First day of deer season

 

Monday, November 28th, was the opening day of shotgun season for deer.  Since Cal took the hunter safety program this spring and has turned 12 this year, he was able to go out for his first time to hunt for deer.  He and Daddy got up at o'dark thirty (4:30AM), had a hot breakfast (yes, Mom got up too!) and we out of the house by 5:15AM.  They were at their hunting location ready for action a half hour before shooting time.   Close to 8:30AM they heard some rustling off to the side and a buck appeared, munching on roots and oblivious to the camouflaged hunters.  Cal shot the fatal shot at 8:30AM...a nice 6-pointer, weighing 130 lbs.  He, Daddy, and Jidoo were all very excited!!   He came home to an excited mama and siblings too!   Our oldest child is now doing his part to fill the freezer for the family.  It seems almost unbelievable that he shot his first deer on the first day he was able to go deer hunting within the first few hours of the day!

Three generations of hunters.

He even tried his hand at pulling the deer out of the woods, but in the end Daddy had to do the most of the pulling.

Cal's version of the hunt, as taken from his hunting journal:
11-26-11   Opening Day Deer Hunting
Dad and I went to Windsor.  I followed Dad in, I didn't have any idea where we were in the dark.  We found a good tree, then got settled.  At around 8:30, Dad thought he heard something, then he saw a buck.  I stood up slowly, then saw him.  I waited until he got closer and shot.  He came closer, then I shot again.  He went around a brush pile and I shot a third time.  The bullet had trouble going into the chamber so I was pumping the gun, moving, Dad was talking, and the deer was looking right at me.  I got the shot off though.  We found blood, then waited for Jidoo.  We kept following the blood trail and were getting nervous because the drops were getting smaller.  Then we saw a tree he hit, covered with blood.   We went a little further, then Dad saw him.  We went and poked him, he was dead.  We saw that one of my shots went through its ear.  We gutted him and then dragged him out.  It was warm, so we were hot and tired.  He weighed 130lbs. and was 1 1/2 years old.