My 12 year daughter killed her second deer today. After filling last year's tag on a doe only hunt, she wanted to hunt closer to home this year. She was excited to draw her first choice.

We spent the last three mornings on the road at 5:00 and looking for deer at sun up. Our hunts were over before 10 each morning. That's when the temperature would hit 90. Her hunt, when she says its time to hit the convenience store to get a soft drink and head home, I don't argue. Again her tag. We saw deer each day. When we finally found one with antlers, she was able to close the distance to 200 yards and set up for a shot. She was quick to regulate her breathing and settle in. When the 85 gr TSX from her .243 hit the deer, I heard the familiar "smack" and watched him do a donkey kick and disappear into a thicket of mesquite.

After firing, she turned and asked, "Did I hit it?.. Did I hit it, Dad?!"

She was all smiles when we located her deer.

As we headed back to the truck, she asked me, "You know the best part about getting my deer today?"

"What's that, Love?"

"I get to sleep in tomorrow!"



Sigh... A perfect day, punctuated with a reminder that my baby girl is almost a teenager!

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