I have a lot of these stories so I will start it. When my son was 9 years old I took him with me for the mentor hunt. This was the last year on the lease land I was in. The woman that owned the land passed away and her son sold it right away but back to the story. It was about a hour before dark and it was like somebody open a gate and said move deer. A spike walked up and he couldn’t find it in the scope so it got away. Ten minutes later a 6 point was coming up the ridge to our left and he was already shaking then he whispered dad a deer to the right is coming it was a bigger 6 point so it was on his side of the stand so he wanted to go for it. I was watching the buck to the left to make sure he didn’t spot us. Then my son says big buck. I said I know buddy just get ready. He is like no dad look behind that 6 point and oh my gosh guys it was a huge 10 point. I told my son try to stop shaking and told him where to aim. It’s about 40 yards away now and my boy was shaking so bad and I whispered you know where to aim so take the shot. He never look at me or said a word to me. Well it keeps walking and I was behind my son so I looked through his scope and he had the buck in his sights but no shooting. Finally the deer was out of sight and my boy turns to me and says dad he was huge. I said why didn’t you shoot buddy. He said I couldn’t. Said I was froze I couldn’t move. Although I would have loved for him to shoot that buck I just smiled and said that’s called buck eggy buddy. Guys always say why wouldn’t you just shoot the buck. It would have been the biggest buck I ever got but I would have done it the same way again bc it is a story my son tells all the time. He is 12 now and is a great little hunter. I have more I will post after I read some of your stories. If you have one take a minute and let us read it.
Let’s hear hunting stories with the kids
- Thread starter Chris76
- Start date
Gellar
Well-known member
My kids are 4 and 7 months. To say I am excited to take them hunting in the future may be an understatement!
cbang65
New member
What about stories AS the kid?
My 2nd or 3rd hunt ever at about 13 years old. Late gun season and it was COLD. My uncle and me were bundled up in the shed with a heater going overlooking a bean field. A would-be 8pt. (4x4 as you westerners call it) had a broken off side, comes out into the field about 200yds. off. I grab my uncles scoped slug gun (Michigan shotgun only zone) and set up in the window of the shed. The buck cruises into about 120yds. and I get the OK to take my shot. I squeeze the trigger and boom. I fly back into my chair yelling, my uncle is confused trying to see if I hit the buck and find out whats wrong with me.
All the layers I was wearing kept me from shouldering the gun properly in the weird angles of the shed. It was shouldered in my armpit and the 12 gauge kicked and I got scoped. Nice big gash down the middle of my forehead, a black eye and a nasty bruise.
Missed the buck too....
Good times.
My 2nd or 3rd hunt ever at about 13 years old. Late gun season and it was COLD. My uncle and me were bundled up in the shed with a heater going overlooking a bean field. A would-be 8pt. (4x4 as you westerners call it) had a broken off side, comes out into the field about 200yds. off. I grab my uncles scoped slug gun (Michigan shotgun only zone) and set up in the window of the shed. The buck cruises into about 120yds. and I get the OK to take my shot. I squeeze the trigger and boom. I fly back into my chair yelling, my uncle is confused trying to see if I hit the buck and find out whats wrong with me.
All the layers I was wearing kept me from shouldering the gun properly in the weird angles of the shed. It was shouldered in my armpit and the 12 gauge kicked and I got scoped. Nice big gash down the middle of my forehead, a black eye and a nasty bruise.
Missed the buck too....
Good times.
LousyResident
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- Sep 19, 2016
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- 3,106
As a kid I had a similar story to your kiddo's with buck fever. My very first sit alone my dad put me in an old homemade tree stand. When I first walked up to it someone else was sitting in it and I had to walk back to my dad to ask what to do! The guy kindly enough left but walked right through the area I'd be watching, presumably in an effort to ruin the hunt for me. As I was climbing into the tree stand the weight shifted and I thought I about fell out and that scared me enough to sit at the base of the tree. A while later, an old, beautiful blacktail buck (hunting western WA) went walking right through the middle of the clearing. I'll never forget those chocolate antlers. Similar to your kid, I just basically froze and couldn't get comfortable on the trigger in a time when I had a decent view of him. If I had stayed in the tree stand I would have had a much clearer picture.
