Thanks to my long career in the hunting industry, I’ve had the opportunity to hunt Texas whitetails several times, with firearms and archery gear. Is it as challenging as pursuing whitetails elsewhere? Not usually. Is it still fun? Absolutely!
In the YouTube video below, a father shares a couple pop-up ground blinds with his young daughter, who is hunting with a crossbow. The duo sit several times over corn and mineral (legal in Texas). As you’ll see, they have a lot of action, and she almost gets a shot at a mature 4x4, but the buck gets nervous and runs off.
One thing I’ve learned during my Texas pursuits is animals of all types are nervous around bait sites, and this includes corn dropped on two-track road or a timed feeder. They’ve learned that encounters with predators, humans included, are more likely around bait. For that reason, I was worried as I watched this video that the buck would jump the string when she pulled the crossbow’s trigger. After all, crossbows are notoriously loud. Thankfully, the buck never moves a muscle until the arrow has already passed through him.
I’m highlighting this video for three reasons. First, the dad focuses on his daughter during each hunt. He puts her first, and isn’t overbearing or too serious. If she gets a deer — great. If she doesn’t — that’s fine, too. The pair are having a blast in the pursuit. FYI: I love the donut stop, and similar to the girl, I sometimes ask God to send a deer down the trail if he can spare one.
Second, the dad makes sure his daughter is shooting a crossbow from a rock-solid tripod. In my opinion, every crossbow shot should be taken with aid of a rest, and it’s even more important for a youth hunter who would have trouble holding the weight of a heavy crossbow. (Click here for an article I wrote about crossbow shooting rests.)
Third, the dad does an excellent job coaching his daughter through the shot sequence. When my two sons were young, I sat shoulder to shoulder with them in natural blinds and pop-up blinds and whispered back and forth as a shot opportunity unfolded. Turn up the volume and you’ll hear the girl whisper, “I’m nervous,” at the 10:34 mark. The dad is encouraging and helps her understand when the buck is positioned properly for a lethal shot.
Congrats to the dad and his daughter for taking their time and not forcing a shot just because a buck is within range. This is a hunt the entire family will never forget. And the dad is correct: When it comes to hunting memories, nothing tops those moments spent with your children.
