Wanna hear my story about being 33 and never hunting before?

[Rockspek]

Well i guess you do.    I don't know how to make this story short

 

33 years old and never hunted until this season.  No one in my family has ever been into hunting so it never really appealed to me.  in the last 10 years I've always thought I may enjoy hunting but never had time to take the safety course.  Recently my 5 year old has been so interested in hunting that I decided I needed to learn so he could have his dad be his mentor even though one of my closest friends is an avid hunter.  My friend weather he knew it or not was going to mentor me.  I managed to get a safety course finished the day before opening of gun and bought a crossbow so I could practice quietly for a few days.  I got accurate enough that I decided to go out sunday am of opening weekend.  Spent every morning and afternoon I could sitting quietly after that.  Saw lots of doe. 11 walked through one day but I didn't have the range.  Even had a small doe walk almost right up to me on two separate occasions but didn't feel right about shooting such small deer.

 

Finally my friend tells me I have to sight in the shotgun I bought, practice and get up off the ground in a stand.  Okay so he sights the 12 gauge in for me.  I take a shot at a target at 50yards and hit close enough that I'm comfortable.  I don't really like firing the gun so I leave it at that.  One practice shot.  Please don't judge me or my friend for the lack of practice.

 

I get in a stand on my property with only a small area that I can hunt legally but I feel comfortable with.  I begin using a new trick of rattling fake antlers and using calls.  10 minutes before sunset I wipe my nose and sniffle from the sinus infection and bronchitis I happened to get and decide to climb down when I realized my calling was working because all I saw were white tails running.  I stop, call a doe noise and they all stop.  I waited 5 minutes and did it again and they started back.  One nice doe makes it on my property.  She looks up at me, kicks her front hooves at the ground a few time.  I stayed very still at the ready.  She put her head down and turned.  I shoot.  I do all the safe things you're supposed to do next and go to the spot where she was.  No blood, no fur and dark now.  I call my friend and get a flashlight.  Found tiny bit of blood 25 or so ft away and start tracking.  not much blood but I did find a little frag of bone so I knew I must of hit her somewhere decent.  Finally found her with the help of my friend and come to find out it was a high hit through the lung so she had to fill with blood before letting much out.  2nd bullet ever shot besides a .22.   My 5 year old came out to the barn while it was hanging and saw it after warning him it was bloody and dead.  His reaction surprised me.  "awww cool....This is a nice deer daddy.  Nice size.  good job."  what 5 year old is so calm and collected like this.  

 

Family liked how it taste so I went back out for Sunday the last day for gun.  No rattling but just calling because I figure with all this talk about no deer around I would just try for another doe.  As I'm about to leave my stand and call it a morning I hear something in the woods so I hang out and call like a doe.  I see antlers for the first time in my life as a hunter.  Heart pumps very differently than when I shot the doe and this thing is still deep in the woods I can barely even see him.  He heads away so I call the best I can.  He turns and I finally get to hear how a buck really grunts.  He cautiously heads towards me.  Shots go off way in the distance.  A large doe comes booking across the field from where the shots fired and right at me in my stand.  I call again to stop her. She stands 5 yards from the tree I'm in and the buck now sees her.  All of a sudden my sounds were very real to him.  He head straight at me and I have to shoot before he gets too too close.  He jumps into the brush and only makes it maybe 20 yards away.  Shot through the shoulder a little and got a lung.   Third bullet ever shot.  My friend and his dad come over to help me out.  This time my 5 year old comes out to see the entire gutting process.  Again very calm and a little excited he said because this one had horns and again was a good size.  I gutted both deer myself due to the responsibility I felt in killing these two animals.  With the coaching of my friend of course.   

 

Apparently this is a big buck.  They told me I need to mount it so I guess I will even though that is not really what I did this for.  That is also why you won't see me in a picture with the animal.  I did it for my son who has such an interest in hunting and to have good quality meat for my family.  Wegmans is right down the street but this meet came from our backyard.  How's that for a carbon footprint.  Thanks for reading

 

 

[BKhunter]

Yea that is definitely a wall hanger. Well done you had a better season than a lot of us who have been doing this for years. One thing you learn about hunting is it can be the most frustrating but most rewarding activity ever. Congrats on the great first season.

[Jaeger]

Hi, and welcome. I hear the tone throughout your story and understand your motivation.  To accomplish what you want, to be a good mentor and hunting companion to your son, just keep the high road and hunt ethically and by the rules.

