Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Dear Lord please don't let me screw this up(my sons 1st deer hunt)

I got him shooting the slug gun(Savage 220 20 ga) he did great with an improvised range using a tree for support he put 3 in a space the size of a beer can.he said it was just like using the sniper rifle in "call of duty"I have a good spot in a ground blind with good fields of fire well within 100yds.
here in NJ tomorrow is "youth deer day" and he can take a doe or a buck, so I told him "if it's legal and you want to eat it shoot it" his reply....put it in the boiler room right? pop a lung,blow up the heart or break a shoulder,right dad?
we have 50 acres of private land that is full of deer...does out the wazoo.
please wish me luck in bringing John into the hunting world.

You got it! Expect to see pictures!

wish him luck from Montana,

Good Luck!I wanna see pics too! Lightman

the camera is in the pack,I'm wearing what I wore the last time I got a deer,Grandpas woolrich pants and shirt,they make you feel like gravity has increased 2x but hey,they have good mojo.

good luck!

Relax, you'll both do fine.

I'm so amped up I can't sleep and he's out like a light next to me on the couch,if this gets any worse my acne is going to come back. LOL

Sounds like a great day ahead of you. Relax and enjoy it.

And we need pictures!

Good luck, Rick. Please tell us all about the hunt, even if your son doesn't shoot one tomorrow. I've got years to wait to be where you are and I'm living vicariously through guys like yourself for the next few years.

Soak it up and enjoy the moment and tell us all about it. Again, good luck to you both!

Sooner he learns things don't always go as anticipated, the sooner he becomes a hunter.

This is my son John on his first deerhunt,the day before his 12th Bday.
It was kind of uneventful, we got in at 5:30 am and left at 10:30.I have to be honest,I got a little misty seeing him sitting next to me in the dark waiting for sunup.I pushed a big doe past him but he wasn't looking when she went past.it was cold and windy for us and even though I dressed him warm he got cold feet(note to me,even if I don't feel cold he might so get him some toe warmers) so we went for a stroll to get the blood moving.I taught him that you have to move quietly through the woods,at first he sounded like a dump truck,I asked him if he wanted to bang a gong too.LOL
this pic is from just before we left.
I'm kind of glad he got skunked his first time out so he doesn't think it's always automatic every time.he's looking forward to going out again in a couple of weeks when the firearm (shotgun/muzzle loader) season opens.The only down side to that is I STILL won't get to use my new slug gun,he's going to be using it and I'll have to use my ML.as far as down sides go thats a pretty good one.I hope every body who starts out a young person s relationship with the woods has as good a time as I did.

Glad you had a good time, Rick. Judging by the picture I'd say that he did, too, even if he didn't shoot a deer. Wish him better luck next time from me.

It's all about being outside and in the woods. Taking a deer home is the gravey. Glad you had a good time. kwg