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I told my three year old daughter this evening that I was going hunting and she begged to go. I had a good evening spot to hunt where a nice 8 point is using a trail every evening, but my stand was a ground blind next to a downed tree about 75 yards from the trail- I thought even with the 3 year old fidgeting and whispering we would be good and undetected from that distance.

So off we go down the road and not two minutes from the house we spot a small spike at 200 yards. Hmmm what to do? Not having a deer in the freezer yet, I chose meat over potentially much better horns and we started stalking closer. It took a while to stalk 100 yards closer (a three year olds stalking steps are really short! lol) But I was proud of her being quite stalking and whispering and stopping when the deers heads popped up. A hundred yards closer and at a fenceline we are as close as we can get, about 100 or 125 yards. No problem for a scoped bolt gun. I braced against a wooden fencepost and squeezed the shot off. He high kicked and took off running, jumping two fences. We watched him run off for 75 yards before he went out of sight. I mentally marked where he was standing, his path of departure and the tree I last saw him by and started easing down there after a brief high high five and hug session. We were both excited! We walked over to the tree where I last saw him. Hmmm no blood trail and no deer visible off in the open woods below me. Now uncertain of a hit at all we went to where the deer was standing at the time of the shot. Nothing.

Well long story short, we searched for an hour and actually saw the deer and it's companion bound off about 30 minutes post shot. No blood, no nothing indicating a hit. I just plain ol' missed. (after describing the shot to my Dad (TN Rifleman on here) he thinks I had my rifle stock braced too hard against the side of the fencepost without a hand or something else soft between the stock and post, throwing my shot off. I've shot a long time, but didn't know not to do that! Ooops!

We had a great time anyway, she was a little bit upset that I missed. When I broke the news to her she said "But Daddy I wanted to eat that deer and make jerky!"

Watch out 8 pointer, she wants to go back tomorrow evening! LOL
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What a cutie! Great story, good she knows where meat comes from. Amazing you can tote a three year old along with you. The two of you have some great times ahead!
Thanks MissTreated, she does know where her food comes from, and has already put many a vegetable seed in the ground. We did have to walk further than I planned due to me missing that deer (I of course had to make sure and we wound up off in a deep hollow. I had to carry her back out!) The great times have already started, but this day, her first hunt, was special to me.
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Little E's first hunt by tn griller, on Flickr
The picture didn't come through on the first post, sorry!
That's cool. My daughter was 3 years old the first time she went with me. It was fun and "challenging" at the same time. LOL....
Neat story. My son was in a backpack and elk hunting with us at 8 months, and had hunting and fishing exposures that most in this country only read about as he was growing up. Today, if it's not connected to an XBox, he is not interested.
1Minute, all you can can do is take them and show them, I would bet though that he will be back out there when the x-box gets boring!
That picture is priceless! I did the same thing with my kids and my daughter(now 13) shot her first 8 point this season!

Great job Dad!
TN,
Thank you for posting that story and picture! You made my day.



Johnny $
Looks like there will be lots of fun hunts ahead for both of you! Thanks for sharing the picture.
Thanks all for your kind comments to my story..... I am looking forward to future hunts with her. This weekend we are making snack stick jerky together...with venison of course!
I'm proud of them both! BTW, a few days after the hunt with "E" my son bagged a nice 5 point buck that he has made some awesome jerky from.
Awesome.Fun times. My daughter is now 16 and hunts by herself. (Of course myself or one of my hunting buddies aren't far away)..... grin
Originally Posted by TN_Griller
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Now that picture is an "11" on the 1-to-10 cuteness scale!

John
Thanks John! I think I'm going to have my hands full in a few years!
You mean you don't now? If, not, she's not doing her job! I need to talk to her!
Or not! LOL.
awesome. great start on the dad of the year award! you know, what you've got there is very special. mine's two and a half now, and more interested in shoes (help me, anyone?) but she had to have boots cause daddy wears boots to work. so i've got an in now....

seriously, griller. super proud to read this story. printing it out and bringing it home!
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