 

He obviously is very interested and may stay so, (until cars or girls get into the picture, but you've got a few years for that!), if your willing to assist him and obviously you are.

 

I too am from a non-hunting family and had to learn on my own, believe me, its better and more fun with your Dad.

 

My day had no interest in my hunting.  He also had no interest in my racing but played pit crew hauling me to races, carrying batteries and starter motors just to be involved with what I loved to do.  

 

And at age 64, he learned to scuba dive just so I'd have a dive buddy to go diving with.  So I understand.

 

I really applaud your dedication and devotion to your son and all you are doing to help him with what he wants to do.  

 

Contrats on the deer by the way, like your son said "good job".

 

Jaeger

[BowmanMike]

I like the story a lot. I think you had beginners luck,that buck is a beauty. I have only been hunting for four years, which means I started when I was 39.

Some of us are just late bloomers. I have not even seen a buck like that in my 4 years except for on my trailcam.

Kids reactions can be different from what you expect. I was doing some work for a family in the catskills in the winter and some deer came out to their birdfeeder. We were in the house and the dad pointed them out to the kids. He asked if he should get his gun and they yelled Venison!!!! That was not what I expected.

[nodeerhere]

It's nice to see a first timer with a nice success story. Be careful out there. U will learn as u go that there's lots that can go wrong. Just make sure u make it back home to ur 5yr old. I fell out of a stand a few yrs back. I'm ok thankfully. Could have been a lot worse. And I been hunting many yrs 20 or so and I only have 1 nice buck like that on the wall so congrats! Also my 15 yr old hunted his first season this yr. nothing yet but I have to say he's stuck with it well. And my 8 yr old can wait to get in the woods. So hopefully ur 5 yr old will love it too one day. Great story man. Congrats again!!!

[upstate]

Great story. 

 

I was born and raised in an upstate city and never knew anyone that hunted. Joined the Marines at 18 and came home as a reservist at 20, went to school and had a couple of fraternity brothers that hunted.

 

Then I met my future in laws. 388 acres and a huge cabin on the tughill. First time out I killed a 6 point 200 yards behind the outhouse! First time out, first shot! Then it took me 6 years to get another.... 

 

Glad that you picked up the sport. That is a late season beauty buck. I'd mount that head because you never know when you'll get another one. You'll know you love hunting when you can't wait for next season, even when your season sucked (mine did- never drew bow back and only had one running deer in my crosshairs).... 

 

Good luck, those deer are much better than Wegmans 

[moog5050]

Congrats on a great start!

[Paula]

Good story. Are you going to get him mounted?

[Rockspek]

Didn't plan on getting a deer like this but yes I am. My kids have a clubhouse in my barn and they want it on the wall above the entrance. I get to see it in my barn and they get a really cool addition to their clubhouse. It will be mounted in the same position it was when I shot it. Looking straight ahead at the doe to remind me of that moment. I have a very old growth oak board that is almost 2' wide to put it on.

[grampy]

Welcome to the forum and to the brotherhood of hunting! You had one heck of a first season! Congratulations! I have known hunters, that hunted their whole lives and never shot a buck like that. And to share time in the woods with your son, will make memories that will last a lifetime. Wishing you continued successful deer seasons with friends and family.

[Nomad]

Great job ! Great story ! Please keep posting your hunts and such.

Oh btw not very many enjoy shooting 12 ga slugs.....

Often there is a progression in shooting , starting with the .22 rifle . I broke my daughter in with the shotgun by starting with low brass shot, to learn the basic operation and trigger squeeze of the gun . Then onto slugs. Limbsaver makes some nice recoil pads .

Edited December 14, 2015 by Larry302

[ApexerER]

Wow, that's awesome!! Congrats, I hope you and your son can enjoy the woods together. Get a double stand and take him out with you....Now I am going to talk to you like a hunting buddy.....WTF,  decide maybe you will go hunting, first time out, bam, second time out bam, wallhanger....You aren't hunting with me any more you lucky !@&^#..... That's what you would have heard from me if I was your hunting buddy...all in fun of course you lucky !@@##!

Edited December 14, 2015 by ApexerER

[Taylormike]

Nice job!  Enjoy those moments, I have a feeling you are hooked now...  It truly is an amazing sport and depending how much you and your son get into it, it can evolve into your life.  Nice tractor too!!!

