There are few things in life that are cherished as much as seeing a child come of age. My youngest son, Karl, age 14, had grown into a young man seemingly overnight. He has become a very special friend and hunting partner.
Two years ago, Karl wanted to go bowhunting. We went to our local archery shop, and he tried to draw a bow set at 40 pounds, the minimum legal draw weight in Illinois. He tried hard, but couldn’t do it. He was very disappointed, but he wasn’t going to give up.
Last year came, and again we went to the local archery shop. This time when Karl tried pulling 40 pounds of draw weight, he could do it! We bought a bow and he started practicing every evening, and soon he was shooting tight groups at 15 yards. We both decided that this would be his limit at any shots on deer.
Our archery season opens every year on October 1, and we both couldn’t wait for that day to arrive. October 1 fell on a Saturday, and Karl had a football game that day. He wanted to go bowhunting and skip the game, but my wife and I
explained to him that he was part of a team and that they expected him to play. As luck would have it, Karl broke his left wrist while playing in that game, ending his bowhunting season for the year.
Believe it or not, less than 6 months prior, Karl had broken his left arm. He got his wrist-cast removed just before firearms season and sighted-in his slug gun, but had some difficulties because his left arm and wrist were still weak from being broken. Karl didn’t harvest a deer that year.
Before school was over, Karl fell and broke his left arm again—the third break within a year! The cast was removed in August, just in time to start shooting his bow. His left arm was still very weak, but he had a score to settle, and he was determined to go bowhunting this year.
As the weeks passed, Karl got better and stronger. By early September, Karl said he had an idea about where to put a new stand on our hunting land. We built a ladder stand, and soon had it up and securely in place. It was set up 10 yards from a corn field and 10 yards from an old logging road; all Karl needed was a south wind.
He got to hunt the new stand on the opening day of the season and passed shot opportunities on a few does. The corn was still standing, but that would soon change.
On the morning of October 15, the wind was out of the southeast, and Karl couldn’t wait to get to his stand. As soon as it was light, he saw several deer feeding in the harvested corn field.
Soon, a spike buck started making his way toward Karl. As the young buck walked broadside, Karl aimed for the chest and released the arrow. The arrow went low, just under the front legs of the deer. Karl sat in silence.
He was mentally punishing himself for missing the shot when his attention was drawn back to the corn field, where more deer were coming out to feed. He saw 14 different deer come and go, all stopping to browse in the harvested corn.
At 8:20 a.m., Karl spotted a buck enter the corn field, and slowly walk his direction. When it got to the same place that the smaller buck has stood earlier, he stopped for a second, and Karl released an arrow.
The deer turned and ran back out into the corn field, and expired 40 yards from Karl’s stand. Raising his arms in victory, Karl hurried down the ladder to look at his buck.
He gathered his gear and walked back to the clubhouse. As my wife, Patty, and I walked up to the clubhouse, Karl was waiting outside and wore a huge grin on his face.
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to see a big buck. But when Patty and I laid eyes on the deer, we were awestruck.
This was Karl’s first bow harvest … and first buck. Patty and I were so happy for Karl. After all his hardships and problems, he kept a positive attitude. This was definitely a hard-earned buck.
There are few things in life that are cherished as much as seeing a child come of age. My youngest son, Karl, age 14, had grown into a young man seemingly overnight. He has become a very special friend and hunting partner.
Two years ago, Karl wanted to go bowhunting. We went to our local archery shop, and he tried to draw a bow set at 40 pounds, the minimum legal draw weight in Illinois. He tried hard, but couldn’t do it. He was very disappointed, but he wasn’t going to give up.
Last year came, and again we went to the local archery shop. This time when Karl tried pulling 40 pounds of draw weight, he could do it! We bought a bow and he started practicing every evening, and soon he was shooting tight groups at 15 yards. We both decided that this would be his limit at any shots on deer.
Our archery season opens every year on October 1, and we both couldn’t wait for that day to arrive. October 1 fell on a Saturday, and Karl had a football game that day. He wanted to go bowhunting and skip the game, but my wife and I
explained to him that he was part of a team and that they expected him to play. As luck would have it, Karl broke his left wrist while playing in that game, ending his bowhunting season for the year.
Believe it or not, less than 6 months prior, Karl had broken his left arm. He got his wrist-cast removed just before firearms season and sighted-in his slug gun, but had some difficulties because his left arm and wrist were still weak from being broken. Karl didn’t harvest a deer that year.
Before school was over, Karl fell and broke his left arm again—the third break within a year! The cast was removed in August, just in time to start shooting his bow. His left arm was still very weak, but he had a score to settle, and he was determined to go bowhunting this year.
As the weeks passed, Karl got better and stronger. By early September, Karl said he had an idea about where to put a new stand on our hunting land. We built a ladder stand, and soon had it up and securely in place. It was set up 10 yards from a corn field and 10 yards from an old logging road; all Karl needed was a south wind.
He got to hunt the new stand on the opening day of the season and passed shot opportunities on a few does. The corn was still standing, but that would soon change.
On the morning of October 15, the wind was out of the southeast, and Karl couldn’t wait to get to his stand. As soon as it was light, he saw several deer feeding in the harvested corn field.
Soon, a spike buck started making his way toward Karl. As the young buck walked broadside, Karl aimed for the chest and released the arrow. The arrow went low, just under the front legs of the deer. Karl sat in silence.
He was mentally punishing himself for missing the shot when his attention was drawn back to the corn field, where more deer were coming out to feed. He saw 14 different deer come and go, all stopping to browse in the harvested corn.
At 8:20 a.m., Karl spotted a buck enter the corn field, and slowly walk his direction. When it got to the same place that the smaller buck has stood earlier, he stopped for a second, and Karl released an arrow.
The deer turned and ran back out into the corn field, and expired 40 yards from Karl’s stand. Raising his arms in victory, Karl hurried down the ladder to look at his buck.
He gathered his gear and walked back to the clubhouse. As my wife, Patty, and I walked up to the clubhouse, Karl was waiting outside and wore a huge grin on his face.
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to see a big buck. But when Patty and I laid eyes on the deer, we were awestruck.
This was Karl’s first bow harvest … and first buck. Patty and I were so happy for Karl. After all his hardships and problems, he kept a positive attitude. This was definitely a hard-earned buck.