He has been going hunting with us since he was 2. He has never been one that couldn't be still even at his young age. He knows that you have to be still and quiet and that is just what he does. I don't know if you remember the deer my daughter killed a couple of years ago but Eli was on that hunt as well. Picture enclosed.
The week before the opening youth hunt we would practice shooting his 22 cricket at a target in our back yard (we live outside of the city) each afternoon when I would get home from work. The day before opening day we shot his 223 for the first time just to let him feel the kick. It didn't bother him at all. We were shooting at 50 yards each day, he only missed the bulls eye twice the whole week and that was only by a couple of inches. So I knew that if we could get a deer within 50 yards it would be in serious trouble.
The night before the hunt Eli had all of his hunting gear sitting on go when I got home. This year was going to be his first year to actually be the shooter. He had watched his brothers and sisters long enough. It was show time for Eli and he was pumped. We had planned to get up at 4:30am but unfortunately he got sick with a stomach virus at about 11:00pm so our plans changed. It was so sad to see his face when I told him we couldn't go if he was sick. Fortunately he was better the next day but of all things his brother Tripp had his 9th birthday party that evening so we couldn't go hunting. Given the circumstances we got a pass to miss Sunday school the next day.
Finally our hunt started the second day of our special youth hunt. Not 10 minutes after daylight a deer walked into a green strip that we had planted. It was a buck! Just what he wanted for his first deer. He was about 100 yards away and feeding. Eli was sitting on his knees in my lap with his rifle resting in the window. We watched him for a while and he got to about 80 yards I told Eli that he could take the shot. But the deer wouldn't turn broadside for him. The whole time this is taking place Eli is watching the deer trough the scope and then looking at me saying "he's a nice one Daddy". Man I was about to shake the shooting house down, even his brother Tripp (9yrs) had to stop watching, he said Eli was making him too nervous, he was shaking also. The only one not shaking was Eli. Well the deer stopped eating and started walking straight at us, when he got about 10 feet (not yards) from us he saw or heard the panic in the house and bounced off but ole Eli put the doe bleat on him and he stopped at 32 yards. Boom! Right in the front shoulder. His first deer, 9pt. 160lbs.
The week before the opening youth hunt we would practice shooting his 22 cricket at a target in our back yard (we live outside of the city) each afternoon when I would get home from work. The day before opening day we shot his 223 for the first time just to let him feel the kick. It didn't bother him at all. We were shooting at 50 yards each day, he only missed the bulls eye twice the whole week and that was only by a couple of inches. So I knew that if we could get a deer within 50 yards it would be in serious trouble.
The night before the hunt Eli had all of his hunting gear sitting on go when I got home. This year was going to be his first year to actually be the shooter. He had watched his brothers and sisters long enough. It was show time for Eli and he was pumped. We had planned to get up at 4:30am but unfortunately he got sick with a stomach virus at about 11:00pm so our plans changed. It was so sad to see his face when I told him we couldn't go if he was sick. Fortunately he was better the next day but of all things his brother Tripp had his 9th birthday party that evening so we couldn't go hunting. Given the circumstances we got a pass to miss Sunday school the next day.
Finally our hunt started the second day of our special youth hunt. Not 10 minutes after daylight a deer walked into a green strip that we had planted. It was a buck! Just what he wanted for his first deer. He was about 100 yards away and feeding. Eli was sitting on his knees in my lap with his rifle resting in the window. We watched him for a while and he got to about 80 yards I told Eli that he could take the shot. But the deer wouldn't turn broadside for him. The whole time this is taking place Eli is watching the deer trough the scope and then looking at me saying "he's a nice one Daddy". Man I was about to shake the shooting house down, even his brother Tripp (9yrs) had to stop watching, he said Eli was making him too nervous, he was shaking also. The only one not shaking was Eli. Well the deer stopped eating and started walking straight at us, when he got about 10 feet (not yards) from us he saw or heard the panic in the house and bounced off but ole Eli put the doe bleat on him and he stopped at 32 yards. Boom! Right in the front shoulder. His first deer, 9pt. 160lbs.
