Elle Jones, 9, harvested her first deer, a 7-point buck, on Oct. 26 in Washington Parish on a private hunting lease with her dad, Chris Jones. She had a rough season last year missing two deer, but she put in a ton of practice and it finally paid off this season.
“We got into the stand early Sunday afternoon with hopes of just seeing a deer as it felt like it was 100 degrees. Shortly after 5 p.m., I heard the squirrels start barking and I knew something was on the way. A few minutes later a spike walked out. I immediately got buck fever anticipating Elle was about to bust that joker. I said “there’s a buck Elle get ready” and she said “that’s a 2-point daddy I want a bigger one.” As the spike is standing there broadside I’m thinking there’s no way when I was 9 years old and never killed a deer I’m letting that joker pass but she did. A few minutes later she said “daddy there comes a buck.” When she said that my heart dropped even more and as I was trying to look through my binoculars I couldn’t even hold them straight I was shaking so bad. She got into position and I said “ok baby, take a deep breath” and before I could tell her to squeeze the trigger she let that .243 eat. I watched the buck run out the food plot holding his front leg with his tail tucked and I knew exactly what that meant. He went 30 yards and piled up! My emotions were all over the place as hers were too! None of the bucks I’ve taken in my life compared to the one yesterday. She finally got her first deer.”
-Chris Jones
