How I Shot my First Buck By: Evie Roettger

Editor’s Note: Evie and her family reside in Minnesota, where this hunt took place. Here is the story of her hunt in her own words.

This past summer me, dad and brother Zane planted food plots so we could give the deer a variety of food to eat come fall. We practiced over the summer with the crossbow as I did last year but this time, I could go and hunt during the archery season and not just the youth season.

We planned the first time out hunting by watching for a cool front in the weather. Dad said, “Wednesday after school, we should go and sit at your stand. We might have a chance at a deer.” Dad picked both Zane and I up from school, I packed all my gear in my backpack so I could change quickly, and we could get to the stand in time for an evening sit.

I got a little board, so I was playing a game on dads’ phone when he said, “deer in the food plot” – so I got excited and started paying attention. It was a huge, fat doe so I aimed and shot and missed! I really wanted a second chance, but that did not happen on that deer. We waited some more, and I saw three deer coming from the side and dad saw two others. Dad was paying attention to those, but I saw another two more coming from another side and a buck.

I had to tell dad that there was a buck coming as he was watching a different group of deer, so we got ready for the shot. The deer walked by at 42 yards, and I shot him! He dropped in his tracks, and I had to get down and shoot him again because I spined him. I am the only one that has put meat in the freezer this year!

We have a new tradition in the house after a deer harvest, Jägermeister shots, but I am too young for that, so dad and mom did it for me. We recite the prayer on the side of the bottle, which goes like this:

This is the hunter's badge of glory: That he protects and tends his quarry, Hunts with honor, as is due, And through the beast to God is true.