Wildlife News: State’s youth deer hunting season provides lifetime memories

Hunting seasons are upon us. And Oklahoma‚s youth deer season, set for Oct. 14-16 this year, always sees a lot of new hunters venturing afield in hopes of taking deer for the first time in their lives.

Walker Lovell, 7, has taken deer before. But nothing except his dad‚s advice and his practice at the shooting range prepared him for what happened during the 2021 Oklahoma youth deer season in Haskell County. Walker is the son of Weston and Kristan Lovell. Weston‚s hunting values are those of a hunter who loves and respects the animal he chases and the manner in which they are taken. He is a steward of wildlife, not just someone out there for the kill. He is teaching his sons those values, just as he was taught by his dad. Oct. 16, 2021, started at 5:50 a.m. as Weston and Walker awoke and donned their carefully laid-out clothes. Weston decided to take Walker to hunt from his dad‚s deer blind on San Bois Creek. Walker was excited; the boy‚s demeanor reminded Weston of those sleepless nights he had before deer season started when he was Walker‚s age.

The day before, Walker and his little brother had been playing a child‚s game of “This is my deer.” Weston chuckled when Walker made the very honest comment that he would most likely shoot the first deer that came in, regardless of what they had seen on game cameras in previous weeks.

Walker helped to prepare the blind and the area they were hunting. The morning was just starting to come alive as they got into the blind. And Walker was fully prepared to take a feral hog or a deer, whichever showed up first.

A young forked buck showed up first, and Walker wanted to take a shot. But his dad urged him to wait and see what else might come through; after all, this was only the first 10 minutes of the season.

Shortly, six does appeared. Two smallish bucks were dogging them in the distance, but they didn‚t get close enough for Walker to shoot. Walker focused on the biggest doe of the group, and when it presented a good shot, the rifle roared!

Walker‚s mature doe harvest was one that state Wildlife Department biologists are urging all hunters to practice more often. “Hunters in the Know … Take a Doe!” is a slogan the Wildlife Department has been preaching for several years, in an effort to create a more balanced buck-to-doe ratio within the state‚s wild deer population.

Walker helped his dad get the deer loaded, and he wanted to stop by his grandfather‚s house to show it to him. A photo shows a proud young hunter and a proud grandfather.

This story could end here: a conservation harvest of a mature doe by a young hunter. But it continues into that same evening.

As if he just couldn‚t get enough, the boy asked his dad if they could hunt that evening at his blind behind the house. Weston agreed.

They were in the blind by 5 p.m. In the blind, father and son talked about past hunts, and Dad shared stories about much how hunting has changed since he took his first deer many years ago.

Then they saw a big buck moving through, more than 125 yards away. Walker has killed deer and hogs with great shots out to 80 yards. But Weston felt his son‚s range needed to be limited to under 100 yards, and Dad held to it as they let the buck walk out of sight.

Walker was disappointed. But less than 15 minutes later, a young five-point presented a broadside shot within range. But Walker turned and asked, “Do you think the big one will come back?”

“Maybe,” Weston told his son. The young protégé watched the little buck for 10 minutes or so, then Walker decided to shoot. For the first time in his life, he missed a deer!

They had about 15 minutes of legal shooting time left. Just then, Walker sees a deer coming in fast. It was the big one!

Weston quietly coached Walker to take his time, pick a spot behind the shoulder, and squeeze the trigger. Walker took the shot! And the buck dropped in its tracks!

Weston said he walked up to the largest whitetailed buck he‚d ever seen. That buck greenscored 183 7/8, and easily topped the bucks Weston himself had taken.

Walker stayed up until 2 the next morning, helping his dad with every aspect of harvesting both deer. The boy is learning how to do it all — and how to do it right!

And chances are, this 7-year-old will be a hunter for life!