I ended up in the woods today some 725 miles from my home in Texas. I started walking and things started to look familar like I had never left here some 25 years ago. I walked the edge of the empty corn field to the corner by the creek. I found a place to cross and made my way up a well used game trail that lead by a grown over pond. I looked around till I found what I was looking for. There it was alot bigger than it was in 1978. It was the tree I had shot my first deer out of. I remember that day. I was 13 and had a 50# bear recurve my father had given me for my birthday. He wasn't a hunter but he got it for me. He didn't think I would ever kill a deer with that bow. I hunted hard all thru oct with only seeing 5 deer. There weren't a lot of deer back then in the part of Illinois I grew up in. Then it happened in the second week of November. I had climbed that oak tree and was holding on for dear life when out of no where there she was coming under my tree. I made a perfect shot and she ran 40 yards and fell over. I didn't know what to do so I ran home and got my dad and he didn't believe I had killed a deer. We went out and there she laid. My dad was so proud of me for doing what I had set out to do. A bowhunter was born that day. I grew up and started a family and i moved to Texas. I didn't get to see my dad much over the years but we talked often. You see I buried my father today and that's how I ended up here in centrailia, Illinois settin under this oak tree thinkin about that day and how proud of me he was. Thank you dad for all the memories and the fire you set inside of me with that bow. I love you.

Feel free to share your first trad kill or your memories of your fathers.

Sorry for your loss, but what a wonderful tribute to your father!  If you haven't already, may I suggest you take a good photo of that tree to share with your family through the years.  Record this story for your children to give them a connection to their grandfather.

Sorry about your father. My first was in my 4th year hunting. My first shot at a deer. ILLinois also. A small buck. Head on. Hit him right where he would knot his tie. Took me 5 hrs. to find him and he only went about 30-40 yards.

I work with a guy from Orphan country-Mike Taylor-do you know him?

Hap

Sorry about you loss but what a great way to remember him.

I wish my dad was still alive too....

Jer

Beautiful reminiscing. Thoughts and prayers for you and yours.

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Ben

Sorry for you loss my brother. Thank you for the trip back in time. Great story!

God Bless you and your family.

I am deeply sorry for your loss, and my prayers are with you and your family.

Wow, that's an awesome story...may time and the good Lord heal your and your family's hearts.

Memories like that are powerful medicine for the ache in your heart right now.  And they guarantee that your Dad will always be with you.
Beautiful story, it touched me deeply.  Thank you for sharing with us.

Sorry to hear of your loss, but those memories are wonderful.
My Dad starting taking me to check his trapline when I was 18 months old. His friends thought he was crazy,but I loved it. To this day, I can look back and vividly remember most of our hunting and camping outings as if they just happened. My Dad is still with us, though his hunting has tapered way off at 80 years old.
When my kids were born, it was time to start the cycle over and at legal hunting age (12 in Montana), I was more excited for them to get an animal than I was for myself. Those proud moments you talk about are oh so real.
Thanks again for sharing and helping me remember.
My prayers are with you.

Sorry for your loss but Im pretty sure your dad will be right beside you in every tree you climb for the rest of your years.Thanks for sharing.

Thank you for sharing this touching story.  You are fortunate to have these memories of your dad. I am sorry for your loss.  
Be well,
Ron

Very sorry for your loss. My Father passed away almost 6 years ago and I still think of him every day.
Dad loved the outdoors and passed this on to each of his 4 children. Most of my favorite memories of him are times spent hunting, fishing, camping or horseback riding.
My brother and I often talk about the difference we say in Dad when we were outdoors, away from work and the trials of everyday life.
I find it interesting that as time goes on I find myself remembering the smaller, humerous, more detailed moments of time spent with him.
Prayers sent for you and yours.

I lost my father last November and I have fond memories of watching him shoot his Bear recurve off the back porch! Those memories brought a tear to my eye! Prayers sent 2 your family!

sorry about your loss, brought back a lot od memories about my dad also. My prayers are with you.

Keep the memories strong of your dad. Keep the chin up and face to the wind. I know my dad is still the person I prefer to hunt with any time I can.

Thank you for sharing.  Choked me up,  Great memories.  Sorry for your loss.

A very touching tribute to your father's memory.
 Thanks for sharing that story, and sorry for your loss.

A very wonderful story, I am sorry for your loss.