Due to her other activities, my daughter only gets to go hunting with me the weekend after Thanksgiving and between Christmas and New Years. She began hunting at 8 and has killed a deer every year, 3 does and a 7 point cull. She really wanted a trophy buck of her own to mount this year. We left for the ranch Friday morning after Christmas. Sunday morning a good buck finally showed up for us. To make a long story short, my daughter knocked this buck down in his tracks. He kicked a while and finally quit moving. We high fived, packed our stuff and got the truck. When we drove back to where the deer fell, he was gone. There was blood where he fell and more where he jumped out of the feed pen. We found no more blood, called in a dog and still had no luck. Best guess is she hit him high and was a flesh wound. We hope he will recover. I don't know who was more disappointed, my 12 year old or me.

She was determined though to keep hunting for a big buck. Sunday evening and Monday came and went with no luck. Tuesday morning was our last chance. We had a couple of does really early, and she asked if she could shoot one. I convinced her to wait and see what else showed up as a strong cold front was moving in. There was a long dry spell and then a spike with 6 to 8 inch horns came to the feeder. With temperatures dropping below freezing and tne wind getting stronger, I wanted her to shoot it, and told her it would be as good as shooting a doe. Thankfully, she talked me out of this one, because 10 minutes later a good heavy horned 8 point appeared. He was really skittish due to the high wind, but after circling the feeder nervously for at least 10 minutes in and out of the brush, he ended up heading right for the blind and down he went. There was no losing this buck. I got a big hug and a thank you Daddy! You Dads know how great that feels. I was so fortunate to get two really nice bucks myself this year and can't think of any better way to top off a tremendous hunting season than for my youngest to get her first trophy.

Great story and awesome buck.. Congrats to your daughter

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Great buck.

Congrats.

Great determination and patience! Great job to your daughter and a pat on the back for you my friend! Feel free to call me for a dog, I'm free and right down the road on the Young Throckmorton line, my dog is unreal, pm me in the future if needed.

Congrats to her!

Congrats to both of you.

That is a beautiful deer. Tough experience on the first one, but, at 12, I believe she now knows more about hunting than a lot of adults that hunt. And the cool thing about daughters - I bet she also noticed how excited Daddy was too; they're freaky perceptive. Boys - not so much.

Congrats!

Congrats!

A beautiful buck. Congrats to your daughter.

Good job!

Awesome buck for a pretty young lady. You're blessed on both accounts.

Congrats to both of you on a lifetime memory. Beautiful young lady and the buck ain't so bad either! Nothing beats time in the field with you children!!! Baker

Good stuff right there. Full shoulder or Euro?

Great daughter, great deer, great memories that will last a life time and then some.

Good lookin Buck there! Congratulations

Thanks for sharing the story and pics.

Thanks everyone. She is going to love your comments. Appreciate it wisco-hunter. Walkabout - She doesn't just want a shoulder mount, she wants a pedestal. She's a female, so that means expensive tastes.

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