I was sitting in my office yesterday afternoon speaking with my boss when the telephone rang.
My wife's first words rang with foreboding, "Your son has something he wants to tell you."
"Why's he always only 'my son' at times like these?", I quipped.
"You'll see.", is all she said.
I could hear his heavy breathing as soon as the phone was near. Not good, I surmised.
And then the verbal onslaught, "Daddy, daddy, I was in the yard and I had my bow and (I'm thinking, Oh-no) I snuck up and shot (cripes, this is not gonna be good) a bulltoadfrog!"
"A what?"
Mom, in the background, "You shot a toad."
"Yeah, Daddy, I shot a toad. I hit him good; right in the neck. He didn't move at all."
My boss, overhearing the conversation, just smiles, shakes his head, and says, "that's too funny."
I, on the other hand, began to swell with pride and almost got misty eyed (I said almost). My wife was even good enough to record some field and hero shots for posterity.
Check out that shot placement!
(http://i643.photobucket.com/albums/uu158/Stephen_M_Lathrop/firstkill002.jpg)
(http://i643.photobucket.com/albums/uu158/Stephen_M_Lathrop/firstkill005.jpg)
:clapper: :clapper:
Gotta love it!!!!
That is awesome. Got to love it.
This made me smile. :thumbsup:
Thats awesome!
:bigsmyl:
"What's the point in being ignorant if you don't show i!" That's what I did with my original post but now it's fixed!
Awesome! Tell your son he has a wonderful journey to look forward to in the future and I hope he shares it with us.
God bless,Mudd
Great, little guy will be hooked now!
Yep, he's got that killer look... :archer:
Thanks for the laughs...I could only imagine him talking so fast he could hardly get it out!
Thanks for the kind words! While I don't encourage him to shoot any and everything I couldn't help but be proud of his accomplishment.
Dusty
:thumbsup:
Stone Cold Killer there. He is hooked now. Lots of hunting in his future.
Great smile. First step on a lifelong adventure hopefully.
That is too cool. Awesome stuff.
Outstanding!
:clapper:
Good job. You got to love that.
That is awesome! You just can't get a better phone call.
Thats super cool!! :archer2: :archer2:
Awesome job!
Cool stuff!!!
:clapper: Awwww that brings back some good memories from when my boys were little!
Gonna get it mounted?
Great story!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Love the story and thank your wife for taking the great photos-imagine that one tucked in with some 20 years from now. Great memories :thumbsup:
Jeremy
Nice shooting- that's a little target. Nice looking bow he's got too. The smile tells it all- he couldn't be prouder if he shot a 10 pointer!!
thanks for sharing - good memories. Good the Mrs got pic for the scrapbook too.
sam
That is awesome!! :clapper:
ya just gotta love it! He'll be hooked now, I know I was after my first kill. :archer:
That's something you'll both always remember. Way cool!
:clapper: He's a hunter for sure bud, I'd be proud of him too although my Grandfather would have made me clean & eat my kill "but that's a little much for a 4 year old" Congrats.
AWESOME!
Thanks guys! Tonight I'm going to read him some of what you guys have wrote for extra encouragement! Guaranteed to make his night.
To those of you who commented on him hitting the small target, I'll try to post a video of him shooting the moving target I've rigged up. Some of my buddies are almost too embarassed to show up and shoot anymore!
Kid's a natural...wish I could say he got it from me. Unfortunately, after watching his Mom start shooting my longbow, I know exactly where he got it from.
I just told my wife about your lil one & she said that that could be Katherine my 3 year old in a few years.
That is the coolest thing I've seen all day! Thanks for sharing!
great hsot. it good to get them started early and he'll prolly nvr for get his first kill... a bulltoad frog. andcmon mudd... its just a toad and hes only 4... :biglaugh:
He is showing all the instincts of a true hunter.
Please keep us posted of his growth as an archer.
