3 years ago my 12 year old son took his first deer with a shotgun. The excitement was incredible for both of us and I was glad to have him with me no matter what equipment he used.
Last year he fought "target panic" so bad he decided to shoot a compound instinctively throughout the hunting season. He was fortunate to take an incredible buck not far from our home in PA.
Determined to beat target panic and shoot a traditional bow he switched to left handed. He practiced proper form over and over careful not to over shoot or develop any bad habits....(we've all been there)
He also made a promise that the next deer he would shoot would be with his McCullough longbow. Determined right up until the last week of the season all he would carry to the woods was his longbow.
Well...patience, practice and determination paid off this weekend. He made a beautiful 12 yard shot on a doe as she snuck past his stand tucked into an evergreen 6 foot off the ground. She made the whole event more interesting by dying in the river, fortunately it was low tide.
For those of you who know my son, know he is a first class young man and that I'm very blessed. If he is the future of bowhunting along with those "Baker Boys" we are in good hands!
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/MDDoe.jpg) (http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f281/Wyoming1/MD2Doe.jpg)
Great story and great pics!
Way to go!! :thumbsup:
Thanks for sharing and supporting his hard work.
That's really something. Congratulations to both of you!
Tim, That's just awesome!!! He's sure grown up.I hope to experience that some day with my kids.You should be real proud Tim!!
You two should try to make the bunny hunt.It'll be worth the drive bud!!
Congrats to both :notworthy: :notworthy:
Congratulations to both of you. To have a lifetime hunting partner is one of the best things that can happen to a Dad.
Tim congrats to your son, thats awesome..it shows what kind of young man he is and he has a good role model to to look up to...CONGRATS to both of you, cant wait to do that with my son one day
Tim~ tell your son congrats for me! Way to go! nothing like sharing the hunt with your son!
YEEHA!
yahoooooo! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :D
Good determination and nice job on the Doe....
Last year when Tim. Jr. took his buck, I posted his pick on my web site (Gallery, Pg10) because I thought it was a great pic and I was impressed with his making the hard decision that, while he wanted to hunt trad, he felt he wasn't quite ready. I also told him (through his Dad) he'd done right and that I felt, with his determination, he would be ready this year. I have been waiting for this thread all season and was afraid it was too late. I am so happy for you, Tim. Ya done good - and "growed a rod". Thanks for posting the story and pics, Tim Sr.
That is awesome. Congrats!!!
You sir, are a very blessed man!!!
Brent
You two just make me smile... that boy is sure growing up! Sorta scary to see two carbon copies and knowing what about to be unleashed on the world soon! Gads that boy looks like you!
Congratulations, Bud! Not mostly on the kill, but like before..on the choices made. You and mamma done good with them kids.
Only thing would've made them pics/story better was some retrieval in underdrawers like Biggie had on his avatar back a spell! :bigsmyl:
Hope to hook up at a shoot hereabouts! You guys rock!
Congrats to the both of you. Tim, your son had a hard act to follow up on last year, but he proved to be up to the task! Determination and perserverance like that does'nt come easily to many adults, let alone a youngster...you can be proud for sure! There's no doubt that young Tim has embraced the challenges of hunting "the hard way", and enjoys the real rewards of his efforts. You have one fine partner there!
Dandy , story Tim the smiles tell it all, especialy on Dad! LOL...great father and son...hope many more...God Bless..Marco#78
the picture alone says a thousand words congrats and thanks for sharing.
Thanks guys, my son will enjoy reading all your comments.
Bernie...he sure did push it right up until the wire. Although he wanted to take a deer real bad he still passed up several marginal shots waiting for the right one. Again his patience paid off. Thanks again for posting him on your web page last year! Gene and Barry Wensel also put him on their site...you guys sure know how to make a kid feel special!
Doc...we'll see you in NJ or Baltimore, we plan on attending both this spring. Sorry I couldn't get you out to hunt this year. We lost a property and the other one turned over the corn and planted winter wheat. Haven't seen a deer in the field since. Every deer is across the street and I don't have permission there.(all 40 plus of them)!!!
