6th Prize
Hunting Journal with Weatherby Logo (100 awarded)
Kenneth Mayfield, Alaska
“I rise to shake off the pre–dawn chill and stoke up the fire before waking my new found friends. James and Anna, kids from an orphanage in South Texas will soon see their first full day in deer camp. My knock on the doors was met with grogy responses of ‘It’s morning already?’ Come on guys, let's get ready for the first day of the rest of your life.
After a hasty snack and juice, we make our way to the to the trail leading us to our hunting stand for the morning. It's exciting to see the excitement start to grow in them as if the rising sun is filling a void with anticipation. Anna is first with the excited wisper of a young teenager ‘I see deer!’ I have to chuckle inside as the furtive shuffling of little feet have created too much noise and the does that entered the area have been startled but will soon return. Their eyes are now wide and flitter from side–to–side to try to beat the other in seeing the deer return or the first buck to enter the area. We talk softly of the coin toss and who won that toss as one is having memory loss. I remind them that each will have the opportunity to decide to harvest a deer or not. The purpose of the harvest will be to add food to the meat locker at the orphanage where they can share this wonderous event with all their friends when I am interrupted with James‘ exclamation, ‘There's a buck!’ OH...what a buck, wide, thick base, tall tines, 5X5. Anna who won the coin toss is beside herself with ‘Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, please help me.’ My chest tightens and it must be allergies as my eyes begin to water, but know that here is a young person first step into possibly a new world that can help shape her life and take home the reality that there are people who care. As she is easing her rifle to the sill, James is whispering, ‘don’t miss, don’t miss.’ ‘Hush’ is her only response. Her small hands are shaking but quickly she settles her breathing as we have discussed, places her cheek against the smooth stock and takes aim. She asks, ‘OK?’ I whisper, ‘He's yours.’ She takes up tension on the trigger and the rifle barks. Great shot! The buck is hit right behind the shoulder and will not travel far, in fact, James see him fall behind the brush. We talk softly of the role of sportsman and the part we play in conservation, about how harvesting game animals benefits our table surely but also benefits the species we hunt with proper game management practices.
Well, it has been about an hour now and several does are back in the area but it's time to checkout the buck Anna has down and get it back to the lodge and some breakfast. ‘James, when we return this afternoon we will be looking to find you a nice buck.’ James responds, ‘Yes sir and a bigger one than Anna's too!’ Ha,ha,ha. Thank you Lord for blessing me with another sunrise and this opportunity allowing me to hopefully shape the character of two young people. I have only known them a few hours but pray we will be friends and someone they can call when times are not so happy and know I will be there for them.”