[VaRedneck]

As a kid I wasn't allowed a firearm...barely able to talk the folks into letting me have a knife 'cause of scouts...I bought a wrist rocket sling shot on the sly at 16...saw my first buck that fall...real nice 14ptr. I drew back when I saw him...and I remember thinking to myself..."what'r you gonna do now?" It musta figured I'd seen enough and turned back up out the creek on the far side and dissapeared into the mountain laurel.

Years later....maybe '89, an old highschool buddy asked me if I'd like to join him and his cousins...he'd lend me a rifle.

I remember sitting in that old rotting 2x4 wood stand maybe 12' off the ground...in a wet creek bed...drizzling rain and cold....all day. I was told to look to the west...hell I even smoked back then. Long about 2pm....smoke drifting behind me I causually turn to my right and saw a huge 8ptr...biggest deer I've seen to date. Problem was that buck saw me when I saw him...he'd been walking in the open on those wet leaves maybe 40yds up outa the creek bed...as I was turning to draw a beed...he stepped it up. I knew I had a chance when he stalled at the fence and I waited for him to fill my front sight.

I missed.....clean...made me sick...still remember watching him go over the side of the hill in that prancing stifflegged gate...white tail wagging a cya later...side to side after every other step.

I knew my mistake after that....never take for granted the accuracy of your fire arms without practice. That old 30-.30 was hard sighted in for a lefty....and I shoot right handed.

I was hooked though.