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Ghosts of Christmas Past
By Burnell Simmons
Far too many of us take hunting and Christmases for granted.
Thirteen years — that’s how long it’s been since I fell 25 feet from my treestand. I survived the fall and the hospital stay and made it home for that Christmas in 2001.
It happened at 8:20 a.m. on Dec. 16. I had to walk home from the swamp I was hunting because I had ... READ MORE
Hunter Does Papa’s .30-30 Proud
By Penny Robertson
My husband, our two sons Hunter and Seth and I moved from Tennessee to Moneta, Virginia, in May of 2013. We’d been looking forward to the chance to go hunting together as a family all year long, so we decided not to travel back to Tennessee for Thanksgiving. Hunter, our 13-year-old son, had been bowhunting earlier in the season on our ne... READ MORE
Cow Mountain’s First-Timers
By Bill Hanson
A first deer is a memory of a lifetime for more than the young hunter. As first appeared in The Community Voice of Sonoma County, California. From the highway the north end of Cow Mountain is the only green zone east of the 101, save the flat lands of the Ukiah Valley. The recent Mendocino Complex Fires which includes Hopland’s ‘River F... READ MORE
Thanks, Grandpa
By Julie Loy
Borrowed stand produces first buck for young hunter. Nate, 7 years old, went out this crisp Missouri morning for his first youth deer hunt. He had been practicing at targets and had sat with mom and dad during previous seasons, so he was ready! After calling Great Grandpa Charlie to ask permission, he decided to hunt his stand. Nate and his dad, Da... READ MORE
Proud To Be a Cat Person
By Stephen McGrew
Who decided that only dogs could be man’s best friend?
I received a call from my uncle the previous Sunday inviting me to bow hunt with my cousins behind their house on Tuesday. I jumped at the opportunity since that meant I wouldn’t have to get up as early as I would if I were going to our lease in Coweta County.
Tuesday came and I a... READ MORE
Oh, Brother!
By Todd Davis
Last year my youngest brother Fred kept harvesting critters in northeast Oklahoma, while I struggled to see anything in drought stricken north Texas.
North Texas looked, smelled, and felt like being on the moon. Everything was brittle, dried up and turning to dust. After ribbing me for months, Fred finally extended an invitation to hunt with him t... READ MORE
All in the Family
By Jessica Jenderny
I’ve been hunting with my dad, Eric Jenderny, since I was old enough to walk.
He taught me what his dad taught him about hunting. His best friend Bruce Rogers also taught me a lot about hunting, so what I’ve learned about deer and hunting, I owe to them.
Now that I’m 16, I’ve become a mighty hunter like my mentors.
The we... READ MORE
The 165-Inch Spike
By Tony Crowder
Every time my daughter Alexis and I had been out hunting, she was determined that would be the time she would get a deer. She’d put in the work, helped build a box blind, and she’d been out there every chance she had regardless of weather. She was ready and hungry for her first deer.
We’d planned to go hunting early Monday, Nov. ... READ MORE
Hey, This Actually Works!
By Michael Dickerson
There are some things in hunting you have to experience before you believe they’re true.
It was opening day of muzzleloader season in McNairy County, Tenn. The days had been getting colder, so I was hoping the rut was about to kick in. I had been scanning several areas for a place my set up my ladder stand and decided on a pine tree in front... READ MORE
Two Sons, Two Bucks
By Lyle Gilbert
After two days spent hunting with my kids and seeing their successes in the woods, my mind was replaying the moments we’d shared. It’s amazing to see kids’ faces light up with pride after their hunts, and it’s something I’ll never forget.
The first part of Alabama’s youth season in 2012 found me sitting in the s... READ MORE