[shawnhu]

Well i guess you do. I don't know how to make this story short

33 years old and never hunted until this season. No one in my family has ever been into hunting so it never really appealed to me. in the last 10 years I've always thought I may enjoy hunting but never had time to take the safety course. Recently my 5 year old has been so interested in hunting that I decided I needed to learn so he could have his dad be his mentor even though one of my closest friends is an avid hunter. My friend weather he knew it or not was going to mentor me. I managed to get a safety course finished the day before opening of gun and bought a crossbow so I could practice quietly for a few days. I got accurate enough that I decided to go out sunday am of opening weekend. Spent every morning and afternoon I could sitting quietly after that. Saw lots of doe. 11 walked through one day but I didn't have the range. Even had a small doe walk almost right up to me on two separate occasions but didn't feel right about shooting such small deer.

Finally my friend tells me I have to sight in the shotgun I bought, practice and get up off the ground in a stand. Okay so he sights the 12 gauge in for me. I take a shot at a target at 50yards and hit close enough that I'm comfortable. I don't really like firing the gun so I leave it at that. One practice shot. Please don't judge me or my friend for the lack of practice.

I get in a stand on my property with only a small area that I can hunt legally but I feel comfortable with. I begin using a new trick of rattling fake antlers and using calls. 10 minutes before sunset I wipe my nose and sniffle from the sinus infection and bronchitis I happened to get and decide to climb down when I realized my calling was working because all I saw were white tails running. I stop, call a doe noise and they all stop. I waited 5 minutes and did it again and they started back. One nice doe makes it on my property. She looks up at me, kicks her front hooves at the ground a few time. I stayed very still at the ready. She put her head down and turned. I shoot. I do all the safe things you're supposed to do next and go to the spot where she was. No blood, no fur and dark now. I call my friend and get a flashlight. Found tiny bit of blood 25 or so ft away and start tracking. not much blood but I did find a little frag of bone so I knew I must of hit her somewhere decent. Finally found her with the help of my friend and come to find out it was a high hit through the lung so she had to fill with blood before letting much out. 2nd bullet ever shot besides a .22. My 5 year old came out to the barn while it was hanging and saw it after warning him it was bloody and dead. His reaction surprised me. "awww cool....This is a nice deer daddy. Nice size. good job." what 5 year old is so calm and collected like this. IMG_1462.JPGIMG_1464.JPG

Family liked how it taste so I went back out for Sunday the last day for gun. No rattling but just calling because I figure with all this talk about no deer around I would just try for another doe. As I'm about to leave my stand and call it a morning I hear something in the woods so I hang out and call like a doe. I see antlers for the first time in my life as a hunter. Heart pumps very differently than when I shot the doe and this thing is still deep in the woods I can barely even see him. He heads away so I call the best I can. He turns and I finally get to hear how a buck really grunts. He cautiously heads towards me. Shots go off way in the distance. A large doe comes booking across the field from where the shots fired and right at me in my stand. I call again to stop her. She stands 5 yards from the tree I'm in and the buck now sees her. All of a sudden my sounds were very real to him. He head straight at me and I have to shoot before he gets too too close. He jumps into the brush and only makes it maybe 20 yards away. Shot through the shoulder a little and got a lung. Third bullet ever shot. My friend and his dad come over to help me out. This time my 5 year old comes out to see the entire gutting process. Again very calm and a little excited he said because this one had horns and again was a good size. I gutted both deer myself due to the responsibility I felt in killing these two animals. With the coaching of my friend of course.

Apparently this is a big buck. They told me I need to mount it so I guess I will even though that is not really what I did this for. That is also why you won't see me in a picture with the animal. I did it for my son who has such an interest in hunting and to have good quality meat for my family. Wegmans is right down the street but this meet came from our backyard. How's that for a carbon footprint. Thanks for reading

IMG_1479.JPGIMG_1488.JPGIMG_1489.JPG

A lot of us share your history of hunting, but not your luck!

Keep it up!

X-Calibur Lighting Systems

http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

[Five Seasons]

Good story. I'm intrigued by your story. It's Almost as if you didn't enjoy the experience? But I believe that's just how you wrote the story. Also curious about your comment where you didn't like shooting the gun. Sounds like you have some great land, that is indeed a mounter and I'd never advise any hunter to pass any deer like you did with the doe. Not a lot of hunters have great success with calling either... Wondering if you're correlating it incorrectly.

Hope you continue to hunt. Don't be surprised by your sons reaction. Children "learn" those fears through adults expressing their views. Teaching children while young is an absolute must

[DirtTime]

Congrats on a great first season! Strange that your 5 year old got you into hunting, but it worked out.

