Popular Post buckfever1974 Posted October 9, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted October 9, 2018 (edited) Pardon the length... My youngest daughter Gabrielle was able to get her first deer ever this past Sunday morning. Actually, it's her first anything as a hunter. It seems her sister can go out for a few hours every season and get a deer as if they were on order but it took a lot of hunts and hours the last couple of years before Gabby and I saw a deer for her to get a shot at. She isn't the kid who needs instant gratification and enjoys "the hunt" and the process leading up to it as much as the sit but she told me Saturday night that if she got a deer tomorrow, it would be "the best day of my life". On top of it all, she wanted to use her grandfathers crossbow who had recently passed which he had used to get the last deer he had ever shot. She wanted to use it to get her first deer she ever because "it would mean more". We had been out over a half dozen times last year and a few times already this season with little luck but over the spring I had booked a hunt with Garrett over at Andover Hunt and Fish in order to get some private land access. He and his family over there are awesome btw. Garrett couldn't have been more accommodating regarding her comfort zone on ranges, setting up her tri-pod in advance of the hunt and keeping us posted on the action by the spot he had picked out for her. He is also awesome with kids. I can't say enough good things. We got to the blind well before sun up but had some trouble getting in the blind which had apparently shifted which we realized when there was just enough light to see. In an effort to move it back, my daughter informed me that a deer had just taken off. I felt horrible but it had come back just as quickly as it had left. It was out there for another 15 minutes in the dusk and when there was enough light it never gave her a shot coming to within about 8 yards at one point. That will get your heart going. We saw a few more deer between first light and 8 am, all of which never gave her the shot that she wanted. I am very, very proud of her for passing on shots because there was a twig, branch or grass in the way of the vitals on what would have been broadside shots. Just after 8, with her head resting on my shoulder, a doe was walking through the brush just yards from the left side of the blind. It essentially took forever for the doe just to get out in front of us and when it did, there seemed to be no clear shots for about 10 minutes and it would keep passing through her shooting lanes to quickly. At one point she got to within 12 yards or so but had her vitals blocked by a boulder. Gabby didn't know whether to come off the crossbow or keep it aiming. I told her to stay on it and when she comes clear, be ready. Although I hadn't planned on it as I didn't want to scare the kid, I did the "Meeehhhh" kind of grunt as it was striding out from the rock. She shot and the deer took off and so did the arrow with the lit nock. It was so fast, I couldn't honestly say whether the deer was hit but I could say that the bolt took a hard turn and elevated as if it hit something. I have her upset in the blind because she doesn't know if she hit it, the way the arrow flew it looked like it hit a branch maybe. Turns out she hit the deer but we think maybe two blades deployed and it caused the change of path. I went out after 10 minutes and found spotty blood and then a good spat but not until maybe 15 yards from the hit. Garrett came out and took up the trail. We found the bolt covered in blood (which at the time made my daughter happier then most anything because it meant that she had actually hit the deer). The deer took us through some thick brush for about 20 yards which in brush seemed like a quarter mile. We backed out after the trail went cold but not before Gabby spotted a patch of blood underneath a log so we had a starting point for when we came back. BTW....backing out and waiting at a diner when you don't know if you are gonna recover your daughters first deer...I aged 20 years but she was cool as a cucumber saying not to worry, I got her dad. Turns out that she was right. Garrett found her 10 yards from where we had stopped piled up in some more thicket. I honestly think she went less then 50 yards and probably 30 as the crow flies. She says its the best day of her life which makes it absolutely near the top if not the top of my list and is a better feeling then any I have had shooting my own deer. Being able to be there with your kid when they harvest their first is AWESOME. Apparently, I am also on HERO status with her and that I saved the day because I did the "Meeehhhhh" and froze her deer at the perfect spot. I will take that praise with me for the rest of my days. I want to mention Andover Hunt & Fish, Garrett and his family one more time. The whole family takes pride in their business together from Garrett all the way to Grandma (who is awesome to talk to btw) and in doing so, you can't help but feel like you are the most important person and like family. That's how my little girl who is as shy as they come was able to feel. I have been on hunts down in the Carolina's with some snobby, better then you, minimal effort guides and property owners. This hunt was handled first class. I hope to go back again some time soon for turkey or some fishing. Cheers. Edited October 9, 2018 by buckfever1974 hammer4reel, Haskell_Hunter, kmtpr and 29 others 29 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not on the rug Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Congrats to both of you guys. buckfever1974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buck154 Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 That's great. Big congrats to her and you. Glad she loves it enough to keep going. buckfever1974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPEARFISH Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Excellent, Congrats. buckfever1974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redman Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Congratulations to both of you. buckfever1974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowhunterNJ Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Way to go Gabrielle! Congrats to the both of you! buckfever1974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Belly62 Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Congrats ! buckfever1974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Bear Bowhunter Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Congrats!! buckfever1974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiking Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 congrats, that's what it's all about buckfever1974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mixbaghunter Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Congrats buckfever1974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewey Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Congratulations, that is awesome buckfever1974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillW0323 Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Congrats! buckfever1974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgw Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Congrats glad it all worked out buckfever1974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain Goat Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Congrats! buckfever1974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdshotnj Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Must be an awesome feeling. Congrats to you and your daughter buckfever1974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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