Local youths start deer season off with a bang
By By Mike Giles / outdoors writer
Nov. 29, 2002
Deer season with firearms is open once again and if youth weekend and the first weekend of the season are reliable indications, this should be another great year. Although the rain has been a detriment for a lot of folks this fall, many rye grass patches have flourished and are in the best shape they have been in for years. Deer have already been hitting the patches hard.
Local youngsters Katy and Scott Nabors started their year in high fashion while hunting with their grandfather Billy Nabors and father Mike Nabors. On the opening weekend Katy, aged 14, got her first buck while on a stand with her dad, Mike. Katy harvested her deer with the help of an old Remington 742 rifle. Although there were several deer in the field, dark was approaching and it didn't look like that old buck was coming in.
Katy was ready to take her first deer and didn't care what kind. She went ahead and bagged a fat doe that made for some fine table fare. Although Katy has been hunting with her dad since she was 4, she just began carrying a rifle three years ago.
Brother scores too
Not to be outdone by his sister, 9-year-old Scott got a deer of his own. This was Scott's third deer to be exact. Last year he brought in a fine buck on youth weekend. Scott used a Remington 7 mm 08 to harvest his deer.
Dusty Chapman, another local youth soon to turn 16, participated in his last youth hunt this season. Although Dusty turns 16 in December, he was able to make one last youth weekend while harvesting a nice doe.
Many clubs and land owners prefer to let youngsters and new hunters fill their doe tags for them and it usually works to perfection. The youngsters get to harvest a deer and see what it's all about. The landowners and clubs also get their tags filled and some meat for the supper table. That's just a win, win, situation for all involved.
NWTF/Wheelin' Sportsmen Hunt
Last week I attended a supper and fund raiser for the upcoming National Wild Turkey Federation/Wheelin' Sportsmen of America hunt that will be held in December during the still hunting season. There was a pretty fair turn out for the dinner and auction. There was also some mighty fine catfish fillets fried golden brown and very tasty indeed.
The upcoming hunt will be held once again at the A&B Sportsman's club. Jimmy and Ann Alexander have really stepped up to the plate and are once again providing an opportunity for disabled hunters to participate in a first rate hunt.
I attended part of the Wheelin' Sportsmen hunt last year and took another hunter out along with the help of Mike Chaney. Believe me, there is a big difference in mobility between being an able bodied hunter and many who are disabled. It really made me appreciate the blessings we have of being in good health and able bodied. Helping out with one of these hunts is also a very rewarding thing. I look forward to going back this year.
Now that the deer season is here and under way, you can bet I'll be in the woods every chance I can get. With the Thanksgiving holiday weekend here, as Americans and southerners, we all truly have many things to be thankful for.
