ENC 1101-B3 & B4: Writing for Discovery

Bonk. Bonk. Bonk. The drones of the alarm began filling my room. After several minutes of the annoying sound, I began to move and quickly rolled over, shut off the alarm and got out of bed.

I was so excited! I was finally old enough to go hunting with my dad. So many times I would watch as my father packed his gear and headed to the deer woods. I was never old enough to join him. This time was different; I was on my way to the woods.

Last Christmas I had asked for a new rifle to go deer hunting with. I was so happy on Christmas morning when I woke up ran to the tree and there it sat the prettiest thing I had ever seen. Sitting there in the glimmer of the Christmas lights was a Browning Gold Trigger series 30-30. Mounted on top was a Simmons scope, it was a beautiful gun.

The very next weekend I went to the range to sight it in. It seemed like every night me and my dad would take it out and he would teach me how to handle it. After several weeks at the range I was dead on at 100 yards. I was so confidant that if I got a shot I knew I wouldn’t miss.

After getting out of bed I quickly jumped into my new camouflage and boots and ran into my father’s room. I ran to the side of his bed and shook him vigorously to wake him up.

“Dad, wake up. Its time to go.”

My dad jumped out of bed and began getting dressed.

“Dad hurry up. We need to get going. Its already 5:45 and the sun comes up at seven.

“Son, settle down we have plenty of time. I promise we will be there early.”

“Okay, I’m just really excited. I can’t wait.”

Within a matter of minutes we had gathered our things and were headed for the great outdoors.

It was about a half-hour to our hunting lease on the outside of town. The whole way there I couldn’t be still or quiet. I was fidgeting in my seat and my dad noticed.

“Son, sit still we will be there soon enough,” as he grinned and chuckled softly to himself.

“Dad, look!” I shouted as I pointed to a deer that bounded away into the bushes.

“You think it was a buck, dad?”
“I’m not sure son I didn’t get a real good look at it. But this early in the morning it very well could have been. The does tend to stay bedded down longer than the big bucks. Nonetheless it’s a good sign, looks like this cold snap really has them up and moving around. It should be a great day.”

The truck came to a stop and I, of course, was first out of the truck. I couldn’t wait to get my rifle in my hands. I jumped out of the truck, found my gun case, pulled out my gun and loaded up. I was ready for action now! I started up the trail that led to the tree stand.

“Goodness boy, you’re in a hurry aren’t you? You left me at the truck back there. I played hell catching back up.”

“Sorry paw.”

“It’s okay, I can still remember my first hunt. I know how it is, but you need to relax ‘cuz when one walks out your gonna be nervous and it might cause you to miss him and we don’t want that.”

“Oh, don’t worry I wont miss, I promise. I’m gonna drop him, he won’t even take a step.”

We finally got settled into the ground blind at about 6:30, just in time to watch the sun start to break through the thick growth of the forest.

“Son, there is nothing like the woods coming alive. Just listen to the sounds as all the animals wake up. The birds begin chirping, the squirrels begin moving in the trees there's no better sound in the world.”

We sat together, told stories and watched intently for any movement in the bushes.

An hour passed and still no deer to be seen. Suddenly there was movement at the far end of the field.

“Dad, there’s one on the far end of the field,” as I tapped him on his leg careful to make minimal movement.

“Yeah, it sure is,” as he picked up the binoculars to take a better look. “Oh my goodness son, what a buck!”

The deer walked out into the field away from the bushes and turned broadside. It was a monster of a buck, at least a 12 point.

“Okay son, this is a shooter. Get your gun up and put the cross hairs right behind the shoulder.”

I began to shake and get real nervous. I couldn’t even catch my breath. I quickly gained my composure, raised my rifle and put the cross hairs right behind the shoulder like my father had instructed me.

“Eric, let him turn broadside, take a deep breath, let it out and take the shot whenever your ready. Just relax.”

“Okay.”

I steadied myself the best I could but it seemed the cross hairs were moving all over the place. I couldn’t hold them on it. Then as if they were glued there the crosshairs steadied and I slowly squeezed the trigger.

Seconds seemed like hours till suddenly the quietness of the morning woods was broken by the sharp crack of a high powered rifle. The outline of the deer at the end of the field crumbled and fell to the ground.

“Just like I said Dad, he didn’t even take a step!”

“Yeah, great shot son, lets go see what you got.”

Like a kid on the way to the candy store, I handed my rifle to my father, jumped out of the ground blind and began running down the field to see my trophy.

“Wow son what a deer. It’s bigger than any deer I have ever killed.”

“Yeah, it’s a great deer. Thanks Dad.”

I stood up, turned toward my dad smiled and gave him a huge hug. Leaving the woods that day I new I had just shared a memory with my father that neither one of us will ever forget.