Kelly Bostian: Youth hunters impress at deer hunts

BY KELLY BOSTIAN World Outdoors Writer
Sunday, October 28, 2012
10/28/12 at 7:44 AM

FROM A 6-year-old whose father cocked her gun for her to a 15-year-old who has learned how to do his homework in the woods, youth hunters who shared their stories last week represented a wide range of skills and experiences.

Consistent thoughts from parents, grandparents, cousins and friends who shared Oklahoma's early youth rifle deer hunting season with youngsters Oct. 19-21 included statements about special memories through the time shared, pride in accomplishment, tradition, great days outdoors and broad and lasting smiles.

When so many stories are worth sharing, sometimes it's best to choose one that exemplifies all the others. The story of 6-year-old Maci Stephens' first deer fits that bill.

Her grandfather bought a lifetime license for her when she was 5 years old, as he has for all his grandchildren. She passed the Oklahoma hunter safety certification as a 6-year-old and joined four other children, ages 6 to 9, on family property last weekend where all five managed to shoot a deer.

"The youth season is always a big deal for us. It's a real big tradition," said Maci's father, Brady. Grandfather Denny Stephens and sons Brady, Johnny and Chris gather on family property in Osage County annually for the youth weekend. "We've all pretty much gotten to where we enjoy the youth weekend more than muzzleloader or rifle," he said.

The first hurdle for Maci was hunter safety certification. Children under the age of 8 in Oklahoma need that certification to hunt large game.

She knew her stuff, her father said. All the reading was a bit much, though. "The game wardens worked with her. They were really great," Brady Stephens said. "I told them we would be there but might just be going through the motions, but they said they would know if she understood the information ... They read the test questions and she circled the answers. She only missed one."

The family has several box blinds on the property they hunt. Maci shoots a .223 caliber single-shot Rossi youth rifle with a pink shoulder strap. "She's a real good little shot," Stephens said.

He reads a number of hunting magazines and his kids have learned shot placement by "practicing" with pictures of deer in the magazines. "They put an X on the deer where they think the shot should go and I'll correct it if I need to," he said. "We talk about when not to shoot, quartering away shots, all that."

On the morning of the hunt, the deer passed about 60 yards from the stand where Maci waited with her father. A young eight-point buck walked by first. "We weren't being selective," Stephens said. "She was wrapped up in her blanket and we couldn't get her ready fast enough."

The early buck turned out to be a blessing.

"Oh, you know how excited the little ones can get," Stephens said. The experience allowed her to prepare and be ready when a mature 11-point buck followed. She placed a shot through the big buck's heart. It walked 20 or 30 yards, just over a rise, and collapsed. The buck weighed 162 pounds field-dressed, Stephens said.

"I just cocked her gun and the rest was all her," Stephens said.

Find more photos of young hunters on my blog at tulsaworld.com/outdoors
Original Print Headline: Young hunters impress

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Associated Images:

Maci Stephens, 6, holds up the head of her first deer. “She is a great little girl and great hunter,” said her father, Brady. She passed her hunter safety certification over the summer and killed this 162-pound, 11-point buck near Fairfax. The Collinsville Elementary School firstgrader hunted with her father at a camp with five children, all of whom killed deer during the weekend. BRADY STEPHENS/Courtesy

Luke Revard and his father, Mark, hold the 8-point buck Luke shot while hunting his grandfather’s land in Greer County. LUKE REVARD/Courtesy

Joshua Baden, 11, of Oologah got his first deer, a 6-point buck that weighed 114 pounds. He hunted with his father, John, on private land off the Verdigris River near Lenapah. “I don’t think he is ever going to quit smiling,” John Baden said. JOHN BADEN/Courtesy

Brent Nicholas, 15, of Enid holds the best deer of several he has killed while participating in Oklahoma’s youth hunting program. Brent shot the 138-inch buck with his .257 Weatherby Magnum. MICHAEL FRILOUX/Courtesy