Autumn Keith and her dad are all smiles after she harvested her first buck with a bow in Clarksville, Mich.

By Autumn Keith

This story is about the first year I went bowhunting with my dad. I was 12 years old, and we were hunting in Clarksville, Mich., at our deer lease. I had already been on two hunts that year but had only seen a very small doe, which I passed up.

After my dad parked the truck, I got my hunting gear on, readied my bow, my dad sprayed me with scent-eliminating spray, and we were on our way to the treestand. It took about 5-8 minutes to make our way through the field. When we got to our treestand, my dad and I put out some scent canisters hoping these would bring in some bucks.

We climbed up into the double treestand and pulled our bows up. After securing ourselves to the tree and hanging our bows, we waited. We were settled in the stand by 3 p.m. I didn't see anything for about two hours other than a few squirrels and birds. Another hour and a half passed. By 6:30 p.m. something was running through the woods past our field. A big doe took off, giving me no chance for a shot.

I stood up for around 20 minutes then sat back down. Two minutes later, my dad pulled me up. About 100 yards distant, an 8-point buck was headed directly toward the open field. The buck walked out 50 yards in front of the tree I was in. I had my bow in my hands, and my release was on the bow string. I was concentrating hard on that buck as it made it to 40 yards away.

My dad tapped my shoulder, and I looked down - 15 yards away was a 6-point buck! All but its head was hidden behind a big bush. I waited for the buck to walk into an opening. The buck started to walk out to the other buck, but stayed within 20 yards of our stand. I drew my bow back and when the buck paused at 17 yards, I released my arrow. I couldn't tell where it hit, though. I knew the shot was solid because the deer took the arrow with it.

My dad and I got down from our tree and went to where I'd shot him. We found good sign on the ground and followed that for about 10 yards before finding my arrow. We walked another 40 yards and came to the edge of a thicket with a deer-sized hole punched into it. We heard some crashing so we backed off.

Autumn Keith harvested an 8-point buck with a muzzleloader later in the season.

My dad and I walked to the truck and called his friend, Jeremy. He told Jeremy that a big brown thing with antlers had stolen my arrow, but I'd gotten it back. Jeremy said he would help us look for my deer. It was around 8 o'clock when we resumed our search. My dad went into the thicket first with an arrow nocked and ready in case we needed another shot.

Within a few seconds, Dad pulled me forward and there was my 6-point buck lying on the ground. Jeremy dragged my trophy into the field, and we tagged the deer. My dad and Jeremy then hauled it to the truck, while I held the flashlight to light the way. We loaded it into the truck and drove home. We took pictures for a long time and my family was really happy for me.

Lots of our neighbors came to see my first deer. That was my favorite hunting experience I've ever had. I shot the 6-point buck with a Hoyt bow. Around a month later, I shot an 8-point buck with a Black Diamond muzzleloader.

I'm 14 now and have taken three big does.

Autumn Keith
Grand Rapids, Michigan