When dad asked if I saw anything and I said I saw a buck he just paused and said, ". . . Why didn't you shoot him?" LOL we both got a kick out of the story then and still do.
When dad asked if I saw anything and I said I saw a buck he just paused and said, ". . . Why didn't you shoot him?" LOL we both got a kick out of the story then and still do.
Straight Arrow
Well-known member
Although he watched his grandpa happily shoot a trophy doe antelope, Bode was determined that his first would be a buck. It was late afternoon, while visiting with a resident of the area and playing with his dog, Merle Haggard, Bode was excited as we spotted a distant herd of bedded antelope, including a nice buck. The new friend told us to jump in the bed of his pickup, stay down, and as he slowly drove by a certain ditch we would jump out, crawl down the ditch and get closer to the antelope. The plan worked well, as Bode set up on a stable pack rest, aimed four inches above the dirt under the buck's vitals, and squeezed the trigger. The bullet travelled about two hundred yards and hit with a smack. Then Bode realized how tough those animals are as the buck got up, ran off across the prairie, eventually stopping and standing in the open, obviously not feeling well. We hiked away and around the area to reach the far side, hoping to get another shot. Again the buck took off and ran the other direction, this time joining a couple of his does. We retraced our hike back to the start and hid in another low spot as we watched the direction the does took. Sure enough, this time Bode got a shot within a hundred yards and put his buck down. About this time, Merle Haggard showed up and he and Bode ran excitedly out to the fallen antelope. It was dark by the time we field dressed the buck and got him into our pickup. On the drive home Grandpa was happily talking to himself, as Bode was fast asleep, dreaming of Merle Haggard cow dogs and running lopes.
My best friend had his first child at 48 years old. He sat in the truck with his one year old while his wife sat in the tree stand on a cold December afternoon/evening hunt. She shot a deer and he took his 1 year old daughter in via a back pack to help recover the deer . So his daughter was on her first hunt went she was one!
N
ntodwild
Guest
New Bow in hand, my son spent all summer practicing for his first elk season. We spent most of the spring and summer checking cameras with pictures to excite him. Season arrives and we spend a day before season refreshing a natural blind we planned to hunt (fun stuff for a kid as it's like building a fort!) Opening morning brings cool air and the anticipation. As we are in our newly refreshed blind we hear a dog barking, yes a dog! 400 yards out I see 3 cow Elk in full run directly at our blind. My son is excited and wondering what is going on. As the Elk get closer it looks more and more like they are making a B-line directly for our blind. Ok buddy get ready!
The Elk pass within feet of us and in tow a "black lab". I look at my son and he looks at me with total bewilderment. Dad, they are huge! it was the first time he had seen Elk up close. I looked over and see his bow is still in a bow holder (in my own bewilderment I just watched the entire seen myself) just sitting there. I bust out laughing and he looks at me as if I am crazy. Dad, why are you laughing? They are amazing animals buddy but you forgot to pick your bow up.....he looks up at me strangely for a second, looks down at his bow and busts out laughing with me (to this day a memory that always makes me laugh thinking about). The comedy continues as the black lab hears us laughing, stops chasing the elk as they crossed a stream, comes back and starts circling our blind. Turns out a mountain bikers dog had been chasing the Elk for a mile or so. My son is a man now and it seems as if we tell this story to friends every year around a campfire. The laughter ensues and the memory lives on.
I have got plenty of other good stories but this one seems to always be the one that comes out every year. What a great first hunting experience for a kid.