God bless,Mudd
edited for the good of all by me.
Mudd,
Your apology is unneccessary, but I appreciate the gesture. You expressed your opinion respectfully and I can understand your point.
Kind regards.
he'l be keepin your frezzer full of sqirrels before you know it.. thats a hunter there!! :thumbsup:
Walker got a real kick out of hearing what some of you have written. Thanks guys!
I've taken him to two 3d shoots this year. The morning of the first he woke up ready to "hop to it" (couldn't help myself) at 5:15a.m., even though we didn't have to leave until 7! These shoots are the highlights of his week.
Which brings up a question; would it be an issue if I brought him with me to shoot at Cloverdale? I don't have the heart to bring him along and not allow him to shoot the course.
There are lots of shooting oportunities for the kids at Cloverdale. They have sevral age classes and closer stakes on the main course. Looks like he could win his division to me!
Someone mentioned it made them :thumbsup:
Byron Ferguson, Look out. :jumper:
Nice!
i'm more with mudd than with the rest of you.
if my boy were to kill ANY non-game non-pest animal he would lose his bow (or gun) for quite some time. all life deserves our respect.
we have taught him that we kill to eat, to clothe ourselves, or in defense of life or property.
just sayin'
Can't and shouldn't blame him for killing that Toad. At his age he is acting on instinct. Instinct comes naturally, ethics will form over time. Congrats to your sons success and I hope for it to continue.
FANTASTIC !!!!!!
:bigsmyl:
Wow, those photos are destined to be treasures if he grows up to be a hunter. That's excellent.
QuoteOriginally posted by Wildschwein:
Can't and shouldn't blame him for killing that Toad. At his age he is acting on instinct. Instinct comes naturally, ethics will form over time. Congrats to your sons success and I hope for it to continue.
"Ditto" what Wildschwein said !
God bless,Mudd
:jumper: :jumper: :jumper: :jumper: :jumper: :jumper: :jumper:
:archer: :archer: Made my day, Thank you.
Wildschwein very astute observation!
QuoteOriginally posted by homerdave:
i'm more with mudd than with the rest of you.
if my boy were to kill ANY non-game non-pest animal he would lose his bow (or gun) for quite some time. all life deserves our respect.
we have taught him that we kill to eat, to clothe ourselves, or in defense of life or property.
just sayin'
To each their own. I, however, do not subscribe wholeheartedly to the "eat what you kill" mentality. When's the last time someone here ate a coyote?
I want to foster his instincts, not contradict or conflict them. I will do my best to mold him into a morally responsible adult, hopefully leading mostly by example, whether he chooses to hunt or not. But I will not reprimand him for something as benign as killing a toad.
Dusty
Natural born hunter,love the photo's.
Dusty that is awesome what your lil man did the story made me laugh and then brought tears to my eyes remembering when my son was lil got his 1st kill on a chipmunk! LOL we even salted that lil hide and he kept it on his dresser when he was younger. cant wait till my grandson is old enough he is only 1 year and 4months now. CONGRATS lil man your an awesome shot!! and to some of you other guys with comments they should have just been left unsaid he is 4years old and dont need his moment taken from him!!
That is awesome. Great story telling too. I could relate!
Made my day..
Too cool Dusty, I know you're proud!
Way cool Dusty.
Great story, you should certainly be proud of your son.
That pic would be my screen saver, thats too cool!
Awesome!
chris <><
QuoteOriginally posted by bmfer:
That pic would be my screen saver, thats too cool!
Not me...it's my wallpaper!
Walk-man and I hit up one of our local 3D shoots early this morning. The little guy struggled with his shooting and had me carry him a lot more than normal. I thought maybe he was just tired but as the day progressed he came down with a fever and became very lethargic. I HATE when children are sick; the feeling of helplessness is overwhelming.
