I grew up near San Angelo on the Concho river and we had a very small place that very rarely had deer passing thru so we never hunted them. My dad was always working but I had a uncle who owned 300 or so acres just outside of Mason,Texas.

Uncle Howard Leifeste was a great man who overlooked all my stupid ideas and questions and I was truly blessed to have him as an uncle and a teacher. He used to tell my dad everydeer I ever saw was a buck . He instilled a love of hunting in me that still burns bright today. He would pick up my brother, myself and my cousin after school and take us to Mason for the weekend during deer season. I was able as a yong adult to take him to a lease I was on near Garden City only one time before he passed away and I still wish I could have spent more time with him.

Christmas time always makes me reflect on my life and uncle Howard was a gift that God blessed me with. Merry Christmas to all my THF friends. Some of you I've met FTF and many others I really hope to someday over a campfire and a beer!!!

Dad... im sure he regretted it sometimes it was quite distracting

My father

my dad ... spent many many many hours with him as a kid growing up, learned my love for the outdoors and hunting from him. I am grateful that he also got to spend a lot of time with my kids, especially in the woods before passing.

Deer hunting? My Uncle Al. Great guy that I still admire to this day, despite never harvesting a deer on his lease. My pop got me started on rabbits, and then pheasant and ducks. I think I might have actually took my dad on his first deer hunt.

my father but he wasn't a big hunter. We'd go off into the wood and he'd find a comfortable tree to sleep under

My Dad. When I was one month old my Dad bought 165 acres in Stephens County from his Uncle. When I turned 3 he was taking me to sit in the deer stand with him. Dad took all the time, almost every weekend during deer season, and many weekend trips throughout the years. Dad built a small cabin, his uncle built one too, we had a huge covered area to get out of the weather. All the family came, aunts and uncles, cousins, grand parents, mom and brothers. We had Thanksgiving meals there for a long time. It was everyone's fun place to hunt and hangout. Sat in many of stands with Dad. He let me start hunting alone at age 9 and got my first buck by myself. Oh the good memories on that dirt!

My self - growing up in central Texas Helotes/Pipe Creek/ dad bought me a new BL22-it was next gun after the single shot drop block 22 rifle that I had been shooting. Gave it to me and before he turned me loose- were the words "Don't Shoot deer with it" yes sir. long story short 30 min later had killed my first deer . Long Long Long walk back home carrying deer deciding what I was going to say. Dad standing on porch shaking his head. Didn't say anything , just walked down and said follow me. took me to a oak tree and proceeded to show me how to clean a deer. Then we had the discussion about shooting deer with a 22. In the end I wound up with a 243 in a few months after I proved I would not shoot anymore deer with said 22 LOL

Dad.

My stepdad, when I was about 11-12 y/o we moved from Texas To Michigan to take care of my S/D's mother who was in bad shape. We lived there for 4 years. We had 160 acres and a lot of deer around. All I had to do is walk out the door and I could hunt, I had a beagle named Roxie and all I had to say was huntumup and her nose was down ready to go.

When I was a kid, before going to school id check traps for beaver, mink, and muskrats. There was a store up the road that bought them.

The place we lived in was a double wide trailer and I remember tapping maple trees for the sap to make syrup , killing chickens and plucking them. In the same trailer we hand drove the well, S/D didn't pay to have anything done. Good times. I learned a lot from him.

My father.

My dad on our small place in East Texas. We would sit for hours in his truck on the pipeline easement waiting for deer. "Matt, you gotta be quiet for the deer to come" was what I remember him saying most often. I was fortunate enough to take him on his final hunt in the Hill Country. We talked most of the time in the blind and didn't see a whole lot, it was my favorite and most memorable hunt.

Was running around the woods with guns since I can remember. It's time actually attempting to sit in a stand and hunt I was 13 with a stevens sxs 20 gauge in a home built lean-to stand.

My Dad. Dad died at 66 years young and my three kids didn't get to spend much time getting to hunt and fish with him. My oldest was thirteen when he passed.

Ol Dad started me out dove hunting with his buddies. He didn't start deer hunting again until I showed interest in it, then before you know it he got us on a family lease. He did a lot to make us happy and loved to watch us hunt.

A friend I made at my first real job. I will always be grateful to him for introducing me to the addiction.

My cousin Gary he would take my brother and I, our father was killed when I was three and my brother was an infant I am forever grateful that He introduced us to hunting at the ages of 10 and 13.

Dad.. still remember sitting in a box blind down in Gatesville and not being able to see out of the windows..he kept telling me about all the deer he was seeing and not to move or make a sound.

My mother....took me out of school in the first grade and my whole family drove to her fathers in New Mexico. I was with her when she killed a nice mule deer that I have hanging in my den today. I remember driving all the way back home from New Mexico with that buck strapped to the front fender and how every time we stopped for gas, it took an extra 20 minutes for all of the people who gathered around and wanted to hear all about how she got that buck. It was different times then. That was 1955 and deer hunting was still consider something good and wholesome, Not as now when we are told to "hide" the buck in the back of the pickup so that we don't upset PETA people.

Myself. Dad wasn't around much and momma don't hunt. When I turned 18 I bought my own gun found a spot and went hunting. Had no idea what I was doing but I've learned a lot. I take my kiddos as much as I can

Although my Dad taught me to shoot, got me a BB gun and .22, and handed down a couple guns he was not much of a hunter. He enjoyed the occasional dove hunt but that was about it. It was my best friend's Dad that got me into deer hunting. He would take us before we could drive. Then, by the time we were in high school we were able to go hunting after school by ourselves.

He was there for when I killed my first hog, my first deer, then later for my first big buck, and many other memories. I can not put into words how grateful I am to him for starting me on the path and for letting me tag along on those early trips.

Merry Christmas ElkHunter49, right back at you sir!

My brother in law. He was on a lease in S. Texas and asked if I wanted to go out one weekend during extended doe. My parents were/are extremely anti-gun to the point they don't even like the kids to have nerf guns in their house. So I got a very late start in life on the hunting front.

My Dad when I was a kid

My grandad.

Dad.