I went out Nov. 13th, My four year anniversary with my husband. I didn’t have high hopes. 7am rolls around and I’m hearing noises. 5 bucks come in at the same time! I I’ve never had the opportunity to choose out of a group! I was so excited. I passed on two big young tens and chose a nice mature eight. I made a Perfect double lung shot. I go to look and a buck jumps up and takes off. I’m thinking I didn’t hit him well like I thought so I go to give up for the morning. I glance over and see a deer lying down. I check and it’s him, My deer! He only made it 60 yards! I’m so happy and grateful!

Was shot on private land only had 15days on this irap property to get it done, seen him once never would come off the hill so I decided to get done and spot and stalk to him, got within 80yrds which is to far to shoot, let out some buck grunts and he came into 20yrds and the rest was history, my biggest buck to date, and only having 15days on the property was tough one!

Kyler Chapman, 9, shot his first buck this year in Williamson County, IL. This is the first time mom, Katie Gosha got to accompany Kyler and his step dad, Todd Gosha on one of his hunts. Definitely a memorable moment for all of us!

My husband, Brandon Melcher, got this buck a couple weeks ago. It was the absolute worst timing ever we had just gotten cows earlier in the day and I stayed back at the house while him and my dad went. Around 2:00 I sent a text to them the cows were already out. My dad came back to look for the cows while my husband stayed out. Right before the end of shooting hours I get a call “I just shot a buck”. Great he’s there with no vehicle and the cows are MIA. Fast forward to around 9:00 finally got the cows up to head to him and by about 11:00 we were home and done with the day.

Finley is 12 and in 7th grade at Goreville. Last week she went hunting during youth season for her first time with her dad. She got her first deer within 15 min of getting in the stand. She made a lifetime memory with dad on our family farm. She can't wait to go again.

Nora is 8 years old and shot her first buck during youth season with her dad! This is her second season hunting and second deer she has shot.

My Pa and I went hunting on Saturday Morning. We hunted out of our two man deer stand that is hid well up in a cidar tree. I call it my lucky deer stand. At 8:00 am we hadn't seen not the first deer. I told my Pa that I was getting hungry. So he gave me a pop tart out of the backpack. I took a couple bites. Then a small buck came running toward us. I dropped the pop tart, grabbed my muzzleloader rifle. By the time I got the rifle up, the buck took off again and I wasn't able to get the shot. I was very upset and blamed my Papa for giving me pop tart. lol Sunday morning we went back and I saw a good buck coming out of the woods straight towards us. I said repeatedly a big buck , a big buck. Pa slide the muzzleloader over to me. It was 20 yards in front of us when I could hear my Pa whispering to me repeatedly shoot! I pulled the trigger and the buck did a nose dive. Went about 40 yards. I gave my Pa hugs and told him I love him!! I forgave him for pop tart incident the day before! lol My Pa is going to get this buck mounted for me. I'm 14 and this deer makes 7 for me and it is a 7 pointer. My largest by far!

I’m Eastyn and I’m 14 from Herrin. After school I finished my chores and headed to the deer stand sound 4:40 pm. I got in the stand and seen a 6 point come out and let it pass. Then right after this one came out. I shot him 7 minutes after heading to stand and my mom and papa tracked him 40 yards. This is my biggest buck I’ve ever shot. October 3, 2024

I went out Nov. 13th, My four year anniversary with my husband. I didn’t have high hopes. 7am rolls around and I’m hearing noises. 5 bucks come in at the same time! I I’ve never had the opportunity to choose out of a group! I was so excited. I passed on two big young tens and chose a nice mature eight. I made a Perfect double lung shot. I go to look and a buck jumps up and takes off. I’m thinking I didn’t hit him well like I thought so I go to give up for the morning. I glance over and see a deer lying down. I check and it’s him, My deer! He only made it 60 yards! I’m so happy and grateful!

On private ground , family owned

I was hunting on family property behind my house. This was the only deer I saw all morning. This buck showed up and the rest is history. I couldn’t wait to get home and show my 3 years little girl. She was so excited to see the deer up close.

After 3 weeks of playing cat and mouse, he gave me a shot opertunity and I passed due to low light conditions, then 2 weeks later I had a shot and missed thinking thats it he will never be back. 1 week later he came out to my food plot following 6 does and It all came together.

