TX) Great Story About Introducing A Child To Hunting, And More……
Opinion: 12-year-old contest winner fulfills dream on first deer hunt
By LEE LESCHPER
[email protected]
We all have our favorite hunting stories. Some are funny, others exciting, a few sad. And some just plain make you feel good.
Here’s one like that.
Back in October, 12-year-old Jared Adams wasn’t sure he’d ever get to go on a hunting trip. Jared lives with his single mom in Amarillo. Although he’d never been hunting, he had the bug. Bad.
But thanks to the Amarillo chapter of Safari Club International, Jared got his first hunting trip. You may recall Jared wrote the winning essay in the club’s annual youth hunting essay contest. He won an all-expense-paid hunt to South Texas to take a trophy whitetail deer in South Texas with former Oklahoma Congressman Bill Brewster.
“The other day I was asked the question ‘Why do I want to go on a whitetail deer hunt in South Texas?’ I gave this question a lot of thought and came up with several reasons.
“I don’t have a dad, so I spend most of my time in a house full of girls. My mom does a lot of guy things with me like camping, fishing and hiking. She also plays a lot of different sports with me, too. I like spending time with my mom, but it’s not the same as spending time with the guys.
“My mom has a good friend named Buddy. I love him like a dad. He’s a Marine and has taught me a lot. Buddy has taught me a lot about respect, honesty and how important it is to obey rules. I am very proud of Buddy and have a lot of respect for him. He used to spend a lot of time with me, but now because a new job and the Marine Corps he doesn’t have much time anymore.
“When I was about eight years old, Buddy bought me my first gun. He taught me all about guns and hunting.
“I know how to care for my gun properly and how to use it safely. I’ve been taught how to sight in a scope and how to hit what I’m aiming at.
“I’ve been on a couple of hunting trips with Buddy, but never got to shoot. On these trips he taught how to dress properly, different signs to watch for, how to track the deer and patiently wait for the perfect deer and shot.
“At the end of the day everyone would go back to camp and show off their trophies. We would all sit around the campfire and listen to the hunters proudly tell their stories.
“I don’t think there is a boy around who has ever owned a gun and wanted to hunt that hasn’t dreamed of sitting around the campfire at the end of the day proudly telling his story.
“I believe whitetail deer hunting in South Texas would be very fun and exciting. It would be an honor and a great learning experience to hunt with professional and experienced hunters.
“Every time Buddy has come back from a hunting trip with a big deer, I have proudly watched him hang his trophy on his wall.
“I have a space saved on my wall for my hunting trophy. I can’t wait for the day when Buddy proudly watches me hang my first trophy on the wall.
“I have worked hard, learned a lot and patiently waited for my first hunting trip. I think being lucky enough to get to go to South Texas with a bunch of guys on my first hunting trip would be the greatest trip ever. And if I actually got to shoot a whitetail deer, it would be a dream come true.”
You have to believe Jared’s just plain lucky. Not only did he win the SCI essay contest, he also won the Benelli 12-gauge that was the door prize at the banquet!
And if that’s not proof enough, here’s Jared’s recount of his deer hunt:
“On Thursday, Dec. 27, 2001, Mom and I drove to Batesville, Texas, so I could hunt on Congressman Bill Brewster’s ranch. When we first got to the ranch, we met all the other hunters and then unpacked our gear. We stayed in a huge lodge with a lot of rooms that had names and really cool showers. We stayed in the Turkey Room. There was a huge trophy room with all kinds of animals in it that Mr. and Mrs. Brewster had hunted. This is the room where we all ate together and visited.
“Meal times were one of my favorite times of the day. There were about 15 of us staying there, and the hunters that shot something that day got to fix their plates first. After everyone was seated, Mr. Brewster would have each hunter tell their story about the day’s hunt. It was a lot of fun!
“The first night we were there, Richard, the man that runs the ranch, took Jim J. Brewer (Amarillo SCI president), Mom and I out to deer blind No. 3 and dropped us off. We saw a lot of deer, but none that we wanted. So after a while we went back to the lodge.
“The next morning Mr. Brewer and I went back out around 6 o’clock and waited for daylight. We saw a lot of deer, mostly does and a few small bucks. I was very nervous and excited, but Jim J. was very patient with me. Jim J. told me that we had to sit very still and be very quiet so we wouldn’t scare the deer away. I sat very still and quiet, but Jim J. didn’t. He dropped the window shutter, made a loud bang and scared all the deer away.
“We had to wait for a while, but the deer came back. A little before 8 a.m., a big buck walked right past us into the bushes and disappeared. After a few minutes my deer walked out of the bushes and stopped in the perfect position. Jim J. told me: ‘Grab your gun, take three deep breaths, relax and shoot when you’re ready.’
“I took aim, squeezed the trigger, and my 8-point, 190-pound buck fell. When Jim J. and I went to look at him, we were both shaking and speechless. I couldn’t believe it! When we got back to the lodge, the rest of the hunters showed up, and I proudly showed off my trophy.
“I spent three days with the nicest people I have ever met. Bess and Mrs. Brewster gave me a new hunting coat. Graham was the neatest man I have ever met. He was in a wheelchair and could do everything the rest of us could do, even hunt. This trip was really awesome! I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy and proud.” – Jared Adams.
This is an example of just one group of outdoorsmen (and women) who have made a commitment to introduce as many kids as possible to the outdoors and to hunting. Is taking on youngster on his first hunt going to change the world? Probably not.
But it just might help ensure that the next generation of taxpayers and voters care about wildlife and conservation and the heritage of hunting and fishing, so they can help protect it for their grandkids.
Lee Leschper is an Amarillo outdoor writer. Email him at lleschper