The Elk pass within feet of us and in tow a "black lab". I look at my son and he looks at me with total bewilderment. Dad, they are huge! it was the first time he had seen Elk up close. I looked over and see his bow is still in a bow holder (in my own bewilderment I just watched the entire seen myself) just sitting there. I bust out laughing and he looks at me as if I am crazy. Dad, why are you laughing? They are amazing animals buddy but you forgot to pick your bow up.....he looks up at me strangely for a second, looks down at his bow and busts out laughing with me (to this day a memory that always makes me laugh thinking about). The comedy continues as the black lab hears us laughing, stops chasing the elk as they crossed a stream, comes back and starts circling our blind. Turns out a mountain bikers dog had been chasing the Elk for a mile or so. My son is a man now and it seems as if we tell this story to friends every year around a campfire. The laughter ensues and the memory lives on.
I have got plenty of other good stories but this one seems to always be the one that comes out every year. What a great first hunting experience for a kid.
tzone
Well-known member
Here is one from when I was a wee lad. My first "real" hunt as a kid, where I got to miss school and get to camp on the first weekend was one I'll never forget.
I was 10 years old and could not yet carry a rifle. But I had my bb gun ready to rock! MN has a 16 day season and most hunt the weekends. We hunt public land, always have... up on the MN Iron Range.
We got the camper set up the night before, got grill, generator, beds, knives sharpened, boots set out, long johns and wool laid out, everything. It was a perfect early November. Frost, skiff of snow, no moon up, everything we want now that we know what we're doing. lol
Opening morning came and we geared up. As the sun was rising my dad, my uncle Rick, and I were walking along the old railroad grade towards my dad's stand, where I would sit with him. My uncle had to go in further past us. We dipped across a flooded ditch into a row planted Blue Spruce, about 100' wide along the railroad grade. On the other side of the trees was a power-line right of way, and my dads stand was on the far side of it. About 100 yards away as we popped out of the spruce.
"DEER!" my uncle whispers. "It's a buck," says my dad. My dad bring up the Remington 742 30-06, and fires a shot, and the deer starts to move. I saw the deer move and go down about 20 yards further after the shot. "YOU GOT HIM!!" my uncle says. I remember yelling "yay Dad!" and giving him a big hug. It was his first deer in many years of hunting. Rick got us calmed down and said we need to wait a few minutes before we go look. It seemed like about 3 hours but in reality, it was probably 5 minuets before we crossed the power line ROW. We got up to the buck and could see it was a dandy. 8 perfect points, easily surpassing the magical 200# mark. We look up and it's probably 10 yards from the stand we were headed to!
Rick grabbed onto that rack to get a better look and right away said, "we're getting this mounted." I was still in awe of the whole thing. It was the coolest thing I'd ever witnessed.
They got that deer mounted but it was lost a year later when our house burned down. I still have some pictures in my album from that day and they're some of my most treasured things I have.
I was 10 years old and could not yet carry a rifle. But I had my bb gun ready to rock! MN has a 16 day season and most hunt the weekends. We hunt public land, always have... up on the MN Iron Range.
We got the camper set up the night before, got grill, generator, beds, knives sharpened, boots set out, long johns and wool laid out, everything. It was a perfect early November. Frost, skiff of snow, no moon up, everything we want now that we know what we're doing. lol
Opening morning came and we geared up. As the sun was rising my dad, my uncle Rick, and I were walking along the old railroad grade towards my dad's stand, where I would sit with him. My uncle had to go in further past us. We dipped across a flooded ditch into a row planted Blue Spruce, about 100' wide along the railroad grade. On the other side of the trees was a power-line right of way, and my dads stand was on the far side of it. About 100 yards away as we popped out of the spruce.
"DEER!" my uncle whispers. "It's a buck," says my dad. My dad bring up the Remington 742 30-06, and fires a shot, and the deer starts to move. I saw the deer move and go down about 20 yards further after the shot. "YOU GOT HIM!!" my uncle says. I remember yelling "yay Dad!" and giving him a big hug. It was his first deer in many years of hunting. Rick got us calmed down and said we need to wait a few minutes before we go look. It seemed like about 3 hours but in reality, it was probably 5 minuets before we crossed the power line ROW. We got up to the buck and could see it was a dandy. 8 perfect points, easily surpassing the magical 200# mark. We look up and it's probably 10 yards from the stand we were headed to!
Rick grabbed onto that rack to get a better look and right away said, "we're getting this mounted." I was still in awe of the whole thing. It was the coolest thing I'd ever witnessed.
