Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Daughters first harvest experience

First doe (Willamette tag) for me in 10-15 years, but this was a special exception; I had my little princess with me I've been grooming her to be my little hunting buddy since the day she was born. She turned 4 in August and loves spending time outdoors with me. We got to Great Grand Pappy's farm with just enough time to take a lap to "hunt" which usually consists of lots of flower picking and cheeto eating while I just check cameras. It was almost dark and she was wet and cold, but still being a trooper, so we were on our way bag to the rig when I spotted this lone doe.

"Jo! Look! There's a deer, do you see it? " I whisper.
"Yaaa!!!" (Shrieky 4yr old girl voice)
"Should we shoot it?" Still whispering although I don't know why after her squeal of a response.
"Yaaa!!!" (Shrieky 4yr old girl voice)
"Plug your ears" Still whispering although I don't know why after her squeal of a response-again.
(I check to make sure ears are plugged)
BOOM-flop
"Daddy we did it! We got a HUGE deer! We're gonna have so much meat for the whole family!!! This is the best day ever!" (All the while jumping and dancing and giggling like excited 4yr old girls do)

We said a prayer of thanks together and thanked the doe for giving herself to us. Had a talk about the circle of life and an anatomy lesson. I've never seen her listen so attentively. Watching her tell the story to Mommy and her little brothers when we got home was almost as priceless as the whole experience.

Parenting win



To top it off it's the first deer I've taken with that rifle, a Ruger 44 Carbine, I grabbed on a whim out of the safe on the way out the door, I got it for my first Father's Day when my wife was pregnant with her. It's shooting my handloaded 240grn Hornady XTP's and H110 topped with a Leupold VX-1 1-4

One on MY best days-and "hunts"- ever