My daughter is 8 years old and has killed 5 deer since turning 6 years old. Her biggest was a 6 point shot with a crossbow last year. This year I decided she was going to shoot a deer big enough for me to get mounted for her. She went through archery season without a kill but passed a good 7 point twice (neighbor eventually shot) and had 2 encounters with 8 points that we were not able to seal the deal on.
Opening afternoon of ML, she had an encounter with a nice 8 that stepped into the woods two steps before he come to the opening where she could shoot. About 10 minutes later I look up and one pops out just up from where the 8 went into the woods. I could see it was a good deer and thought it was the 8. We messed around and she said she did not have an open shot. I looked down the gun and told her she was good. She pulled the trigger and the deer turned his head and looked our way. I noticed then that is was not the same 8 point and got the binoculars up to determine it was a 9 point about 19-20" wide (very nice deer). He turned and just walked away. Upon further examination she was right, the bullet caught the top of a limb. I felt like crap.
Opening morning of rifle we see the same 9 point but he is about 200 yds away and out of her range. A little later a big 8 point comes out and chases a does around for 10 minutes in front of us 90-130 yds. Every time she gets on him and says "I got him" he takes off after the doe. The one time he stopped for about 3 minutes he was behind the only limbs I did not cut out of the way. They finally move on. Later, another 8 comes out on my side of the tree and there is no way she can turn that way to shoot so I just watch it walk off..
Long story short, she has had encounters with about 10 deer 8 point or better and we have not been able to connect yet for some reason or another. 2 of the encounters come this past weekend. Guess I am just venting a little as I have missed several opportunities this year as I have only been hunting 5 times without her (and passed deer hoping she would get a shot at them). We did not see a deer Sunday morning and I made the comment "well, that was a waste of time". She said "not really, we were spending time together". About brought a tear to my eye and brought me down to earth. She may not get her deer by the end of season but we have created many memories (good and bad) that I would not trade for a world record deer...
Opening afternoon of ML, she had an encounter with a nice 8 that stepped into the woods two steps before he come to the opening where she could shoot. About 10 minutes later I look up and one pops out just up from where the 8 went into the woods. I could see it was a good deer and thought it was the 8. We messed around and she said she did not have an open shot. I looked down the gun and told her she was good. She pulled the trigger and the deer turned his head and looked our way. I noticed then that is was not the same 8 point and got the binoculars up to determine it was a 9 point about 19-20" wide (very nice deer). He turned and just walked away. Upon further examination she was right, the bullet caught the top of a limb. I felt like crap.
Opening morning of rifle we see the same 9 point but he is about 200 yds away and out of her range. A little later a big 8 point comes out and chases a does around for 10 minutes in front of us 90-130 yds. Every time she gets on him and says "I got him" he takes off after the doe. The one time he stopped for about 3 minutes he was behind the only limbs I did not cut out of the way. They finally move on. Later, another 8 comes out on my side of the tree and there is no way she can turn that way to shoot so I just watch it walk off..
Long story short, she has had encounters with about 10 deer 8 point or better and we have not been able to connect yet for some reason or another. 2 of the encounters come this past weekend. Guess I am just venting a little as I have missed several opportunities this year as I have only been hunting 5 times without her (and passed deer hoping she would get a shot at them). We did not see a deer Sunday morning and I made the comment "well, that was a waste of time". She said "not really, we were spending time together". About brought a tear to my eye and brought me down to earth. She may not get her deer by the end of season but we have created many memories (good and bad) that I would not trade for a world record deer...