They got that deer mounted but it was lost a year later when our house burned down. I still have some pictures in my album from that day and they're some of my most treasured things I have.
brnsvllyjohn
Active member
I promised my son a 22 rifle when he passed his hunter safety course. He 9 years old ( he is now 40). I purchased a stainless Ruger 77 in 22 mag with a 2x7 scope. I didn't want a semi auto like all the parents were buying their kids. I wanted him to learn to make one shot count. The next year I had the opportunity to do some ground squirrel control on a large ranch. I took a hunting buddy and he brought his 2 favorite 22 rifles. At the first big canyon full of squirrels my son walked out and set up behind a fallen tree. Great rest. My buddy was taking his 22 rifles out of the cases in the back of the truck and stopped to watch my son shoot the first 2 squirrels that he could see. Both were over 75 yards out and he nailed them. I turned around and my buddy was casing his rifles. I asked why? He said he was a decent shot with a 22 but not at those ranges and he wasn't going to be embarrassed by a 10 year old. Proud moment for dad.
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
A kid I hunted ducks with wanted to kill a snow goose. This can be an expensive operation but we made up a strategy on a budget. He bought a roll of silo socks with his own money, and then I bought materials to make 60 silhouette decoys. We also constructed our own electronic caller for a fraction of the cost to buy a unit. He asked around and got permission of a place to hunt. Set out 160 decoys and dug pits to lay down and hide in. Many many total hours put in to prep. Anyways The first flock we had come in was 5 swans - very cool! Managed to fool a few geese that year into circling low and knocked them out of the sky. I'm not sure who was having more fun, him or me, but it was a great time all around
brnsvllyjohn
Active member
Now the first big game animal. When my son was 12 I purchased a 30-06 Ruger 77 that had been rebuilt with a Shilen barrel, Timney trigger and a Brown Precision stock. It was a very accurate rifle. He did not shoot a deer his first year and his best opportunity was a nice 4 point that he wanted to show me before he shot at it. Not sure why since I told him when I left him on a rock 25 yards from me to watch a different area than I was watching to shoot any legal buck. We were within sight of each other. I turned and saw him waving his arms and wanting me to walk over to him. When I got there he told me about this large buck that had just walked out in front of him but he wanted me to see it. Well when I got there the buck was gone.
After deer season we were hog hunting on the property where we had been shooting squirrels and it was getting late in the day. I left him on an open ridge where I could see him and was going to drive the truck to a road below where he was so he could just walk down the ridge at dark to get to the truck. As I was opening the truck door he shoots 3 times. Now we did not have radios and one of my hard fast rules is once two hunters separate you never change the plan. Never do anything that hadn't been discussed. I went ahead and drove my truck on down the hill where I could see him and asked what had happened. He said he had a big pig down across a canyon from where he was. He said he could see it laying in the grass. I told him to keep his eyes on it and I would go to the pig. I kept getting higher and higher on the hillside to the point I figured I was too far away from him. He just said keep going. Once I got to the hog I looked back at him and it was pushing 300 yards. 2 shots in the chest and one broken front leg. 3 hits. 250 pound boar with good teeth and that hog is hanging on his office wall. He was a big 12 year old and the 30-06 didn't bother him at all.
After deer season we were hog hunting on the property where we had been shooting squirrels and it was getting late in the day. I left him on an open ridge where I could see him and was going to drive the truck to a road below where he was so he could just walk down the ridge at dark to get to the truck. As I was opening the truck door he shoots 3 times. Now we did not have radios and one of my hard fast rules is once two hunters separate you never change the plan. Never do anything that hadn't been discussed. I went ahead and drove my truck on down the hill where I could see him and asked what had happened. He said he had a big pig down across a canyon from where he was. He said he could see it laying in the grass. I told him to keep his eyes on it and I would go to the pig. I kept getting higher and higher on the hillside to the point I figured I was too far away from him. He just said keep going. Once I got to the hog I looked back at him and it was pushing 300 yards. 2 shots in the chest and one broken front leg. 3 hits. 250 pound boar with good teeth and that hog is hanging on his office wall. He was a big 12 year old and the 30-06 didn't bother him at all.
