No Shot Was Fired

The alarm went off right on time it was opening day of gun season for deer in November of 2002.

When I got up that morning the usual excitement that comes with opening day was missing this time. My family had been going through a tough period over the last few years that came to a head on October 15th of 2002. My father in law had passed away on that day after a long battle with cancer.

 

On this particular morning… it was supposed to be my daughter Ashton’s first hunt where she would actually be the hunter and not just the spectator. My father in law had been planning this for a year. He had picked out her a Remington .243 and told her she would be sitting with him on his private stand known as The Dog Leg. She had been extremely excited about that hunt, but now things had changed and I would have to try to fill in the best I could.

 

 I woke up my little girl early that morning and we left for the hunting camp while it was still dark. We drove to the camp in a heavy, sad silence in the truck with an occasional sniffle instead of the usual hunting talk about the weather and how many deer we would probably see. We stopped at my father in law’s favorite store on the way to get some biscuits, cold drinks and snacks. I was determined to do my best to make sure that everything he had planned on doing for her that day got done. 

We pulled in to the camp house and we could smell the smoke from the old stove and we heard the familiar low hushed voices from inside, and yet we both knew that something was missing. Most of the people that hunted with us were either family or long time friends of my father in law, and they too were trying to cope with the loss of a father, grandfather, uncle, boss, hunting club president, and trusted friend.

 

After spending some time inside the camp house, the time came when all of us drew a number for a stand except my daughter. We all knew where she would hunt that day. After a prayer was offered for the safety of our hunters everyone went to their stands.

 

My daughter and I climbed up into the Dog Leg while it was still dark. As we got situated for the hunt I quietly said a prayer to God that just maybe Ashton would get her first buck that day or that we would at least see some deer. You should know that I don’t usually pray to God for me to have a successful hunt, but this was my little girl’s first hunt and with all she had been through I was really hoping it would be a good day for her.

At first light the anticipation was high and we were both quietly waiting for the action to start. I looked at Ashton and realized how lucky I was to have a daughter that would hunt with her dad.  With the bad circumstances that had put me with her that day instead of her being with Paw Paw Phillips I thanked God for this opportunity. As if on cue, I looked to my left and noticed a decent rack buck walking across the narrow food plot. I quickly alerted Ashton to the buck, but by the time she turned around and got her gun up… the buck was already in the woods. It appeared that our opportunity was gone.

Before we knew it, there he was again… he stepped out. You could tell by the way he walked boldly out in the open with his head held high that he knew he was the boss in that neck of the woods. The morning sunlight was reflecting off his majestic set of almost white antlers. I was witnessing the largest buck I had ever seen and my little girl was fixed on him. She had her gun up and I told her to take the shot when she got ready. After a few moments the big buck started walking out of the food plot.  It was at this point I started almost pleading with her to shoot the buck. 

No shot was fired.

 

When he was gone I asked what happened. Without turning around the she said she could not see him through her scope. When I asked her why she couldn’t see him she turned around and that is when I could see the tears in her eyes. She said when she saw the big buck all she could think was Paw Paw was supposed to be here today. Needless to say hunting was forgotten for the moment. I hugged my little girl and when we both had dried our tears we finally were able to talk about how big the white antlered buck had been.

 

I wish I could tell you that he stepped back out and she got her buck that day, but it did not happen. We sat in that stand waiting on the buck over next few days.  Good news is that finally on Thanksgiving morning my daughter got her first buck. It was a young six pointer. My daughter still to this day has a fascination with bucks with light colored antlers, and still sits in the Dog Leg almost every time she goes hunting. It gives her the opportunity to remember her Paw Paw Phillips and wait on the big white antlered buck. She is grown into a beautiful young lady today, but every time I drop her off at the Dog Leg I remember that she will always be my little girl that sometimes just needs her dad to hold her, to cry with her and to tell her it will be okay.

God has a way of teaching us lessons through the eyes and thoughts of our children.  In fact, God tells us that we should approach him like a child… full of wonder, trust, excitement, and in an authentic way. 

About

Welcome, and thanks for dragging yourself over to Live|Bold! My name is Greg Arnold and I am pumped to see you here. This interactive online community is here to point every man toward the cross. Whether you have been a follower of Christ for ages, or you are just stumbling into this strange new world of faith, we have something of value to offer you. This online e-zine is a cross between a blog, a social network, a resource center, and a pulpit. My hope is to inspire you to live your faith on the outside and be a real man for God. We need you in the fight.