I thought that it would be fun to hear about eveyones first gun they hunted with and their first deer that they took.

It was November 15 1999. I was 16 years old and had a doe tag in my pocket. I had been bow hunting since I was 12 and rifle hunting since I was 14 without success. In the area that I hunted the DNR did not allow anterless hunting for several years. I hunted hard but could not connect with a buck. Finally I knew that 1999 would be my year.

I got out in the woods real early and couldn't wait for first light. At the time my Pop and I hunted about 200 yards away from each other. At 745 AM I heard my Pop shoot. I got real excited knowing that my Pop does not miss with a rifle. It's tradition for us to stop hunting and go help the other hunter when we hear a shot. At that point I realized that I would have to get out of my stand soon and that my morning hunt was probably over.

I decided to wait about 10 mins and get down. As I was waiting, I saw three does running at 100 yards due west of me. All of a sudden they changed course and ran straight to me. I bleated and the largest doe stopped at 35 yards broadside. One shot through the heart/lungs put her down real fast. I couldn't believe that I had just shot my first deer.

The best part was that Pop shot at 745 and I shot at 750. After we got our deer I called my mom at work to tell her the good news. When she answered the phone, the first thing she asked was if Pop got a deer. I told her that he had. Then she asked if I got a deer. I told her that I too had shot a deer. I remember her saying that she couldn't believe it was 800 Am and we were both successful hunters.

The real neat thing about that hunt was the rifle that I used. My grandpa bought a stevens 30-30 bolt action back in 1946. He used it for many years but did not get a deer. In 1964, Pop started hunting and took ownership of the rifle. He shot his first deer, a large 5-pt with an 8-pt frame, back in 1978. When it was my turn to rifle hunt the 30-30 was handed down to me.

It was a very special moment with a very special gun. I used that rifle, and took many deer, up until 2008. Now she sits in the gun cabinet until I have a child that goes hunting for the first time.