Smalltown Bucks

Thanks for the Memories

Thanks for the Memories

By Christina L. Krause

I got my first buck on Dec. 12, 2009, and I remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting in my treestand, waiting impatiently to see the woods wake up around me. A few groups of deer ran by in the distance, and I hoped they would go by my husband, Mike, and my daughter, Michaela. After that, it was pretty slow. By 8:35 I started to get a lit... READ MORE

Whose Best Day?

Whose Best Day?

By Marti Young

The only division in this family is when debating who had the best time. While every day spent hunting is a good day, some are better than others. For James Whetzel Sr. and 11-year-old Starr Young, their best day ever started at 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 30, 2017. The adventure started with a softly whispered “Wake up, Starr. It’s almost time ... READ MORE

First of Many

First of Many

By Lyndsey Wesner

I’ve had a lot of firsts in the past eight months, so after I caught my first 20-pound king salmon, shot my first 8-point buck with a bow, took my first doe with a bow, and my first doe with a muzzleloader, naturally I expressed desire to shoot my first turkey. My husband Rick said, “It's not easy. They have keen eyesight, and the slig... READ MORE

Two Sons, Two Bucks

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

Who Needs Fishing?

Who Needs Fishing?

By Quintin Sullivan

Let me preface this story by saying that my son Joseph is one of the best kids on the planet. Sure, I’m biased, but the kid has some amazing accomplishments under his belt, and he’s not even 13 yet. Joseph is an avid fisherman who ties his own flies (and sells them under the name Joe Hunter), and in 2013 alone caught a 7-pound largemout... READ MORE

His and Hers

His and Hers

By Stacy Vaccaro

Food plot stand exceeds expectations and maybe saves a relationship. One beautiful, sunny afternoon in October 2018 in Coloma, Wisc., I made the decision to sneak out of work a little early for some stand time. My boyfriend, Wally, and I had worked hard on a nice food plot that produced daytime pictures of several decent bucks. No sooner had I deci... READ MORE

Proud To Be a Cat Person

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

From Sinkhole to Cloud Nine

From Sinkhole to Cloud Nine

By Mat Ritchison

On a cold and frosty Sunday morning, Nov. 3, 2013, I decided to hunt one of my favorite stands about 40 yards from the edge of a half-picked, Indiana cornfield. I was aloft 20 minutes before dawn. Shortly after daybreak, I decided to start things off with an aggressive rattling sequence – to paint the deer a picture. I grunted three times, p... READ MORE

Worth the Wait

Worth the Wait

By John Mitchell

It took a few years, but when Micah got his first deer, it was a good one. I started taking Micah to the dove lease when he was 7, and he started deer hunting with me when he was 9. Micah has developed a love for hunting and being in the woods. Even so, it felt like he would never get his first deer. It seemed like no matter what, something always ... READ MORE

The Bow Stalk

The Bow Stalk

By Taylor Maas

Never-quit attitude helps Iowa bowhunter recover his biggest-ever buck. October 11, 2017 started similar to most other fall workdays. After getting to the office that morning, I checked the weather throughout the day, trying to decide if and where I should hunt that evening. The wind that evening allowed me to hunt from a stand I had never tried be... READ MORE

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