12 yr old goes deer hunting
Whitetail Deer
When the weather turns bad it takes some work just to get to your blind.
When the weather turns bad it takes some work just to get to your blind.
Here in Saskatchewan you have to be 12 to hunt under parental supervision and my boy’s birthday was the day before rifle deer opener. I know good family planning right ??. Well that day finally came. I am not sure who was more nervous him or me.
He had a mission menace bow and been practicing for a year to get over 40lbs (legal min) to hunt with. With a 22” draw length he was ready to go. He was pretty good at 20 yds standing but while seated in a ground blind he started to spray arrows. After some major frustration on his part and a few form tips from me we got more dialed in. I had thought about how hard to make this for him as I hunted for many years before getting a deer and if anything it fueled my passion even more. Not wanting to make it easy but have him enjoy the hunt was my goal. So finding a new spot to hunt with him and not just put him in one of my setups was part of the journey for him. He had accompanied me on a few hunting adventures and was dedicated to it.
Day 1. All ready to go. Take him to a last minute spot that we set up for an evening sit after pulling him from school at lunchtime. For the first time I had to sit in the corner while he got to sit in the good chair so he could draw and shoot. Can’t believe 12 years has gone by and here we are with him as the hunter…. No deer were spotted at all this day. On the drive home he told me that he had faith in this spot and asked when we could go again.
Day 2. Wind was bad so we had to try another spot and finally at end of evening sit a doe came in and I suggested he try to draw and practice aiming. While she picked him moving at 20 yards and was gone before his cams rolled over. He looked at me shocked. On the drive home I asked him what he learned. You have to be the “world record of quiet and slow”. Good lesson. Day 3 The next day we had the whole day to hunt after some discussion he was in for a long sit. The wind was from the south and only good for one spot and never heard a thing but a deer snorted and blew right behind the blind and he learned that smart deer sometimes circle and approach from downwind. Lesson 2.
While checking cams to determine out next move found a good buck rutting hard and went into small patch that was perfect for a short rifle stalk. And while I had it in the truck he asked if he could sneak it with bow which wasn’t an option so he suggested I go shoot it with rifle. Haha. My son was passing a good opportunity on his first deer to get one with his bow and telling me to go shoot it with rifle. At that point I knew he was in it til the end and was willing to hang up his first tag.
This going to be a great Bowsite thread! Good luck Team Pratt!!
Sounds and looks like you have "produced" a really good young hunter and maybe a hunting partner for life. Good luck to both of you this season! Thank you for sharing and please keep us updated.
Day 4. This day was going to be another all day sit back to same spot as first day. Normally weather here would be cold to make all day sits tough but warmer than normal made him able to play games on his phone and read a book after I took phone away. With a mountain of snacks eaten his feet out of his boots trying to warm them up at 2:50 in the afternoon a deer walked right in.
Dad I am going to shoot that deer.
Everything was perfect and deer gave us a great angle and he got bow drawn without detection as we had a gusty wind to cover noise and movement. Watched him send that one right over its back. I totally missed I was shaking so bad. Here is where hunters luck came into play as deer had no clue what happened and came back into range 5 minutes later and again gave him a great angle.
2 holes!
2 holes!
As soon as the deer turned I said you got your deer. Now this was a leap for me as I was quite concerned about if he did get a chance how it would turn out and the likelihood of us actually recovering it. Looking at the video I took off my phone which I had not planned on taking but there was nothing else I could do for him while sitting in the corner for him at this point so I just enjoyed it. After sharing a great moment I looked back at the video and saw this.
The broadhead I choose was to remove the bleeder blades off a 125gr vipertrick I usually shoot and it even cut a rib and it came out the other side. Worked great! We waited an hour but I was confident enough to let him blood trail it the 50 yards to find his dream of his first animal with a bow. This is the start of an awesome ride.
Knife reserved for special moments
Knife reserved for special moments
Proud moment as he learned a lot of lessons and had some lows along the way. Persevered with a positive attitude and got to notch a tag at the end of a good hunt.
