C's First Deer

** Beware this post includes a picture of a dead animal. Proceed at your own risk**

This year C was able to participate in the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's (ODFW) mentoring program. It is a great program that allows youth ages 9-13 to go out with a licensed adult and hunt. The youth is able to use the adults tag to harvest an animal. It doesn't have to be a parent or grandparent, it can be a neighbor or anyone else. The benefit to this program is teaching the kids gun safety in the field not just in the classroom. It's hands on knowledge that really makes the difference.

Regular season was over at the end of October, but as land owners we have an additional tag called a land owners preference tag (LOP) that doesn't end until February 28th. C harvested his 1st deer on the 25th. I gave him a hard time about waiting until the last minute, but then I didn't get mine until January, so yeah I probably shouldn't be talking.

He went out with my Dad, and he did great. Dad said he was really nervous and shaky, good thing for a rest (a support for your gun). This time of year most of what is available to shoot are yearlings as we don't want to harvest any does since they are most likely pregnant and the bucks are all hiding. C did harvest a young buck, unfortunatly it had already lost it's horns for the year and didn't have the news ones all the way in yet. We couldn't be prouder of him. Great job C!