Quitman hunter harvests first deer of her hunting career

By Staff
Feb. 22, 2002
Although Rebecca Riley has participated in family hunts in the past, it wasn't until she moved back to the Quitman area last August that she began thinking about deer hunting. Rebecca loves the outdoors and has gotten accustomed to being in nature since her family moved to Clarkco State Park. Rebecca's dad, Rob, works at the park.
Riley appreciates living in this area because it provides her with innumerable outdoor activities. Before she moved here from Pontotoc, she didn't have a place to go deer hunting. That all changed this past deer season when she began hunting with her dad and grandfather J. T. Rawson in Clarke County.
Her Day
On one particular hunt last November, Rebecca ventured into the woods with her grandfather on a deer hunt. After arriving at their hunting area, Rawson left Rebecca on a stand overlooking a green field. Although she didn't have any action early in the afternoon, her luck changed for the better at dusk.
Only minutes before dark a doe came out into the food plot and started to browse around, foraging for food. Riley centered the crosshairs of the Ruger .270 on the doe and slowly squeezed the trigger like a seasoned veteran. At the sound of the rifle's roar, the young hunter instantly knew she had made a clean shot.
Shortly after dark, her grandfather came up to learn the good news and join in on the celebration. The plump doe was indeed the first deer of Riley's relatively short hunting career. Later on during the season she notched a couple more kills, while providing the family with plenty of deer meat. Rebecca's grandmother Beverly Rawson cooks fine meals of venison steaks, sausage and even a little brown gravy.
Favorite sports
Although Rebecca likes the outdoors and getting back to nature, the14-year-old also plays on the Quitman High School girl's softball team. When she's not at school or on the ball field however, she enjoys hunting anything she can.
She has become quite good at distinguishing the many different sounds that are made by shuffling squirrels, opossums, armadillos and deer. At first she couldn't identify the different sounds, but after many trips afield, she has become proficient at detecting the distinctive noise of hoof beats on the forest floor among the other rustlings.
The young hunter hasn't yet gotten a shot at a big buck. But if this year is any indication of her dedication and skill, it won't be long before she takes that trophy that deer hunters dream about. In the meantime she'll keep enjoying the outdoors with her family and friends every chance she gets!