It is so crazy out there in this world right now, and this is my form of social distancing and escaping all the chaos that is happening around us. My mule deer hunt in New Mexico was the best. I had so much fun! One of my favorite parts was spending time with my dad. He had already taken me out west for a bear hunt, so when he started researching mule deer hunts, I knew I was in for a good time. He had been talking with Ryan from A3 and applied me for the tag.
Since the application date, I had forgotten about the draw results. I was at school after lunch, and my teacher announced that my dad had called and wanted to let me know I had drawn an amazing mule deer tag. I was so happy that I was jumping up and down in the middle of my class.
In preparation, I had to practice my shooting to make sure I was ready for long-range. My dad was building me a custom rifle, but it ended up not being ready in time, so I prepared with a .300 Ultra Mag. My dad and Greg Holtz took me to the range a few times to practice shooting. I was consistently hitting the targets at 500 yards and beyond!
The day we left for the hunt, I was excited for the possibility of getting a giant, even bigger than my dad had taken, to hang on our wall. The drive was a long one, but I always enjoy watching on the way to see what wildlife I can find. Once we arrived, we settled in and prepared to get at it the following morning. It was the most beautiful scenery I could imagine.
Getting up at 4:30 a.m. is not an easy task. It was dark and cold, and I had to pile on the layers of camo so I would be comfortable out there. Dylan and my dad started glassing while I daydreamed about a big buck. I helped glass too, but I took breaks to draw things that I saw. I wanted to remember this moment forever.
After much glassing, we finally found a great buck about 300 yards away. We decided to try and get closer for a better shot. While we were packing everything up, another hunter pulled into view to get a look at the same buck. Unfortunately, they had scared the buck away. We decided to pull off and find another great buck.
We hiked through ravines, over boulders, and through the thick brush. Holding my dad’s hand, I was optimistic about finding my buck. Sure enough, I had my second chance. I settled in and was ready for a 300-yard shot. I set the crosshairs and pulled the trigger. I got him! My guide, Dylan, said it was actually a 500-yard shot and the buck was down.
As we approached this deer, I realized how grateful I was for this opportunity, and to bring food home for my family made me feel proud. As I watched them skin the deer and separate the meat for each of us to carry, it was getting colder outside. I asked if we could start a fire to warm up. Dylan had Pyro Putty that could help us start a fire. It was so cool and easy to use! We searched for some wood to build the fire, and under my dad’s supervision, he let me light the Pyro Putty. Thankfully, this warmed me up while they finished the deer. We walked about two miles back to the truck, but I was filled with excitement, so that kept me going.
On our way home from the hunt, we stopped at the Billy the Kid Museum. There were old timey guns (not like the ones I was using on my hunt) and old wagons (not like the transportation we use today), and it was very interesting.
I want to say thank you to A3 and Dylan. Most of all, I want to thank my dad for teaching me lifelong, necessary skills and for the quality time we get to spend together making memories.
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