster?, or what do squirells do? Can you eat a chipmunk?
Around 1830 hours he awoke to his goldfish and whispered. "Daddy, you seen any deer? Is it time to go yet?"
"Still no deer but almost time to go home" He then looked at me and Said " Look at that cat, Daddy you see that big ole cat!" I looked all over and could not see anything. I asked him where it was and he replied" Its in that tree right there. See it that big ole cat in the tree?
His first Raccoon sighting, It was amazing to watch his blue eyes light up when i told him it was not a cat. " Can we kill it?"
"No son we can't They are not in season"
"Daddy that is totally awesome, I never seen a raccoon befor that was cool?"
1910 hours draw back my bow to see if I can still see my pins, Barely
1915 hours I take off my release put it in my bag, pack up my leafies and tell him we can go home. "Daddy theres a buck, daddy theres a buck"
" Where son?" "Right there daddy."
A small eight point had snuck right in about ten yards out. I fumbled through my bag trying to find my release. Found it, put it on. "Daddy the deer is right under us."
15 yards later and slightly quartering away I hit my release. My mark was off but the deer acted as if it was hit by a truck. I squinted watching in the dusk as he stopped about thirty yards away from us. In my head I was repeatedly saying fall over, fall over, just fall over. He did! "Daddy that was a good shot, I love you"
Our first bow kill ever. Remember Don't hunt for your kids, hunt with them.
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