This was last season, but I thought you'd all enjoy anyways.

I took the wife and kids to my friend's ranch in south texas for opening day last year. 8 yr old daughter and 2 year old son. They spent the first 2 days laying around at the indoor pool and walking some trails. meanwhile I was skunked out in the field. Saw a couple of spikes and a few does, but nothing I wanted to take.

On the third day my daughter asked me if she could go with me in the afternoon. A little backround, even though she's young, she loves to shoot and after taking the hunter's safety course (she scored higher than a lot of adults) I proceeded to take her to my local range. She can hit about 18 of 25 single clays with my small single calibur single shot shotgun from a clay launcher and can place my .22 dead on accurate at about 75 yards. With her getting older and spending a lot of time cheerleading, etc, this is great 'father daughter' time.

back to the story. I figured sure, come along. we set up in the blind around 3pm. we saw 2 does and another spike about 150 yards down one trail over the next 2 hours. she was looking through the scope at them when we heard something to our left. we slowly turned our heads and saw a beauty 6 point south texas buck, up wind, only about 25 yards away, standing broad side right in the middle of the trail to our left. I asked her if she wanted to take the shot and she jumped at the opportunity. talking her through the aiming process, she 'clicked' off the safety, let out her breath and squeezed off the shot. I think she had a bruised shoulder for a few day afterwards from the 30-06 I borrowed from my friend.

It was a clean hit right behind the shoulder, the buck jumped over a barbed wire fence and took off. we heard a few crashes then quiet. we waited for about 20 minutes or so. I don't think she quit shaking that whole time. we tracked the blood trail only for about 20 yards and there was her first buck! boy was she proud (and so was I!!!)

after field dressing and heading back to the ranch house, i think she jumped out of the truck before it even stopped in the driveway. she was running right up to momma with this permanent grin from ear to ear on her face.

people, make sure you share the hunting experience with your children, both sons and daughters. this coming season, she's definately my hunting buddy.

now I just need to find a local lease, the 6 hour drive to my friends' ranch is too far to drive for as often as she wants to go.