It all started with my interest and passion for the outdoors. At the lucky age of eight, I had spent numerous days in the outdoors hunting and fishing with my dad and grandpas. When I was six years old, my older sister passed hunter safety and I really wanted to get my hunter safety card so I could hunt with my dad. He told me as soon as I could read he would sign me up for the class. In March of 2017, I passed hunter safety just in time to apply for hunts in my home state of New Mexico.
My first hunt of the year was in April. My mom had bought me a raffle ticket from the National Wildlife Turkey Federation for a Gould's turkey hunt in the boot hill of New Mexico. What would you guess? I was the lucky winner and first youth in the state to have a Gould’s turkey tag! My hunt for turkey in the boot hill was unbelievable. My dad, my grandpa, Uncle Tye, and I had turkeys all around us throughout the weekend, but I was unable to get a turkey down. The following weekend, we met up with Don Fell with the NWTF and I was able to put my tag on my first turkey harvest. I was very excited and thankful for my hunt.
My second hunt of 2017 began with my aunt and uncle telling me if I passed hunter safety they would give me an antelope tag on their ranch. In early October between my busy schedule of playing USSA baseball and my dad guiding elk hunters, we were able to go hunt for my first antelope. On the first morning, we saw plenty of bucks right from the ranch house, but my dad and Uncle Bubba would not let me shoot. Around lunchtime, the stalk was on and we worked our way around a large draw. After about 10 minutes of watching my buc,k he turned broadside and my dad told me to whack him. I was fortunate to be using my sister's .243, and at a 150 yards, I steadied the crosshairs and my first antelope buck was on the ground.
My next hunt took place on Thanksgiving, opening day of the youth mule deer hunt. I drew a youth tag in the southwest part of New Mexico. My dad and I spent a few weekends here and there scouting for a buck. Thanksgiving morning, we did not have much time to hunt, but we glassed a bedded buck, and at 173 yards, I had my first mulie. I really wanted to shoot a mature 4-point, but I could not be happier with my first buck.
The final hunt of the year was for a cow elk in late December in the west part of New Mexico. With the temperature gauge in the truck showing 7 degrees ,I knew we were in for a cold hunt. Both my uncle and I shot our cow elk out of the same herd of about 30 elk. With two elk behind the truck and plenty of meat for the winter, we were headed home. We had the meat hung in our walk-in cooler by 11:00 in the morning. What a way to finish off the year with an incredible hunt!
I would like to thank my family for introducing me to hunting and showing me the importance of respect and love to our great outdoors. To the NWTF and NMDGF, thank you for the opportunity of allowing youth to experience what I was able to this past year. Sis, thanks for letting me use your .243, and thanks to Huntin’ Fool for producing an awesome magazine. I have to hustle to the mailbox each month to beat my dad so I can be the first to read the magazine.