I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

I posted at the beginning of the year that my son shot his first deer with a bow. I printed the post for him and he was thrilled that hunters from all over the USA congratulated him.

He is eleven and in his second season. Last year he missed several deer and never did connect with a bow. This year, he is kicking my butt!

Opening day he shot a button buck. Then a week later, he harvested his first buck, a spike. Then, two weeks ago he shot a doe and now, this past Monday, he shot a five pointer.

The little doe


The buck


The boy is out of control. :D Actually, he has great self control, I am totally blown away by all of this. I love his ethics too. He is starting to talk about only shooting a buck that was bigger than the last one! (actually, in NJ, he is done shooting bucks until January) I told him this year was "wack em and stack em." But next year we don't shoot everything that moves. I'm a meat hunter but we don't eat that much.

Just thought you'd like to hear about the middle of his season. Five shots, four deer and one clean miss. Eleven years old and becoming my hero!

Finally, the best part...only one deer travelled more than fifty yards after the shot!

Greg

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

wow i dunno bout a monster but ur raisin one heck of a hunter, if he's this good now just imagine the deer he'll be harvesting when he gets older and looks for the big boy. congrats to u and him.

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Yes I know that situation you are in, just I was in the exact opposite position as you. Once I understood the main aspects to good hunting I would be getting more then 4 or 5 deer a year and this would make it hard for my dad to hunt also. As I would kill enough for us to eat he wouldnt go as much so I would be careful that your son doesnt push you out of equation;). BUt by having him strive to get bigger bucks each year is a good goal, and in order to get big bucks as we all know is to let smaller ones pass. Congrates to you and your son, enjoy the rest of the season.

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Like Father,Like Son..you've taught him well.Excellent Looking deer

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

You have done well raising your son. There is nothing like hunting and all that it has to offer. Good job.

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Great job. Im 33 and he has killed more deer with a bow than I have. It is absolutly great to see a young man so eager to go hunting. Keep him focused on the good stuff and he wont get into trouble later in life.;)

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Well let me be the first Canadian to congratulate him,awesome job.Looks like daddy is raising one hell of a hunter:)

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Gryan,
I can just imagine how proud you must feel! I certainly would. In fact, I would probably get Christmas cards made with him and all his deer on them and mail them out to everyone! My 6 year old does a little shooting around the yard with me, but not sure he is all that interested in hunting? I hope that changes....

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Well since I can't be the first Canadian to congratulate him ,since Extreme1 beat me to it ,let me be the second .He's a heck of a hunter and he's gonna be putting alot of meat in the freezer ,and dad you better move over there's a new weapon in the house .

nubo

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

congrats to you and your boy both.

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Whats he pullin on that bow?

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Congrats. You must be very proud. I hope my son, that will be here in late March, takes after yours.;)

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

I got a story to share. My first year of deer hunting i was 12. Shotgun, not bow, but still good story. ok it was about 8 am, and my toes were about to freeze off so i decided to walk over to where my dad was to see if he's seen anything. Get there talk to him, all he has seen is does. First year of gun hunting so i was willing to take the first non baby that walked by. So he said go back n wait ppl are chasing deer all over the woods around us. I get back, and bam take a big old 8 at about 75yrds. He was down n dead so i ran to get my dad. Well he was helping gutt the deer. When a huge 12 runs right by his stand. I felt sooo guilty, at the time. But now im 16, and will do most the scouting to pay him back.

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

That's great Gryan. My oldest is 6 and he is hooked already - I can't wait til his first deer.

Tell you son congratulations and keep up the good, ethical hunting.

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Awsome!!!

Your obviously very proud and rightly so. Shoot, I'm proud of him and I had nothing to do with it!!

Aren't you the guy that as a young kid passed out when a deer came in??? If so, you certainly broke that "spell" with your boy. What's your dad saying now? :D

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Ok, did you have to bring up the passing out thing?

Honestly, I've haven't told him about that yet. Don't want to plant any seeds! I suppose I can now. What is one more person making fun of me?

Someone asked what he is pulling, sorry to all the speed demons on here but he is pulling 48lbs and his arrows are 24.25 inch 1916's. They go a blinding 156 ft per second! All of his shots were pass throughs except the last one. (It went through one rib and lodged in another on the other side) It's all about shot placement.