Straight Arrow
Well-known member
Bode enjoyed his first year.
His first year hunting, Bode hunted hard with his grandpa and even wisely decided to pass on a bull elk because he didn't feel he was properly set-up for the shot. Resting for lunch after a morning hunt, still in casual wear Bode eagerly responded to the question, "Does anyone here still have an elk tag?" His uncle Jeff took him up on a high rocky slope from where they spotted a bull bedded across on the next ridge. Unsteadily shaking, Bode dry-fired the unloaded rifle his uncle had handed him. Uncle Jeff slapped Bode's shoulder, telling him to settle down, rest the rifle on his pack, aim for the vital area of the bedded bull and slowly squeeze the trigger, which he did. The elk stood up and toppled over, rolling down the slope. Excited and thrilled are mild terms describing a new hunter's first elk. Luckily Bode had family nearby to help him with extraction, to include his younger cousin, also an aspiring young hunter, happy for his cousin, and hopeful for the day he may hunt as well.
His first year hunting, Bode hunted hard with his grandpa and even wisely decided to pass on a bull elk because he didn't feel he was properly set-up for the shot. Resting for lunch after a morning hunt, still in casual wear Bode eagerly responded to the question, "Does anyone here still have an elk tag?" His uncle Jeff took him up on a high rocky slope from where they spotted a bull bedded across on the next ridge. Unsteadily shaking, Bode dry-fired the unloaded rifle his uncle had handed him. Uncle Jeff slapped Bode's shoulder, telling him to settle down, rest the rifle on his pack, aim for the vital area of the bedded bull and slowly squeeze the trigger, which he did. The elk stood up and toppled over, rolling down the slope. Excited and thrilled are mild terms describing a new hunter's first elk. Luckily Bode had family nearby to help him with extraction, to include his younger cousin, also an aspiring young hunter, happy for his cousin, and hopeful for the day he may hunt as well.
Jape
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Took two of my kids on their first hunt last year, and they loved it. My buddy had just laid down for a nap with all the kids (one of his and two of mine) while I walked a ridge. Found a buck and as soon as I shot my buddy sat up and said, “Well, there goes my nap.” Kids thought it was hilarious.
KipCarson
Well-known member
I remember a time about eight years ago when I took my younger cousin out to help him kill his first deer. It was on Thanksgiving morning and we had several hours to hunt before meeting up with the family for lunch. About an hour after daylight we see movement and realize that it was a large flock of turkeys feeding our direction. Not having hunted much before or having had many up close encounters with wildlife he was beside himself excited. Since it was Thanksgiving, in his young mind the obvious next step should be to shoot himself a turkey! Much to his consternation I had to explain to him that it was not turkey season, there were no toms, and all the other reasons why it was illegal to shoot one. He looked at me like I was crazy, “How in the world can it be Thanksgiving and I am not allowed to shoot me a turkey?!“ He eventually forgave me but at the time not shooting a turkey on thanksgiving was the dumbest thing I think he had heard! Fortunately he was able to kill his first deer with me the next season.
A lot of great stories. I have another one. It was the last day of the deee season where my son got his buck eggy. Got to the stand before day break and was seeing son does and I had my son practice getting them in the scope and trying to stay calm. He did a good job at that. Then around 10am I turned around and seen a deer coming from behind us and whispered to my son a deer is coming. Now keep in mind he found all the does in the scope no problem. We finally got a look and it was a nice 4 point. Well I could feel the stand start shaking from him. I said just take a couple deep breathes and relax. He said dad I want to get this one. I made a little joke to calm him down about letting the monster buck walk. He giggled...now this 4 point is 10 yards away and he couldn’t find it in the scope. I grunted softly and he stop wide open timber broad side. Well still couldn’t find him. Here we go I thought. Lol.. it got clean at the bottom of the ridge and I said buddy you have to find him bc 5 more yards he is out of sight. I grunted real loud. The buck stopped and I heard. I found him dad I got him in the scope. I whispered are you on the kill zone. He said yeah. I said pull the trigger buddy. He took a deep breathe like we practice and then I heard boom. He dropped the 4 point where it stood. We where pumped. He was so happy he had tears in his eyes and well if I am going to be 100% honest Dad’s eyes might have been a little teared up also. After high 5’s for a minute we went down and I showed him how to approach a animal to make sure they are dead. It was about a 90 yard shoot for his first buck. Great job the reality set in and I looked up the ridge and said oh no. He said what. I said we have to drag him up that ridge now. 3 hours later we made it to the top. Thanks for reading and looking forward to reading more of your stories 
Straight Arrow
Well-known member
There's no hunting fun better than tagging along with grandkids. Caden helping his cousin Bode with first buck.
