Page 10 - Oklahoma Station Chapter SCI Dec 2022 Safari Trails

ing rather than deer hunting. I over, and we dragged him out of
finally told Dad that I was going to the woods so we could see him
ask my uncle to take me, which got better. Upon further examination,
Dad’s attention and instead take we determined that this was not
me. just any buck, but this was a non-
Later on opening day of rifle sea- typical buck with 19 points. All I
son, dad and I were sitting in our remember was Dad hugging me
stand at the back of our property. and telling me how proud he was
We watched a few does move of me. I am reminded of that night
through for about two and a half every time I walk in the door and
hours before any real activity took see the buck on the wall.
place. All of a sudden, the does Ever since then, I was different.
eating at the feeder were spooked Dad and I would go hunting every
and took off into the trees at the chance we got. Before I had only
opposite of the gone duck hunting when it was not
field. Not a too cold. Even when I did go, I
minute lat- would not really hunt. I would al-
er, a buck ways pet the dog and blow my call
Senior Division Boy comes run- annoyingly. Now, I assist in train-

Grade: 11 Teacher: Daniel Ballard trees and up the ing our dogs and want to pursue
ning gout of the
wildlife ecology as a career.
tree line. I was 11
Age: 16 School: Rush Springs years old, so I could It is safe to say that hunting and the
memories provided have changed
My not tell if his rack was amazing or my life and brought my family
closer together.
not, I just wanted to take him
Hunting Heritage down. He stopped, turned perfectly
broadside about 100 yards away,

and I pulled the trigger.
It all started in 2017 when I About 30 minutes later, we
finally was able to convince my climbed down and began to search
father to take me deer hunting. I for blood where he had been stand-
remember seeing pictures of my ing. We looked for a good 30
cousins and uncle with their big minutes in that area, and we started
bucks, and I knew immediately to get doubtful. I remember dad
that I wanted to shoot one of my still standing there with the flash-
own. We have trained bird dogs light looking for blood as I walked
and bird hunted for as long as I can into the trees where I had seen him
remember, but that was all we did. enter the woods. I walked for an-
That was all Dad and my grandfa- other 10 yards and what I saw next
ther had ever done, and they were brought tears to my eyes and joy to
satisfied with that, so they natural- my heart. I saw the deer draped
ly leaned more towards bird hunt- over a log with its head propped up
on a branch. I quickly called Dad