Well my son Ely asked me Saturday if he could go with me deer hunting and of course I said yes. I asked if he had rather go Squirrel hunting and he said no (Va's Squirrel season is open now). I have one buddy type stand on our property but my brother and his son have been hunting there so I figured that I would take Ely who is just seven on a combo scouting-hunting trip. We eased up a hollar for a couple hundred yards and I was finding alot of sign and trails and figured we would just sit for a while and see what happened. We had his DSI (game) just encase he got bored sitting so still. While we were sitting there on the ground I went over where he should shoot a deer just encase he had forgotten since last fall. He hadn't forgot a thing. I also let him look through the scope on the crossbow and get familiar with it. He hadn't even shot my crossbow yet but had shot his Paw-paws and Uncles a few times.

Every now and then I would asked him if he wanted his game or wanted to take a nap and he would just say "no I am fine". I really didn't want him to get bored. His patience has really increased over the past two years.

We were sitting on the left side in the head of a hollar that had a little clearing below us that leveled out and went into a thicket that had been timbered about 10 year ago. We had a few tall weeds for cover. After about 40 minutes I heard a deer running in the thicket and asked Ely if he heard it and he immediatly said "yeah its a doe", I turned my head to see a fawn coming out of the thicket and a doe following closely behind. I asked if he wanted to shoot one and he asked if they were legal and I said yes. He asked which dot in the scope to use and I told him to just wait until I ranged them. Well we were both breathing pretty hard by now and the range finder just didn't want to come out of my shirt pocket. Finally after tugging for what seamed like five minutes with Ely constantly asking which dot I got the RF out. It said 27 yards and I told Ely the middle dot. Our crossbow is a Tenpoint that you have to mash a button on the side of the forearm to fire. Ely is so small that he couldn't reach the button so I told him to get ready and I would tell him when he could shoot. I pressed the button and told him when he wanted to he could shoot. In a couple seconds the crossbow went off and was so fast that I wasn't sure where the bolt went. It looked like it should have hit good but I couldn't be sure. The doe took of back into the thicket and we heard her crash. We got up and walked to where she was standing and found a little blood and Ely instantly started following the blood trail. I just showed him one spot of blood on a leaf that was real small so he would know that it wasn't always these big splotches he was seeing. Well she didn't go but about 30 yds and there were alot of briars constantly tugging at Ely's cap pulling it off and such. He was so excited he didn't pay much attention to the scratches and tugging.

As soon as he spotted the doe he ran over and grabbed an ear saying wow. I gave him a big hug and told him what a great shot he had made and that I didn't even have my phone or camera to take a picture but he said you have my DSI in your pocket don't you. I said yeah, he said it has a camera in it so we got some pretty good pics. I would try to get my wife to post some but haven't had much luck getting that done in the past.

Ely had hit the doe square through the top of the heart. He also tracked her entirely on his own. He has been with me several times to retrieve deer. I couldn't have been more proud. He instantly said that he got the first bite. We will have some fresh deer tomorrow night for supper.

A couple year ago I posted about him killing his first deer with a .204 at the age of five and alot of people said that is too young, not to mention the caliber selection debates. I will still argue if he asked me and shows he really wants to go I will do my level best to take him. If I never kill another deer that will be fine if he is by my side. I know that I was more excited about his deer than any deer I have shot in many - many - many years. I asked Ely if he would always remember this day and he said "of course this is the best day of my life". What memories.

If someone would be kind enough to post the pics I will email them to you. I would also be glad to pay you for your trouble.

Just had to brag a little!

God Bless, Louis

Louis-

Congrats to BOTH of you!!! E-mail the photos to:

btomekATgvec.net (replacing, of course, the AT with @) and I will post them.

What great memories you now have...

Thanks Bobby, I'll get them to ya tomorrow.

God Bless, Louis

Congrats Man. Sounds like you both had a helluva day, and you've got quite a mature young man on your hands. Way to go!

Here they are! Congrats again...

Thats great! Love it!

Wow! Perfect shot.

Thanks so much for posting the pictures Bobby! If you are ever up this way you have to let me know so at least I can buy you lunch or something. You are a great man!

God Bless, Louis

Very cool. Always glad to see a successful young hunter.

Should have added that the broadhead went square through the top of the heart! And after field dressing I left the heart on top of the lungs and gut pile right next to the deer. By the time we got back right after dark a bear had already started off with the entrails. There was enough of the heart left to see the "X" so I brought it home and took a picture of it too just for Ely for the future. Would have eaten it if the bear hadn't chewed the side of it off. The bear must have grabbed the heart and lungs in one bite and started off stepping on the stomach while leaving. The stomach was moved about 4 feet and tore open a few inches, the heart and lungs were about another 4 feet away. Looked like we got there just in time.

God Bless, Louis

quote:

Originally posted by Ryan Campbell:
Very cool. Always glad to see a successful young hunter.

+1

The smiles tell the story!!! It is probably a toss up as to who was more excited. Be sure to get those pics framed for Ely.....another "lifetime memory".

Congrats to you, Ely!!!


Bob

Too cool.Thats a fine young man right there,an Dads doing him proud!!!!

Awesome! I hope I can see my son in a similiar pisture soon.


ddj

quote:

Originally posted by JA:
Wow! Perfect shot.

Not so fast..."perfect" isn't a GOOD enough word for where that shot placement is!

You must be proud. Especially proud of that shot.

He has that look on his face like he just killed an Elephant!

Great going! I'll be smiling recalling this story for a long time.

Matt

Excellent congrats. I think crossbows for kids are awesome. They get to experience the up close part of bow hunting before they can pull back a big bow. I am taking my 2 boys crossbow hunting Friday and Sat, and we are all counting the days...

quote:

Originally posted by Bobby Tomek:

A resounding WELL DONE! and a "Weidmannsheil" to the skillful and fortunate young hunter!

Congratulations to "Dad" as well, you live the dream of most of us Dads...

- mike

Congratulations to you both !
AWESOME !
Andy

Thanks guys, I don't think that I have quit smiling yet. Took Ely last Saturday and saw one doe but Ely didn't get a shot. I don't care if I hunt by myself now or not.

Take them younguns hunting and fishing!

God Bless, Louis

proud kid & a prouder dad! Well done both of you. A very special time that will never be forgotten & family tales will be told for a long time!!!