Thanks for all of the congrats and I know he'll love reading every one of them!

Greg

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

I want to live where you do - 4 deer in bow season. Must be nice. We can only get 2 (What am I saying, I have a hard enough time getting 1!!! :):))

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Gryan congrats to you on raising a fine young man. I know exactly how you feel as I am going through the same thing. My son is 16. When he was 2 I started taking him with me. I had co-workers and hunting buddies that thought I was nuts for "wasting my time" taking a little kid. Well there kids are in trouble now and want nothing to do with their dads. Mine still goes hunting with me and I couldn't be more proud of him. Spending time with your kids pays off big time as you very well know.

Also tell your son congrats on holding out for the right shot and then making it count.

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

That's awesome Greg!

I can't wait until mine are big enough to hit the field with me. I can only hope they are as sucessful as your little man.
I think it's great he's setting goals for himself. Don't push him but if that's what he want's more power to him. It looks like you might just end up with a trophy hunting onster on your hands soon. Give him a high five for me!

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Another hunter hooked for life. That is great stuff. Congrats to your son and to you for intriducing him to this great sport.

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Dang how old is he? He has me beat!

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Congrats to you and the boy!! What zone in Jersey you all hunt? My 4yo has been in the woods twice with me this year. He has the itch but I can't find a bow small enough for him to pull. He doesn't want a toy he wants to shoot real arrows! You are well on your way to having a hunting partner for life and a fine young man to boot! Congrats again.

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Gryan,

First of all, congratulations to you and your son. That is awesome and I can relate well because my son is also 11 and we have been having a blast hunting together. He took a huge 10 point for his first deer this year, I have post here if you are interested:
http://forum.hunting.net/asppg/tm.as...1&key=&#824667

I have a few questions if you don't mind. I was curious how much draw weight your son was using and now I see he is shooting 48 lbs. How big is he? My son is about average for an 11 year old at 82 lbs. and he is not even close to shooting 48 lbs. My boy just turned 11 two months ago but he is very athletic so I am impressed your boy is that strong.

Do you put him in his own tree stand? Or do you hunt side-by-side? I figured in a few years I will put my boy in his own tree and then go hunt myself within 50 or 100 yards from him. But for his first few seasons I felt like I should be with him for many reasons:
- to make sure the deer is within range,
- make sure he has a clear shot,
- make sure the deer is at a good angle,
- watch where the arrow hits the deer,
- make sure his safety harness is attached properly,
-Maybe I am being too cautious because he may be mature enough to accomplish all the above but I still think I will continue to sit with him until around 13.

Congratulations to both of you again, I know from personal experience that it is a team effort with a child that young.

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Congrats to you and your son. I know there is nothing nore rewarding to a fater than to have have his butt kicked by his son at his favorite sport.

Maybe we will see him on TV in about 10 years.

I just cant wait for my son to get old enough to kick my but at his sport.

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Thanks again guys. Blodg, my son is 5'2" and 124 lbs. Heck, we wear the same size boots! By the way, other than hunting, basketball is his favorite sport.

To his credit, he has been shooting a bow since he was two. And they said I was crazy! He started just flinging arrows with a small self bow. The he graduated to one of those little red "compound" bows. Then to a little larger version then to the real thing. His size definately helps but it is also about using the correct muscles to draw. He started drawing 35+- pounds with his hunting bow. We up'ed the pounds as we went along. Sometimes without telling him.

He hunted for most of last year and all of this year. We still stand together. We hunt from a ground blind and from two man ladder stands. I keep asking when he will be ready to seperate by thirty yards or so. He keeps telling me next year. I'm not going to push the issue.

It is funny, we go through scenarios as we sit in the tree and he picks his draw trees and such but he still likes me to tell him when to draw. When he is ready, he'll take over.

I wish you all the best with your boy. I hope every father gets to find out what it is like to watch his kids fall in love with hunting. I never truely understood it before but now, I can say that watching my son be successful is more fun than killing the deer myself.

Greg

RE: I've created a monster! Yes!!
 

Congrats to you and your son, Mine is 1 year old I cant wait untill we can hunt together.