My First Deer: A Youth Hunt Experience

Youth Hunt Memories Last a Lifetime

Laila Knevel was recently recognized at the SCI Lansing chapter’s Whitetail Night and Christmas Party for her very first deer. The deer was a 9 point, 202 pounds, 2 1/2 years old and scored 97 3/8ths.

Laila is 8 years old and was hunting with her dad and “papa” on her grandfather’s land this past fall.

She was quite animated and all smiles when she was retelling the story of her first hunt.

“I went out in the morning with my dad and I fell asleep. We really didn’t see anything so we went to my grandma’s house for awhile and then went back out to a new spot.”

Laila recounted how as they were sitting there quietly and a bunch of deer started to come out but they were all does. Then, she spotted one buck, and then another.

“One of the does must have smelled us because she ran,” Laila said.

On the opposite side of the clearing she saw a buck, but her dad told her not to shoot because there was a bigger one coming, so she patiently waited.

Then she saw the 9 point. “I shot and he fell right to the ground,” Laila said as she swung her arm down in a chopping motion to show how fast and hard her deer fell.  It must have been one heck of a shot!

She then went on to explain how they got her papa’s golf cart with a sled to drag the deer back to the house. She held the legs while her dad gutted it.

Way to go, Laila!

Find out more information about joining our Lansing area chapter of SCI International.

Is your child interested in a Youth Hunt?

The Mentored Youth Hunting program is designed to introduce youth under the age of 10 to hunting and fishing, offering a “package” license for just $7.50. For one low price, youth hunters under the age of 10 can hunt turkey (spring and fall on private or public land), deer (one tag, any deer), small game, trap furbearers and fish for all species.