Father-Daughter Deer Hunt

By Ryan Watts SSC Board Director

Deer hunting this season couldn’t have started off better. We had a light snow fall across the Sierras and the deer were on the move. My 17-year-old Izzy, is an avid hunter, (already with several deer under her belt), was all too eager to get up at 0 dark 30 and heap up to the frigid air in search of dinner. We were luck this year, in that Izzy drew a Doe Tag for D-5, therefore the odds of seeing a viable candidate were high. Though, unlike the grazing deer we see daily in the foothills, these black tail are skittish and elusive.

The morning hunt was turning out to be a bust. We had seen several does, but either on the move or in too thick of an area for a clean shot. But, just as we decided to pack it in, a large doe crossed in front of us at about 75 yards. Upon seeing us she stopped to observe, presenting Izzy with a clean broadside. Izzy took the shot, without hesitation, dropping her with a single shot from a .243 at 75 yards. I could not have been more proud, than I was at that moment, my 17 years old daughter, took the shot, then helped me clean and carry the animal to the truck, without complaint or Instagram.