Austin Brugh deserves a lot of credit for this nice 10-pointer killed on Nov. 15 by his dad, Jamey Brugh. For one thing, Austin spotted it chasing a doe. And, when it wouldn't come within range of Austin's buckshot-loaded .410, the youngster generously let his dad have a chance.
The next few days will see a lot of families out hunting together. To everyone who plans to get out there, good luck and, above all, be safe.
According to Tim and Rissa Craighead of Callaway, their 12-year-old Danielle passed up shots at numerous does and small bucks this season while waiting for what she called "the big one."
That wait paid off on Nov. 21 when she shot this awesome eight-pointer while hunting with family friend Bobby Amerson. Her 8-year-old brother was also along on the hunt.
Jeffery Tice was hunting with Teddy Ratcliffe last year when he shot his first buck. The pair scored again this year on opening day of rifle season in Franklin County. Sounds like this is a pretty productive partnership.
Jason Nicholson of Hillsville had only about an hour to hunt before work on Nov. 12, but that's all he needed. He had just crested a ridge when he spotted this buck at a range of 80 yards. Nicholson threw up his gun and shot quickly. The eight-pointer had a spread of 18 inches.
Last week I had the pleasure of hunting an evening and morning with 11-year-old Chris Zoller of Salem and his dad, Jeff. I was hosting them at my friend J. Carson Quarles' place in Botetourt as part of a hunt we offered at the Hunters for the Hungry fundraising banquet earlier this fall.
Chris' rec lacrosse coach, Mike Rowe, actually got the hunt and passed it along.
Chris, Jeff and I were crowded in a box blind in a field when this bruiser six-pointer showed up chasing some does. Chris was actually getting ready to shoot at a doe but quickly changed plans.
I wanted to get the shot on video but before I could even get the camera ready Chris planted the buck with one shot from his Browning A-bolt (in .243 WSSM). The range was 94 yards and Chris made an absolutely perfect double-lung and heart shot.
When I told Rowe about the hunt he wasn't surprised at Chris' performance under pressure. He said the kid is a great athlete who is just a natural.
There were three really happy, proud guys after this hunt.
I love this picture of the Fender family after a successful deer hunt in Alleghany County on Nov. 22.
Oldest son Jason (left) killed a nice eight-pointer while father Ernie killed a three-pointer. Son Richie killed doe while hunting with his daughter, Hunter.
Chris Blankenship used his trusty .270 to take down this nice buck in Pulaski County on Nov. 20.
Proud dad Kiki Amparan sent in this shot of his 12-year-old daughter Grace with her first deer. She shot the nice buck on private land in Bedford County.
Kiki Amparan said Grace, brother Keely and step-brother Kyle Hogan all have taken an interest in the outdoors. He added: "[It] makes the experience that much richer for me. It occurred to me recently, while out in the woods by myself, that something was missing. It wasn't the deer, squirrels and turkeys. It was the absences of my favorite hunting partners: my kids. I'm very proud that Grace has taken the interest that she has. I think she's hooked! She asked if we were going hunting this weekend and I told her it was going to be cold and windy. She replied 'that's what jackets are for.'"
Chris French was hunting in Franklin County on Nov. 22 when he killed this tall nine-pointer.
Tony Lloyd shot this buck in Bedford County with his bow on the opening day of archery season. But after searching that evening and the next morning he couldn't find the animal.
Fortunately, Lloyd started getting reports that the big buck was still afoot. One of those reported sightings came on Nov. 8, so Lloyd bailed out of his stand and hustled to the same stand he was hunting way back on Oct. 4. He had barely gotten settled when the buck showed back up. This time the shot was good and Lloyd soon had his hands on this awesome 14-pointer.
While dressing the animal he found part of his arrow imbedded in the buck's spine.
While growing up in rural Southern Oregon, Mark Taylor developed a passion for the outdoors while he and his younger brother tagged along with their father on fishing, hunting and camping adventures.
Graduating from Northwestern University in 1988, Taylor spent four years as an officer in the U.S. Navy based in Norfolk before moving into journalism.
After five years writing about the military for a Norfolk-based publishing company, he became the outdoors editor at The Roanoke Times in 1998. He lives in Roanoke with his wife and twin daughters.