Dusty
Dusty that is Awesome! Congrats to the little guy. Hope he gets feeling better. I hate it when my kids get sick too.
lookout the treehuggers will be picketting his school now !!! great job for the little man. hold on a second i hug trees (when im hunting) nevermind. :knothead:
AWESOME! My sons not quite a year old and I can't wait till he's ready.
That's good stuff!!
It's a FROG and at least he killed it with a bow unlike a lot of stuff kids will do. Greenhead you don't belong in a hunting thread.
That makes me laugh----my son at that age would have cought it and squeezed it to death on accident. He made a good shot.
QuoteOriginally posted by mrgreenhead:
At 4 years old and he thinks about killing what going to be next what is wrong with the world today. Its great that he shoots a bow but out killing at 4 that is wrong hope you cooked it and enjoyed the meal of his first kill with him .
What is wrong with the world today? After reading this comment, on a hunting oriented forum no less, I wonder also;
what is wrong with the world today???As many others have stated, he is only 4 years old for gosh sakes. He is not thinking about killing, he is only acting upon instincts. The same instinct that is slowly dying in the youth of today. The same instinct that NEEDS the freedom to be carried out so that our passion (hunting) can continue to live on. I am suprised that I have to spell this out to someone on Trad Gang of all places.
its over he's addicted! :clapper:
Love it! :thumbsup:
How do you skin a toad? This is a great story! I bet your son is hooked for life!
Now that is something that daddy will never forget. The boy is hooked for life and thats a good thing. Congratulations in advance for all the good times you are going to share with your son. You are truly blessed. :clapper:
QuoteOriginally posted by mrgreenhead:
Raider ranch I dont belong in a hunting thread you better think again those who know me im no BS i got more kills under my belt then most folks. Iam a trapper from the adk mountains and eat plenty of muskrats and beaver every year amongst other thing that You probably wouldnt even know was edible. If you feel froggy come stay with me for a week in the bush and then tell me i dont belong in a hunting thread. Ill send you back to the south with your tail between your legs.
Do you eat toads too? :rolleyes:
awesome story. My little guys (6 and 4) are always looking for something to skewer.
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
QuoteOriginally posted by mrgreenhead:
no toads are our freinds and eat many insect that can transmit disease as lyme disease and mylaria from mosquitoes there for if i can make use of one of earths many fine creatures i dont kill them .
I'll bet you've killed many toads just mowing the yard. And hundreds with your car.
I don't purposely kill toads either, but kids act out of instinct. I killed lots of creatures as a child, that I now go out of my way to protect. I'm sure the 4 year old boy that kills a toad today, will be a responsible hunter and conservationist one day.
Thumbs up, Mr. Chuck Jones!
This thread has taken a wrong turn and I know I've done my part, so let's get back to our regularly scheduled programming.
greenhead your a joke. WOW youve killed a muskrat, dont they sale those at pet stores.
Please show some restraint and join a father in showing pride in his son.
His pride in his son is understandable and I admire him for it.
That is the only thing this post is supposed to be about.
Thanks in advance!
God bless, Mudd
Folks this is Tradgang...not one of them other sites. Come on and let's just talk about trad archery and keep the personal stuff to ourselves. Remember who we are :campfire:
If your wife is like mine, she might not take the pic for me but would not disappoint one of her children no matter how gross it was to her. Congrats on your new hunter.
Toad legs ain't bad eating!
QuoteOriginally posted by IndianaBowman:
Toad legs ain't bad eating!
I avoid anything that make my dogs gag. :D
I say good for the little one and his family. Dad will do the right thing to help him learn as he grows.
doug77
QuoteOriginally posted by Dusty Nethery:
I avoid anything that make my dogs gag. :D
I think these are words to live by. Can I use it as a tag line sometime?
Originally posted by Dusty Nethery:
I avoid anything that make my dogs gag.
That may become a classic. Hope you don't mind if I quote you on that.
Doesn't bother me one bit guys...I'm glad someone got a kick out of it.
Dusty