#5 for my son

Jerry Russell · November 25, 2013, 12:26:00 PM

What a great weekend hunting with my son. It has been a season with almost no equal for me on our trad only club but Luke has had a lean year because of very, very little hunting time due to a crazy football season. He missed a good buck a week ago and this weekend with our rut totally over, I was simply hoping for a doe for him. Boy, did we get more action than we expected.

I had a great buck on camera numerous times working a ridge and we knew to have any hope of getting him the shot would come right at dark as he exited his security cover. I have to back up just a bit and say that Luke just turned 16 and has really come of age as a bowhunter. From hanging his own stands to making all of the decisions on where to hunt etc. On this hunt he even drove to the stand area (he just turned 16) and positioned a camera stand for his friend to watch and film the hunt.
With just a minute or two of shooting light left, Luke looked down and saw the giant 10 point at five yards through the thick branches of a beech tree. The buck never exposed his kill zone and stood there for ten minutes until it was simply just too dark for an ethical shot. I was quite proud of Luke passing on that shot as he told the exciting story. Here is the buck on a different day.

The next morning was cold and windy and Luke was on a high ridge where we have seen a cool looking non-typical on a couple of occasions. The buck slipped in on Luke and got behind some brush before turning and walking directly away again offer no quality shot. Here is the buck we call Mufasa. His rack is dwarfed by his enormous body.

Returning to the original stand, Luke had two does come in and offer a tough shot through heavy cover. I will let the video tell the story from here.

This is his 5th whitetail in two seasons with his recurve. He has also taken a bear and a few hogs in that time. The numbers are really nice but watching him mature into a young man with strong hunting ethics is really what makes me the most proud.

Those boys had a fantastic time and I enjoyed being there along for the show.

A footnote to this video... Luke's cameraman Austin is 16 and this was his first ever deer hunt. His excitement ERUPTS after the shot, He was simply overwhelmed by the moment. He has been on two adventures with us and the first one was a fishing trip where Luke landed a 10' hammerhead shark on light tackle. That boy is going to be thinking it is always like this outdoors, lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfIBsafA8AY&feature=player_detailpage&list=UUdL0nqTUdEPx4HWQEmjDvFQ

John146 · November 25, 2013, 01:04:00 PM

That is absolutely awesome!!!! Tell Luke congrats and his buddy did excellent camera work for the first time!!

November 25, 2013, 01:47:00 PM

Awesome!

Congrats to your son. Have you got Austin shooting yet?

Bisch

Jerry Russell · November 25, 2013, 01:59:00 PM

He picked up Luke's bow this weekend and did pretty well with it. I am going to try and round him up a bow and get him a hog this spring. You can see that desire to hunt in his eyes but he just doesn't have the family situation to make it happen.
Luke will take care of the lessons and will be a great mentor to him.

elkken · November 25, 2013, 02:16:00 PM

That's pretty darn exciting .... congrats to the young hunter and the young cameraman in the making.

Blueridge · November 25, 2013, 02:27:00 PM

Good one Jerry, wish I could have been there.
Congrats Luke!!

Fritz · November 25, 2013, 02:35:00 PM

That's cool! Maybe they will stay at it together and film some hunting shows worth watching!!!

Jayrod · November 25, 2013, 03:09:00 PM

Great job!!

IndianaBowman · November 25, 2013, 03:40:00 PM

Very good video editing. Congratulations to your son.

RLA · November 25, 2013, 03:50:00 PM

Good for them, those are the kind of memories that last forever! Congrats to your Son.

Pat B. · November 25, 2013, 03:52:00 PM

That is really cool !!!

congrats !

T Folts · November 25, 2013, 03:57:00 PM

That was great thanks for letting us see the video, congrats.

Jerry Russell · November 25, 2013, 04:23:00 PM

I do have to add that I had absolutely NOTHING to do with this kill. I mean had I not been there those boys would have gotten it done. My son has really been hunting alone for the last two years but I would suggest stands, pick the right tree or do something to assist. Heck, on this hunt I never even touched the deer. They returned to camp and did all the skinning and boning while I cooked dinner. I just stood back by the fire cooking and listening to them relive the hunt. If it makes any sense. I was flooded with pride and had a little bit of sadness at the same time. I guess we all want or children to need us forever but he has more hunting experience than most grown men and it shows when I watch him scout and hunt now.

Oh well, I guess I will just suck it up, get over my pending empty nest feeling and let him start hanging all my stands for me, lol.

For those that may have missed them, here are a couple of his hunts from last year which was his first tradbow year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLu7nmjittI&feature=player_detailpage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=WtSNPp498o4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwRMRwBRWig&feature=player_detailpage

glenbo · November 25, 2013, 04:31:00 PM

That is awesome Jerry.You are truly blessed to have such a fine young man as a son. Congratulations Luke.

azhunter · November 25, 2013, 08:35:00 PM

That's just awesome.

kennym · November 25, 2013, 08:57:00 PM

Excellent young men, Jerry!! Tell em congrats!!

What weight and draw does Austin have? I may have one, won't be fancy, but something to shoot with!

Jerry Russell · November 26, 2013, 07:04:00 PM

Thanks to everyone that offered the new cameraman and new hunter Austin, some archery equipment. You fellows are just to much. Every time I get around you folks I am reminded of why I try to expose my son to traditional archers every time I get the chance. You are all a special breed.
I mentioned getting Austin set up with gear to my son and he told me that Austin said "I want to shoot the same kind of bow as you" (Luke).

Thanks to Glenbo for the bow and I will make him up some arrows. I will have the boy at some trad shoot down here in Georgia this spring and summer and I will have him bowfishing very soon as well.

This is a great time to think about the impact and ripple effect that getting a child involved in our sport can have and I am not just talking about your own child. Heck, getting your own child is awesome but they are just a replacement for you in the sport one day. I am talking about reaching out to other children in some other manner. It is the future of our sport and the future of our youth.

Thanks everyone.

mwosborn · November 26, 2013, 07:50:00 PM

Very nice - thanks for sharing!

Robert Armstrong · February 04, 2014, 10:33:00 AM

I havent found anything better than getting my nephews started shoting. I never have sold a bow. Just hang them on the wall in the garage till I find someone that they fit. Just as fullfilling as taking game.