12/06/2024
As I was growing up, I would dream on occasion about what I wanted to do when I was older. Sometimes it was a scientist and other times it was maybe being a machinist like my Dad was. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would hold any of the jobs I do now and surely never thought I would be a teacher, a skull cleaner, a firewood processor, a pastured poultry producer, and a small time contractor. But through all those dreams, the one thing that I always had hoped to be was a father. I have been blessed to have not only been part of the lives of my own 3 children, but thousands of kids in my classroom but there is nothing in the world that compares to being a Dad.
On November 16th, I was able to have my youngest child, my 14 year old daughter, experience the opening day of the rifle season with me. We practiced over the summer with her .243 to build her confidence in handling the rifle and she was ready. At 8:35 that morning, she was able to harvest her first whitetail buck, a nice looking 7pt. The excitement in her eyes and the emotions that poured over both of us was a wonderful memory that I could never forget. I have been a proponent of taking kids hunting for as long as I can remember but this was the first one of my own children who was able to harvest a deer. It was by far the best of the 30 opening days I have ever experienced.
Many ask if I am proud of my daughter. The truth of the matter is, there is so much in this world that makes me proud of not only her, but all of my kids. This moment just adds to that. I am fortunate enough to be blessed to be a Dad to these three and I am hopeful that they can feel the same about me as their Dad.
So yes, being that she is my daughter, she got to pick out a special plaque which now hangs proudly in her room next to her drawings, pictures of friends, shelves of sneakers, and just every other eclectic thing that makes her who she is.
And this reminds me of the moment I shot my first deer, which ended up being my first ever European mount. (It came out terrible by the way) For me, it took me 9 years to get that first one after making a lot of mistakes. But my own Dad was there with me all along the way. Times were different then so we didn’t hunt side by side all the time but on this day we were only 75 yards apart. A lot of time and a lot of deer have passed since that first but I can remember that same excitement in that moment as I experienced on November 16th with my own daughter. I can only hope that the passion for the outdoors that was passed down to me will carry on to this next generation and beyond. If not, none of us will forget this moment.
If you haven’t done it, take a kid hunting. Let them make noise, play the grunt call like a trumpet, whisper too loudly, and eat snacks, but get them out there. Count squirrels, look for animals in the clouds, watch the leaves fall, but spend time outside together. From the teacher's side of me, trust me, it will make a difference in both of your lives.
Shoot straight and again, thanks for your business.