Last year my oldest boy passed a really good deer because he didn't think it was big enough for ME to shoot. I stewed on this for a year.

This weekend is opening of rifle in Oklahoma. I looked him in the eyes and said in that serious Dad voice, you shoot what YOU want to shoot. Don't ask me if I would. Don't ask me if you should. If you want it, squeeze the trigger.

I heard the shot about 7:30 this morning. He made the call and took the shot. I'm sitting in the barn now by the stove watching him skin it (and doing my best not to jump in even though I would do some things different).

The boy has killed bigger but I've never been more proud. He took another step towards being his own man.

Good for him and good on you.

I'd say you are doing things right, BC. And I'd say the young man made a good decision on that buck.

Congrats on the deer. I told all the men, women, and children I have helped get into hunting (and there has been a lot) if you will be happy with it, harvest it! Don't worry about what other folks think. You can't eat antlers.

That's a nice deer for anyone to shoot. Congratulations!

I agree! We are going to euro mount it.

Thanks all.

Congratulations to your son.

I can identify with your comment about skinning. I watched a friend spend three hours skinning, gutting, and boning a very small deer this season. My shoulder was recovering from rotator surgery. I gave some advice for about two minutes, then volunteered to drive to town for some cheeseburgers and fries. He is not a beginner.

Awesome!

Very nice deerzie. A Euro mount is perfect. I have two done that way with a light I put inside the face area, makes wonderful night lights. The skulls are as artistic to me as the antlers. Looks like carved ivory.

I beg to differ big time on dissing antlers. While a nice doe is great too , of course, for me, the bigger the deer , the more meat I get...and as an artist , antler art is a "feast" for the eyes and heart for a long time. Both bucks and a nice doe are great.

Well done ! Hopefully, he will apply that lesson to more things in his life than just hunting .

Congrats!

I agree.

Well done, guys !

that's great I would have shot it too.

Congratulations I'm going through similar with my boys. Dad would you shoot it or should I?

Like you it's buddy it's your deer shoot what you want and what you are happy with. And it's also hard for me not to tell them how to do it when they are working in skinning and quartering. But they are still learing at 11 and 13 on that area.

Good job bc.

Good stuff BC!

Congrats on an achievement to your son!

Awesome stuff! Watching sons (and daughters) grow into adults is an amazing thing to behold.