whitetaildreamer

Last year my son harvested a real big doe with his ML. I was up on a ridge and had a ring side seat for the hunt. I watched as he sat still as the doe moved out onto the field, how he slowly raised the ML as the doe looked away, him letting the shot go and the doe dropping like she had been hit by a hammer. One of the bucks I took last year scoredmid 140's and dressed out at just over 250 lbs......and here's the but......I was and still amfar more stoked over my son's harvest than my own.

Now here's the question......

Do you (as an experienced hunter) get a bigger rush off some one who you have mentored's harvest or your own? (could be son, daughter, nephew, niece, grandchild, some one you started hunting[friend,brother,sister,wife, husband], etc.)

Hopefully we can get a good discussion on this.

uncle matt

It's hands down - seeing the kid do it. The only ones IMO who will say otherwise haven't actually lived it.

I was in your shoes some years ago. I think the moment might have been a bit sweeter though because my Dad died that summer and I had my nephew using Grampa's gun. It is out way of keeping Dad hunting with us if youunderstand.

Anyway the nephew was down a knocked down beanfield a good 300+ yards overlooking a kinda finger of the field that kinda roundedly protrudes into the woods leading to a small creekline. It was kinda like a courtyard. He was slightly above the field corned in a bit of woods with another field higher behind him 20 yards. I could see his orange and with my binocs I could see him real well.

Three deer came thru the patch of wood he was in and out into the court. I was watching him and he raised his gun but didn't shoot. (He later told me the other trees in front of him just kept falling in line with the shot. So the deer seem to think somethings up (probobly winding him) and start making their way down the treeline along the creek towards me.

I'm thinking, "Oh man this stinks! THREE deer and the kid misses out on a shot at any of them. So they keep on coming towards me. I'm kneeling on my ladder stand's platform backwards and figure well heck they're gonna get into range here so I better get ready for a shot. Take the biggest one and the other two will hopefully turn and run back towards him - maybe he'll get a shot afterall. So I move to put my shotgun in the "V" of the tree and my radio falls out of my bibs and hits the wooden platform - thunk! I'm busted.

They look at me and trot back to the court kinda looking back now and then. They no sooner get comfy down there when I start glassing to see and hear ........

BLAM! The biggest one takes it in the neck does a full circle in the field rooster-tailing! She's down.

While this is going on the other two try to dodgefor the corner into the woods and creekilne......

BLAM! I see nothing. BLAM! The last one jumping the brush into the woods emits a spray of blood and hair out the side. It's a hit!

I'm in my stand grinning ear-to-ear the whole time. Before it was over I was covered with goosebumps.

I keep glassing and a minute later the radio comes to life. "Uncle Matt! I got one down right out here in front of me and I hit another one trying to dodge away. I think it's over in the woods."

"I know Erik, I saw the whole thing! Beautiful! Why don't you wait awhile before you come down to let the second one lay down anddie. I'll see you in a bit."

Of course I was done for the day in nothing came by me while playing the waiting game. Like I cared!

When I finally walked down there, he came off his stand and we met at the doe in the field.

I WILL ABSOLUTELY NEVER FORGET THE WAY MY NEPHEWS CHEST WAS HEAVING WITH EACH BREATH AND THE LOOK ON HIS FACE!

I don't think I ever hugged anyone so hard! Together we said a prayer over the doe to say thanks and asked Gramps what he thought of his nephew who he never got to hunt with (until that day).

We tried and tried but didn't find the other doe until the next day.

We went over the 3 shots together and he said he knew his first slug was good. Wasn't sure where the second slug went. And knew the 3rd slug was good. He saw the spray of blood and hair, too. The next day I saw what had become of his 2nd slug. A small tree about 20 feet out in front of his stand was splintered. He was so tuned into that doe laying there he never noticed the tree.

You better believe that was my best hunt ever!

Now some years later he's a great guy in camp and one I couldn't imagine not being there.

ANDGrampa's still huntin'!

