LOOKS LIKE A BIG DEER SEASON ALREADY
By CHAD BASKIN Special to the News Herald
Submitted photo Fifteen-year-old Weston Hawthorne of Overton (right) killed his first deer at the Williamson lease near Cayuga in Anderson County. The 12-point buck was shot with a 308 rifle at 5:13 p.m. on Nov. 9. Good job, Weston! I recently had the opportunity to take my 10-year-old son, Brady, deer hunting. I have taken him with me several times before, but this time was different. This time, he had his own rifle, an old 30-30 Winchester that Paw-Paw gave him. Something just told me this would be the weekend for his first deer.
Over the last couple of years, he has been a little nervous about being on the deer stand with me and taking a deer. I have been patient with him, however, and have passed on some easy shots. I really struggled at first. I have always hunted, and have always been completely comfortable with harvesting wild game. I had a hard time understanding his soft heart when it came to the subject, even though he was just 8 and 9 years old.
A parent has to understand that kids are kids. They should not be pushed out of their childhood too early. From the time Brady could speak, he emulated me and said, "Look, just like Daddy," in almost everything that he did. Although he wanted to do everything just like me, he just wasn't ready to harvest wild animals at 8 and 9 years old. It was a real struggle for me to take him out with me on a hunt, knowing I would not be able to fire a single shot. I was patient though, and carried a video camera when he went, and shot film of animals we encountered, and often discussed with him details of why, why not, and how to properly harvest particular animals.
Submitted photo Brady Baskin, 10 (above), shows off his first deer, a goal he and his proud father, Chad, have worked toward for several deer seasons. Brady is the grandson of Kilgoreites Carlos and Linda Michel. Congratulations, Brady! But this particular weekend, the patience finally paid off. A father wants little more than to teach his son about things that he learned from his dad. On Friday evening, we took the camper out to the lease, built a campfire together, sat and talked, and simply enjoyed each other. Saturday morning came, cool and crisp. We dressed in our warm, camouflaged clothing, ate a quick breakfast, and got in the deer stand just before daylight. After more than three long hours of not seeing a single deer, Brady was finally able to place the open sights of his 30-30 on a big doe. I watched him as he carefully aimed, pulled the hammer back and squeezed the trigger. He did it all exactly as I had taught him, but the big doe ran off into the thick woods. We spent several minutes looking for sign that she had been hit before finally picking up the trail.
Submitted photo While hunting with her family in West Texas on the Two Dogs Ranch in Coke County, Julie Ann Rawls of Kilgore (above) took her first buck, a nine-point with a 15-inch spread. Great hunting, Julie Ann! We spent almost an hour tracking the doe through the thickest of brush, carefully looking and marking the trail where we found sign of the doe. Finally, the moment came. During the entire time of tracking the deer, I allowed Brady to stay ahead of me. When he found the doe lying lifelessly, his voice was excited. After high-fives, hugs, pictures and wiping away tears of joy, we retrieved the deer.
At no time during the hunt did I see the nervousness that he had possessed at 8 and 9 years of age. He had now become comfortable with the process of hunting. My patience had paid off. I was both proud of Brady, and proud of myself for accomplishing the goal of molding him into a young outdoorsman.
Submitted photos How about a father-daughter deer-hunting success story? Twelve-year-old Alaina Smith (below) shot her first buck, a 10-point, in Cherokee County recently on youth weekend. She attends Kilgore schools and is the daughter of Mike Smith and Lori Smith, and the granddaughter of Vicki McClure and great-granddaughter of Velma Spangler and Ruby Smith. By the way, dad Mike (right) recently brought back a 15-point, too. But to finish this little story, I would like to remind all fathers out there, especially those with sons, that molding your children into something like an outdoorsman, an athlete or a scholar should not be the ultimate parenting goal. Yes, I have taught Brady many valuable lessons through being outdoors, such as stewardship of our resources, following the law, hunting and fishing ethically, and countless outdoor skills. These are all things that, with proper training, most children can become skilled at.
I want to remind you all, however, that when your children, from a very early age, emulate you and say, "Look, just like Daddy," they are trying in every way to be just like you. You lead them by your example. When Proverbs 29:17 says, "Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul," it is not just talking about punishing them, but training them — training them in the things that will be important to them later. There is nothing more important than their being able to see Christ reflected in you. Yes, it brought "delight to my soul" when Brady shot that deer, but nothing like the day that he asked God into his heart.
Dads, I encourage you to take this "sacred" season we call Deer Season, and spend some time with your kids, like my Daddy did with me. Teach them the ways of the outdoors. But always remember that child is longing to be "just like Daddy" in ways that you may not realize. Don't forget the awesome responsibility that God has given us in Proverbs 22:6: "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."
