We know there's a lot of hunters out there who are rightfully concerned about the future of hunting. State wildlife agencies are reporting people dropping out of the tradition at an alarming rate that raises serious questions about the future of hunting. However, there is a glimmer of hope every year in the numerous youth seasons that most state wildlife agencies have established. These seasons offer the chance for youngsters to get hooked on hunting at an early age by putting them in the woods before the older hunters start putting the pressure on the herd.
Young hunters get a chance to learn the ropes and see a ton of deer in the process. Such is the case for young Sutter and his dad Jake. They're hunting a new farm during the youth season in hopes of getting Sutter his first buck. It only takes about an hour and a half before a gorgeous 8-pointer enters the field. Sutter harvests the buck cleanly with a single, perfectly placed shot from his rifle. The deer doesn't even make it out of the field.
It appears Sutter made a perfect heart/lung hit on this buck. That shot was as placed perfectly behind the front shoulder. It doesn't get much better than that. This buck never knew what hit him. We're just impressed by Sutter's calm demeanor through the whole thing. I don't know about you, but I was a lot more nervous and shaking the first time I shot a deer! We have a feeling this buck is just the first of many for this young man.
I'm not sure about you, but I am kind of jealous of the youngsters who get to enjoy these youth seasons today. This just wasn't a thing when I started hunting more than 20 years ago. But I'm glad these younger hunters have the chance to do this today. Getting them into the field early is probably the best chance we have for recruiting and retaining a new generation of hunters to carry on the tradition. Congratulations to Sutter on a great buck. We'll be watching this season to see how he tops this one!
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