Jimmy S

Without any doubt whatsoever, I get more satisfaction when someone else get's their deer. It may be my sons at an early age, my grandsons or a buddy that hasn't tagged in a few years.

I did everything possible to put my sons in a position to be successful when they were younger and now they are returning the favor as well. They have been hunting for many years now and have tagged their share of deer.

We go out of our way to do whatever we can to increase the odds of another hunter. Young hunters and new hunters, of course, are our priority but we still try to increase the chances of other guys, especially those who have not punched their tag in a while. And that is not that uncommon when hunting in parts on northern New England.

Every hunter cherishes those times in his/her life when they are successful and drag out a beautiful whitetail deer. Watching the smile on their faces and know how excited they are is priceless, especially if you know you went out of your way to hopefully make part of that possible.

There's no other feeling like it.

sjsfire

There is a guy who has come to camp the last two years and hasn't gotton a deer let alone seen very many. I let him hunt my stand even though I hadn't got one yet. He had a doe on the edge of the field but ran out of light. I will make the same offer this year, I have other places known for decent hunting down the road a few miles. I'd like to see him get his first deer. I've witnessed quite a few of my hunting buddy's kids, nephews, and grandson's taking thier first whitetail. I was intheir shoesmanyyears ago.

IL-Cornfed

I've been fortunate enough to tag some very respectable whitetails here in West-Central IL but none of those bucks have EVER shook me up like sittin' in the Double Bull blind with my Daughter when she tagged her first deer a couple seasons ago! Is there such a thing as a B&C class Doe? It was funny, SHE actually kept asking ME is I was alright ?!?

SwampCollie

My girlfriend has been duck hunting a long time. Long before she met me. Now I have gotten her into turkey hunting, and archery. This fall, its gonna be her first go after deer. And I simply cannot wait to go with her and just watch! I'm as excited as I've ever been.

farmcntry

I get a bigger rush and more satisfaction from having someone I've worked with take an animal.
In fact I'd say I've given up about 80% of my hunting to take kids hunting.

www.youthoutside.org

geterdun2

i agree, as a young hunter whose uncle has taught me a good amount, i see it when he gets happy that i have harvested a deer. he put me in his stand last year and i shot a doe, and he was pretty happy lol. its weird how it is, he has also shot numerous massive deer (big from my point of view atleast) and im still waiting on my first. good post

Chris_H

For me, I get a bigger rush harvesting a deer on my own. I sat in the stand without a gun for my whole life, until about 3 yrs. ago. That's when I started doing everything on my own. Scouting, putting up stands, discing/planting fields, etc... The first year, I just picked a spot on the edge of a field and just sat there. No preperation. Easy to say, I harvested no deer that season. The second year, I had a little more prep, but only made it to the stand twice. Last year, however, was perfect! I shot my first deer at about 200 yds away (spike). My second deer was very mature. He had only 6 pts., but the length of the tines are big; he weighed in at 212 lbs.My guess is malnutrition for the antler size. As for my third deer, I saw him come out about 25-30 yds beside me. That day, I let him walk. But my grandfather has yet to get any of the meat (we ate all of it). My buds already took about 6 does off of the property. Not wanting to shoot another, when he walked back out I blasted him without hesitation.

The feeling of "I did this by myself" gives me more of a rush. Maybe when I have kids or my next girlfriend comes around, I'llget more of a rush when they take an animal.

DoctorDeath

IM NOT SURE I CAN ANSWER THIS IN AN OBJECTIVE WAY ... I REMEMBER THE FIRST DOVE MY SON SHOT AND I WAS EXTREAMLY EXCITED FOR HIM .... I ALSO REMEMBER HIS FIRST DEER AND AGAIN I WAS EXCITED AND PROUD ...BUT IN ALL HONESTY I STILL GET A BIG RUSH WHEN I HAVEST AN ANIMAL ... JUST ASEXCITED BUT MAYBE IN A DIFFERENT WAY..I DO THINK I GET MORE SATISFACTION FROM A FRIEND TAKING ONE.... THAT IS AN HONEST ANSWERE ...

dd