Everyone...thanks again!
Tim, you are a most fortunate man. This country needs many more just like your boy. There may still be hope!
I bet he will have that smile for a looooong time to come lol. Congrats to both but especially to your son. Not many young people or for that matter any age would be that determined and stick with their decisson to master that LB as your son has done and quite well. Good for him. Alan
That is what it is all about, seeing a proud boy (and Dad) with a good looking deer.
Congrats!
Tim, it was my pleasure and fit in good with the "premise" of my site - "Hunters Are People Too" - also I get/got the pleasure this year of adding the latest, traditional chapter. (Oh, also I enhanced the photo a little and they show your happy faces a little better I think.) Check it out:
Bernie Dunn\\'s Home Page, Gallery, Pg11 Last Row (http://residents.bowhunting.net/bsdunn/bernie26h.htm)
The future of our sport is lookin' just a little BRIGHTER because of scenes and stories like this!! :) Congrats to you both!!
That is absoulutely awesome!! Both of you should be very proud, it's obvious that Tim Jr. has had great parenting along the way. :thumbsup:
David
That's an awesome story,congradulations to both of you.
Great story.
I live in PA as well. My son is 11 and we are studying for the safety test.
Where is PA are you hunting where the deer ran into a tidal area?
Excellent story and great pictures! :thumbsup:
By the way, what river did that doe go swimming in?
Hi Joe,
The doe was taken this Friday on an Audobon property outside of St Michael's Maryland. I have a great permission with quite a few deer to enhance the odds. We live just south of Lancaster PA. I still remember my wife and son going to the hunter safety course back when Tim was 11, it seems like yesterday. Last year he an opportunity to attend Bowhunters Education which is also a great program for young hunters. Good luck, I'm sure you'll be right behind us building fantastic memories in the field! Tim
Hey Tim, these guys look familiar?
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b99/mule157/timsfirsthunt2.jpg)
That's outstanding :wavey: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: ...Van
Very cool!! Congrats!
Congratulations to BOTH of you!! Ain't it great to be proud! Thanks for sharing. :D
Man somehow missed this thread and am so glad I didn't. Congrats young Tim (and old Tim too!)
Tim that is so awesome. Look how much your son has grown between that first deer kill and the third one. They grow up so fast.
I look at pics of my son shooting when he was 2 1/2 and then looked at him (now 27)when we were out shooting yesterday as he is practicing for an out of state hunt in a few weeks..his first withhout me, and realized how incredibly fast the time has flown.
Yes, we are evidently in good hands.
To quote yourself,"Blessed" :thumbsup:
Hey Mike...yeah I remember that photo, back when I could still whoop him. A few years 5 inches and 45lbs later I've had to resort to jumping him in his sleep to get the best of him!
Cathy and I put your order in yesterday, thanks for the business.
Mickey...my son put together a power point presentation on the computer of all of our hunts and shoots with music in the background. I'll be honest, I can't get through it without coming a part, big time. They grow so fast and the seasons seem to get shorter.
By the way, the deer was taken off just outside of St. Michaels Maryland and the waterway is a cove off the Chesapeake Bay.
Tim Jr. used a 50lb McCullough longbow with a 1916 and a 125 gr. Magnus broadhead.
He hit the deer a bit high going through the right lung(1" from the top of the lung) and out the left lung, maybe 3" down from the top. Unfortunately the shot only collapsed one lung making for around a 300 yard recovery. The doe was determined to swim back to the woods she came from, kind of a big loop. A good hour of stressful tracking and a good lesson for us both to never give up on the trail!
Congrats to both Golders...fine accomplishment!
Tim , Still have both the bows I bought from you a couple of years ago. Just keep passing them down and so far no one has turned down the offer. Congrats to you and your son...GOOD STUFF!!!!!! Me and my tribe are just getting there in age and maturity so I hope to have many success stories in the next few years for ya'll!!!!
Congratulations!!
Nice! :)