Smalltown Bucks

Uncle James

Uncle James

By James Nugent

My oldest niece Briley, an eager 8-year old, had begged to go hunting with me for several years. After weeks of discussion and planning, the time finally arrived for her first trip. Still not comfortable enough with a rifle to hunt, she was excited to watch and learn all she could. Briley is no stranger to the outdoors; she won first place in the ... READ MORE

Congratulations, Dad!

Congratulations, Dad!

By Aaron Rippstein

Sometimes the best bucks are the ones taken by the people we love. I wanted to share this buck taken by my dad, Rob, on Nov. 4, 2017 in Highland County, Ohio. Growing up in southern California didn’t offer many opportunities to go deer hunting, so when my family moved to Ohio in 1992, my father wanted to try something different. It didn&rsquo... READ MORE

Half a Buck Is Better Than None

Half a Buck Is Better Than None

By Michael Krause

Even deer hunters get by with a little help from their friends. For the past 30 years, I’ve been venturing back to my old stomping grounds in Deposit, N.Y., to hunt with my friends from high school. This past season resulted in a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It happened at about 3 p.m. on the second day of the New York season. It was cold... READ MORE

Blustery Day Buck

Blustery Day Buck

By Krissy Jean Zimmer

The day ended up awesomely, but it didn’t start out that way. On Friday, while at work in the dental office, I checked my weather channel app. It said, “30 mph winds — stay in bed today.” I laughed when I read that. Even my boss Dr. Rahn said, “I bet you won’t get up and go tomorrow.” I considered staying i... 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

Hunter Does Papa’s .30-30 Proud

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

Bowhunting with a Passion

Bowhunting with a Passion

By Kelly Colf

Since I was old enough to get out there, I’ve been hunting with my dad and brother. Years of hunting for rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, deer and coyotes have turned me into quite the addict. My parents raised me with the mindset that nothing was off limits because I was a girl, and if I worked hard enough, I would be successful. I attribute m... READ MORE

My First Deer

My First Deer

By Trentin Meyer

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&rsquo... READ MORE

Hard to Top

Hard to Top

By Josh Tieman

Maybe it's a good thing this young hunter doesn't realize just how big his buck is. Parker and I were on our first hunt together during opening day of Missouri's youth season. While I had high hopes we would see a few deer and maybe even a buck, I never dreamed what would happen next. Parker spotted a buck to our left on the ridge and heading awa... READ MORE

Right Place, Right Time

Right Place, Right Time

By James M. Chastain

It was September 2013, just before deer season in Wyandotte County, Kansas, when I set out deer minerals and my game cameras. When October arrived, I set up deer feeders. When I checked my cameras, I was pleased to discover there were a lot of deer using them. I was most interested in the 10-pointer that consistently appeared on camera. That buck ... READ MORE

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