Most people think of their dream hunt as going on a trip to the Midwest and harvesting a 150-class buck. My dream hunt came true this weekend when I had the pleasure of experiencing my son’s first deer hunt.
Just the experience of being with Jon Burton on his first deer hunt with his gun in hand was enough to fulfill my dream. However, little did I know that the ultimate experience was about to unfold on the Oct. 31 afternoon.
After spotting a does sneaking down the ridge toward our position, I realized she had a rack buck accompanying her. I told my son about the doe and buck.
“Dad, I want the buck,” Jon said.
We patiently waited as the deer slipped through the palmettos, headed for our corn. I couldn’t help but notice the look my son had on his face as he peaked out of the window of the box stand to watch the two deer come closer. It brought tears to my eyes, and is a sight I will never forget.
The buck gave us a broadside shot at 60 yards, but I opted not to let Jon shoot because the .223-caliber rifle was sighted in for 40 yards.
The doe came into the corn, and I was in awe as my son’s eyes never left the buck. Finally, after a few more minutes, the buck made its move to join the doe for an afternoon snack.
After the crack of the rifle, my son and I both shared tears as the crashing of a falling deer filled the woods. My 6-year-old son had just harvested his first deer – a 170-point 7-point with a 14-inch spread.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was submitted by Port Barre’s Blake Charles, who is known by the LouisianaSportsman.com alias BlakeC.