Video games can’t provide life-changing experiences like a first youth hunt can.
It was Nov. 8, 2014, opening day of Vermont’s youth weekend. It was my first official youth weekend deer hunt. My dad and I decided to start our hunt in Wilmington and work our way toward Stamford.
When we got to Wilmington, I was excited and couldn’t wait to get into the woods. I thought, “If I got a deer, that would be a memory I would keep forever, and it would be awesome to get my first deer with my dad.”
When we got to the field where our spot was, we moved quickly but quietly through the tall grass. It was still dark, but we knew we had to get to our spot before the deer saw us moving.
We settled in at 6:45 a.m. A few minutes later, I saw something moving in the grass. When I took another look, I saw that it was a doe. Right behind the doe was a second one, and both were moving closer.
I said, “There are two does to the right of the field about 80 yards coming our way.”
”Are you pulling my chain?” Dad responded. “I don’t see them.”
“No, really, here they come,” I said.
He spotted them and told me to get ready and to let them get a little closer. Then Dad said, “Wait! There’s a buck coming down the path.”
I couldn’t see it at first, so I asked him where it was, and he pointed and said, “Right there, buddy.”
Then I saw it coming right toward me, taking its time as it made its way down the field.
It was the biggest buck I had ever seen up close. But who was I kidding? It was the biggest deer I’d ever seen, and it was walking right toward me!
It looked like an 8-pointer, but I wasn’t sure. The body was huge, and the deer looked so strong. Dad said it was probably trying to get close to the does.
Finally, Dad whispered, “Okay, buddy, get ready to shoot.”
The buck looked right at me, and I froze. I was so nervous. I was shaking like somebody who was out in the snow in their underwear. I had a perfect broadside shot and was praying I wouldn’t miss. I took a deep breath, pulled my gun up, looked through the scope and got that buck in my sight. “Bang!”
All of a sudden the buck reared up on his back legs and looked at me again. I saw steam coming out of his nose, and next thing I knew it was charging right at us.
Before I could even move the buck ran into the tree next to where we were standing. It flipped over, got back on its feet and ran off into the woods. Dad and I were in shock.
He said we needed to wait a few minutes before we went to track it.
We decided to walk to our car to call my mom and grandparents and let them know we were going to be tracking a buck. Everyone was so excited for me.
We stalked back out into the woods to find my deer. The whole time, I was hoping I made a good shot and that we would find it. We couldn’t find any blood at first, so we followed the trail the deer had taken.
Dad was worried since we didn’t see a blood trail, and he said, “I think we might have lost him, bud. I’m sorry.”
Just then I looked about 10 feet to the right and saw something. When it registered what it was, I screamed, “I got him! I got him! There he is! Look!”
Dad said, “Be quiet, bud, he might still be alive. Wait here while I make sure it’s safe.” A few minutes passed before he said, “Come on over and see your deer.”
When I got there I yelled, “WOO HOO! I got him!” My adrenaline was rushing, and it felt like my heart was in my throat. I was happy, excited and nervous. I was still shaking and couldn’t believe I actually got a buck. It was the best day of my life.
Dad had the biggest smile on his face and said, ”Congratulations, bud, you did a great job. I’m so happy for you.”
Next came the tricky part. Dad looked at me and asked, “Now how are we going to get this big guy out of here? We can’t go uphill with it, so we will just have to try to go through and over the rock wall.” And that’s just what we did.
Dad started to drag the buck and jokingly said, “Jeez, bud, why did you have to get such a big one?” We both laughed.
I said, “I guess I’m just a real lucky kid.”
We finally got him out of the woods and to the car, but we knew we needed help getting him up into the back of our car, so we called my uncle.
When he arrived a few minutes later, he said, “Wow, Trent, what a nice deer! Good job!”
My mom came by to look at it when she got out of work, and she couldn’t believe her eyes. She said, “Are you sure that’s not a cow? It’s huge and so beautiful.”
My first hunt is an experience that will stay with me forever. I will never forget this experience and am so glad I got my first deer with my dad. I still smile about it when I think about it. I can’t wait to go out next youth weekend!