This is my first archery deer. My boyfriend, Garret took me hunting on his uncle's property and this was the first opportunity I had to use my bow for a deer. I was so excited to see her drop after maybe 60 yards. Garret and I went and got her back to the truck. It was a memorable first archery shot for me and I'm happy to have made this memory beside Garret.

This is our son, Levi Vuichard's first buck this year. He was running late to get to his stand so was rushing to get there, we thought he would scare this buck out going in, but not even an hour after leaving the house, he called his dad saying he got him. His dad and I drove to the woods and helped him track him. Then his brother and his girlfriend met us there to help load this brute and get him back to the truck. This is Levis biggest buck to date. Congratulations Levi. We're so proud of you!

Was shot on private land only had 15days on this irap property to get it done, seen him once never would come off the hill so I decided to get done and spot and stalk to him, got within 80yrds which is to far to shoot, let out some buck grunts and he came into 20yrds and the rest was history, my biggest buck to date, and only having 15days on the property was tough one!

First sit of the year on October 21 at Cedar lake in the evening. A few minutes before dark he came walking and I stood with my crossbow and shot him at about 20 yards, the arrow stuck in him and he crashed through the brush and last heard him about 100 yards away. Since there was no blood my Dad and I waited until the next morning and found him where we last heard him. A liver shot. I've taken a doe with a shotgun and one with my crossbow last year, but this was my first buck! 8 points.

Kyler Chapman, 9, shot his first buck this year in Williamson County, IL. This is the first time mom, Katie Gosha got to accompany Kyler and his step dad, Todd Gosha on one of his hunts. Definitely a memorable moment for all of us!

I'm Jake Holmes. I'm 10 years old and attend Crab Orchard Elementary. This is my very first deer that I shot with my crossbow while hunting with my Dad on November 5th, 2024.

As a mom of two this was My first time hunting, first time shooting a crossbow and my first deer. Was shot on my property

My husband, Brandon Melcher, got this buck a couple weeks ago. It was the absolute worst timing ever 😂 we had just gotten cows earlier in the day and I stayed back at the house while him and my dad went. Around 2:00 I sent a text to them the cows were already out. My dad came back to look for the cows while my husband stayed out. Right before the end of shooting hours I get a call “I just shot a buck”. Great he’s there with no vehicle and the cows are MIA. Fast forward to around 9:00 finally got the cows up to head to him and by about 11:00 we were home and done with the day.

Finley is 12 and in 7th grade at Goreville. Last week she went hunting during youth season for her first time with her dad. She got her first deer within 15 min of getting in the stand. She made a lifetime memory with dad on our family farm. She can't wait to go again.

My Pa and I went hunting on Saturday Morning. We hunted out of our two man deer stand that is hid well up in a cidar tree. I call it my lucky deer stand. At 8:00 am we hadn't seen not the first deer. I told my Pa that I was getting hungry. So he gave me a pop tart out of the backpack. I took a couple bites. Then a small buck came running toward us. I dropped the pop tart, grabbed my muzzleloader rifle. By the time I got the rifle up, the buck took off again and I wasn't able to get the shot. I was very upset and blamed my Papa for giving me pop tart. lol Sunday morning we went back and I saw a good buck coming out of the woods straight towards us. I said repeatedly a big buck , a big buck. Pa slide the muzzleloader over to me. It was 20 yards in front of us when I could hear my Pa whispering to me repeatedly shoot! I pulled the trigger and the buck did a nose dive. Went about 40 yards. I gave my Pa hugs and told him I love him!! I forgave him for pop tart incident the day before! lol My Pa is going to get this buck mounted for me. I'm 14 and this deer makes 7 for me and it is a 7 pointer. My largest by far!

I was hunting at my Papa’s house. It was my first year hunting. I sat for 3 days and it was cold. The deer came in through the timber. There were 3 of them about the same size, but I only thought there were 2. I shot at the first one at 8:25. I hit it good, but it ran. My Dad helped me track it about 50 yards, then my Momo brought us the side by side to load it up. It was my first deer and I get to mount it.

Nora is 8 years old and shot her first buck during youth season with her dad! This is her second season hunting and second deer she has shot.

I’m Eastyn and I’m 14 from Herrin. After school I finished my chores and headed to the deer stand sound 4:40 pm. I got in the stand and seen a 6 point come out and let it pass. Then right after this one came out. I shot him 7 minutes after heading to stand and my mom and papa tracked him 40 yards. This is my biggest buck I’ve ever shot. October 3, 2024