 

I am also curious what you didn't like about shooting a gun. I have heard a lot of people say they didn't like the noise or the recoil.

Edited December 14, 2015 by ....rob

[Rockspek]

Good story. I'm intrigued by your story. It's Almost as if you didn't enjoy the experience? But I believe that's just how you wrote the story. Also curious about your comment where you didn't like shooting the gun. Sounds like you have some great land, that is indeed a mounter and I'd never advise any hunter to pass any deer like you did with the doe. Not a lot of hunters have great success with calling either... Wondering if you're correlating it incorrectly.

Hope you continue to hunt. Don't be surprised by your sons reaction. Children "learn" those fears through adults expressing their views. Teaching children while young is an absolute must

I didn't mind the gun hitting my shoulder.  I really barely felt it and I don't even remember the sound that much.  You can call me what you want but firing a gun just feels violent to me.  I'm sure I will get used to it the more I do it and I will spend a lot of time learning how to use a bow. 

 

What do you mean by "wondering if you're correlating it incorrectly"?

 

And I enjoyed almost every minute of it.  Even the days when I saw nothing.  I was out every day of gun season except 2 I think.  Morning and afternoons.  I really enjoy getting out around 6 am and watching the woods wake up.

Edited December 15, 2015 by Rockspek

[DCHunts]

That watching the woods wake up thing is what keeps me coming back as well, one of the finer things in life. Congrats on a great first season

[shawnhu]

I didn't mind the gun hitting my shoulder. I really barely felt it and I don't even remember the sound that much. You can call me what you want but firing a gun just feels violent to me. I'm sure I will get used to it the more I do it and I will spend a lot of time learning how to use a bow.

What do you mean by "wondering if you're correlating it incorrectly"?

And I enjoyed almost every minute of it. Even the days when I saw nothing. I was out every day of gun season except 2 I think. Morning and afternoons. I really enjoy getting out around 6 am and watching the woods wake up.

Don't mind the negative comments. Some people feel there's only one way to hunt, their way.

X-Calibur Lighting Systems

http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

[LI OUTDOORSMAN]

There's a saying in hunting..."Its better to be lucky than good"

Please dont take offense..Great story and a great buck!

Just that many guy's who consider themselves very good hunters might go an entire lifetime and not get lucky enough for a chance at a buck like that.

You are very fortunate

Congrats!!

[Taylormike]

We all have inner thoughts, sometimes we can explain and sometimes we can't, nothing awry or foul with that.

[DirtTime]

I didn't mind the gun hitting my shoulder.  I really barely felt it and I don't even remember the sound that much.  You can call me what you want but firing a gun just feels violent to me.  I'm sure I will get used to it the more I do it and I will spend a lot of time learning how to use a bow. 

 

I am still very curious now on your impression of shooting a gun. I am not trying to be negative, just asking.

 

firing a gun just feels violent to me.

 

Why does it feel "violent" to you?

[Rockspek]

Just not something I'm used to.  I probably shouldn't use the word violent because that sounds like a crime or something.  I'm still kinda surprised that I did it.  I don't regret it at all.  And yes I'm hooked and very appreciative of my experience and hearing everyones congrats.  I'll Probably come down from this rush by next season.    

[Vince1]

Just not something I'm used to.  I probably shouldn't use the word violent because that sounds like a crime or something.  I'm still kinda surprised that I did it.  I don't regret it at all.  And yes I'm hooked and very appreciative of my experience and hearing everyones congrats.  I'll Probably come down from this rush by next season.    

 

 

I know exactly what you mean. I grew up thinking guns were bad (city kid) and only police had guns and if you had one you were a criminal because that's what was fed to me in school and on the TV.

 

wen to the army and got stationed in Colorado springs. MAN did my view change. buddy of mine had a firearm on him and I was like wtf are you doing. he quickly schooled me and my obsession with the outdoors began.

 

fast forward a few years past me getting out and im back in NY and I had to readjust my thinking here. wish I woulda chose to stay in Colorado.

 

If you were not raised to appreciate and respect the privilege its easy to be fooled into thinking its "Violent".

 

People have been doing "violent" things with tools since the beginning of time.

[ATbuckhunter]

Congrats on the deer! That buck is certainly a mounter and an awesome deer for a first buck. Your a great father to do all of this for your son! My father started hunting because I liked it and m grandfather introduced me to it, and now he loves it as much as I do. Hunting will be a great way to spend quality time with him and a great sport that brings you in the outdoors instead of video games. Maybe in a couple years you can bring him out with you.