Fast forward to Caden's buck. Can you tell he's pleased?
Fast forward to Caden's buck. Can you tell he's pleased?
dirtclod Az.
Well-known member
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- Jan 24, 2018
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- 2,776
Elk hunting in Az.,I was 12yrs.old Dad was driving an old logging road and got the truck stuck.
We tried and tried but no go.Dad says you and your brother go hunt and I'll get the truck out.Off we went.
I could still hear Dad revving the engine,forward-reverse over and over.
Walking down the trail and right in front of me is a huge Cow Elk!Boom! I shoot her head on right in the chest.
My brother freaks out and starts shooting.He has a Bull only tag.Meanwhile the Cow hits the ground and gets back up.
She turns broadside and I shoot her twice through the lungs she's down again.Meanwhile my brother is unloading
his rifle into the herd of at least 30 elk running by.My elk jumps back up,I finish unloading my gun in her general
direction.My brother shoots her in the spine,game over.We check where the Elk ran by,no blood and no wounded Elk.
Tag my Elk and start the long walk back to camp.Dad had the truck back at camp covered in mud.
Dad,I Got An Elk!! He eyeballs me and says where is this Elk? Thats when reality sinks in.Well...remember where you
got the truck stuck? It's way past that.I though he was going to blow a gasket! We got her whole back to camp,
and that night a blizzard came through and dumped 2ft. of snow.Froze that big Ole' Cow solid to the tree she was
hanging in.Oh to be a kid again...That was a "Once in a Lifetime" hunt.
Shot My first Javelina that spring,Man what a mess that was!Ha!,Ha!
We tried and tried but no go.Dad says you and your brother go hunt and I'll get the truck out.Off we went.
I could still hear Dad revving the engine,forward-reverse over and over.
Walking down the trail and right in front of me is a huge Cow Elk!Boom! I shoot her head on right in the chest.
My brother freaks out and starts shooting.He has a Bull only tag.Meanwhile the Cow hits the ground and gets back up.
She turns broadside and I shoot her twice through the lungs she's down again.Meanwhile my brother is unloading
his rifle into the herd of at least 30 elk running by.My elk jumps back up,I finish unloading my gun in her general
direction.My brother shoots her in the spine,game over.We check where the Elk ran by,no blood and no wounded Elk.
Tag my Elk and start the long walk back to camp.Dad had the truck back at camp covered in mud.
Dad,I Got An Elk!! He eyeballs me and says where is this Elk? Thats when reality sinks in.Well...remember where you
got the truck stuck? It's way past that.I though he was going to blow a gasket! We got her whole back to camp,
and that night a blizzard came through and dumped 2ft. of snow.Froze that big Ole' Cow solid to the tree she was
hanging in.Oh to be a kid again...That was a "Once in a Lifetime" hunt.
Shot My first Javelina that spring,Man what a mess that was!Ha!,Ha!
LuketheDog
Well-known member
Daddy-daughter dove hunting, she picks the spot and I shoot the birds...
How about trapping stories? Daughter, wife and I went to run my snare line on a nice Sunday afternoon. Daughter decided she wanted rabbit pot pie for supper. It’s one of my favorite pictures 
Another of my favorite pictures
Another of my favorite pictures
