MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — This story is one shared with MetroNews by listener and website reader Doug Groves of Morgantown about his 12 year old son Tucker’s persistence to hunt and kill a single buck he had identified during the 2016 hunting season. The story was submitted as part of the Ram Trucks Trophy Room contest, but was too touching not to share with a wider audience. If you’re a true hunter you will understand and identify with Doug’s story. — Chris Lawrence
In looking forward to rifle season in mid October, my 12 year old son, Tucker, and I put out our trail camera. We discovered we had several nice bucks and a very nice 10 point! Over the course of the next month and a half, Tucker would say at random how bad he would really love to have that ten point buck on his wall. I always played it down as to how hard it would be to get that ten point buck during rifle season. But still every night in his bedtime prayers he would ask God to help give him wisdom to get the ten point buck.
When the season came in, we had a full week off from school in Monongalia County. Tucker planned to hunt very hard with me sitting by his side. The first day was very windy & cold, it was quite a challenge to sit in a ladder stand from daylight until dark.
Tucker decided to pass on several average bucks opening day. He sat diligently wrapped up in his blanket trying to keep warm from the wind and would often shake and shiver from the cold. I asked Tucker if he wanted to go to the truck to warm-up or even go home, as I could tell he was miserably cold. He always was very quick to answer “NO!”
Tuesday morning as we made our way into the woods, I expressed my concerns with the likelihood of bagging that big ten point buck and suggested that maybe Tucker should consider shooting a smaller deer just to make sure he would get his buck for 2016. His exact words were “If I can’t get that ten point, I don’t want a buck at all this year!”.
At the end of Tuesday (day 2), we went home empty-handed, passing on many smaller bucks after we sat most of the day at the same location trying to stay warm.
At the start of Wednesday morning (day 3) around 3:45am, again I expressed my concern to him just and suggested shooting the nice seven point we were seeing. Without hesitation, his answer still remained the same and he refused to give up on that ten point buck. Wednesday did not prove fruitful.
Finally, Thanksgiving morning came and we were back in the same location hunting for that ten point buck that he was so determined to get. At 8:40am on Thursday morning, our big daddy 10 point showed up!
Almost instantly when my son acknowledged his presence at 100 yards, our two-man ladder stand begin to tremble! As he fired his 7MM-08, remarkably the deer dropped straight to the ground! I was astonished that he hit the deer considering his level of buck fever! Immediately he looked over at me and began to break down and cry while stretching his arms around me. While sobbing and crying he told me, “Thank you so much Daddy for teaching me how to hunt and thank you for taking me hunting.” He told me how much he loved me. At this point I could not maintain my composure any longer and I began to cry with him while hugging.
What awesome memories I’ll never forget! His determination and perseverance certainly paid off. I’m so proud of my son!!!