After hunting everything this year from dall sheep to moose to mule deer and a lot in between this was the pinnacle of my season.
Fantastic! Great experience for both of you!
He's hooked now! Congrats!
It really doesn't get much better!
Congratulations to your boy on the first of many I'm sure and congrats to you for raising a fine bow hunter.
Great pictures and recaps and thanks for posting them.
Huge congrats to you both!
Smilin' here. Congrats to your son!! And to you for a job well done!
Give that young man a high five! Great shot and congrats to him. A well deserved pat on the back for you for passing on the tradition!!!
Wow, that is awesome. Great day, time, event, moment, etc. Congrats to you and your son, great shot and memory. It is good to see a young person take an animal with a bow these days when so many choose or are told to use an easy button.
Wow great shot! Congratulations father and son! I too started at 12 but didn’t punch my first tag until 16.
That's wonderful, walleyes! Many congrats to you both!
Awesome!! Nothing better. Memories for a lifetime right there.
That smile says a lot. Great job little man and great job Dad!
Hell yeah! That’s a dandy!!!! Congrats
A big congratulations to you both! Not many things much better than getting to share those experiences with your son (or daughter). Give your son a “high 5” from me on a job well done, walleyes!
This is an awesome thread, and story!
That’s great. Memory for both of you. Good going.
That's what it is all about! Congrats to son...and dad!
Amazing! A priceless memory!!
As good as it gets!! A lot of learning and earning in the past year and a big payout! Congrats to both of you and big Bowsite High-five to the young man.
That is so cool! And might I say, that is one large bodied yearling buck!
This is the good stuff we come to Bowsite for! Congrats guys! What a great story and a great result. Doesn't get much better!
Great job! Congratulations to you both.
Your teachin em right! Job well done young man! Great dad moment! Can’t wait for my little ones to take their first animal…. Shoot, they all learned how to bait and cast a pole this year and that had my tickled pink as the caught their first fish 100% alone! Till one got poked by he spines on a sunfish then the unhooking was dads job.
Oh man, I really enjoy reading these kind of threads. Well done young man, great shot too!
Awesome story! Congrats to your son, and also to you for raising him right!
Thanks for all the positive comments.
Great deal dad! Good buck! Makes my day!
Awesome job! Congrats and it's fun watching the kids learn and grow!
Congrats! Hard to imagine any deer of any size resulting in a better memory for you both. Until maybe his kid is hunting a couple decades from now.
WOW, that is GREAT! Many CONGRATS!
What a great thread. Big congrats to you both. Love it!!
Way to go! Huge congrats!
Wow that is a precious moment congrats to you and the hunter this made my day thanks so much for sharing Lewis
Congratulations to Son and Dad, well done.
Congratulations to you both! Love the picture of him with bow and deer! That's one to frame!
Great shot young man and congratulations to dad and son…..what a great moment for sure one you’ll never forget.
That is what it is all about!! Great work guys!! Proud Dad moment for sure!!
Great story and way to stick with it! Congrats to you both!
Wow. I love the pics and I FEEL the story. Thank you for sharing. This one is going in my 'Favorites " for sure.
Great story! Excellent job raising what sounds like a fine young man. Great shot placement too!
Congrats on the first of what will be many harvests!
Best thread ever! Congrats to you both and thanks for posting!
Every time I read a "1st deer" story it takes me back to my first bow kill. Thank you for sharing and a huge congratulations to your son! !!
That’s awesome, Big congrats to you both! Thanks for passing it on, and sharing it with us!
I know this is cliche at its finest, but it just doesn’t get any better than this ! Congrats to both of you !
Walleyes,
Hell yeah! This is awesome. Incredible that a 12 year old can take a buck with a bow! Good job Dad!
My favorite kills have been my kids kills no matter the weapon. They have and will always trump any of my meager successes.
Glad the 2 of you got to experience that!!! Cherish it.
I'm already looking forward to my kids 2024 hunts way more than mine.
That's epic. Absolutely loved it and thank you so much for sharing. This is the best part about this site is stuff like this.
