MS-Sportsman.com user Riverbilly has a vision to “create new hunters” by taking children hunting and allowing them to experience success. He did this on Nov. 6, and here is what he had to say about the outing.
“My quest to create new hunters was successful,” Rickey Reich said. “Phillip is 12 and Chris is 14; neither had ever shot a rifle or deer hunted.”
Reich found these two children by advertising for kids who had never hunted before.
“I met with their parents and told them I would teach them gun saftety and how to shoot, and then set atime we could get together,” said Reich, aka “Riverbilly.” “So Friday night (Nov. 5) before hunt I go to pick them up and tell them they will have to cut their cell phones off, and Phillip’s mom didn’t like that too much.
“But I told her we were going to the hunting camp (where) all phones (were turned) off, and they could call her when we got there and after hunt on Saturday and that they could play cards or checkers.”
That night was spent around a fire, with Reich cooking burgers and the boys playing cards and looking at starts.
“I got them in bed and let them watch ‘TK and Mike’ videos,” he explained. “They loved that.”
The boys were roused at 4:45 the next morning and treated to bacon, eggs and biscuits. Reich then introduced them to their mentor hunters, 22-year-old Ryan for Phillip and 20-year-old Chad for Chris.
“We have two box stands that are just for women and kids for the first half of season,” Reich said, explaining that the teams were sent to those stands. “So about 8 a.m. I hear a shot, and Phillip calls me tells me to come with 4-wheeler.
“He had shot a good buck, but made a bad shot on it. Ryan videoed it, but we never found (the deer). Phillip was so sad.”
It was almost lunch by the time they gave up the search, and some men from Reich’s church were cooking and shooting skeets.
“So (I) carried (Phillip and Ryan) over there and taught how to shoot sheets,” Reich said. “On the way back to camp for the afternoon hunt they both went to sleep.”
After eating a little camp chili before the afternoon hunt, Reich took Phillip to a stand but realized about halfway there that he’d forgotten his camera.
“We were running late; got nearly stand and saw a doe looking right at us,” Reich said. “I told him to freeze and she finally trotted off.
“I said, ‘That’s exciting,’ and he said, ‘I can’t move.’
“He had literally froze in place.”
After finally getting into the stand, three does were spotted.
“He got up got ready, but every time he get on her she would move,” Reich said. “I don’t know (if) the stand was shaking from me shaking so bad or him.”
However, Phillip finally got a shot, and the doe bolted.
“He said, ‘Did I get her?’” Reich said. “I said, I think so,’ but it was too close to dark so we went back to cabin.”
After Phillip called his father to come to the camp, the group went back with a Coleman lantern to track the deer.
“She was laying 10 yards in the woods,” Reich said. “He made a perfect shot.”
And the celebration began.
“You never seen such high fives and smiles on two people,” Reich said. “Since then Phillip has talked his grandad out of his .30-30, and his dad has taken him hunting.”
Unfortunately, Chris didn’t see a deer, but he still wants to kill one badly
“We’re trying to get back together to try and get him one,” Reich said.
The experience was one that this veteran hunter highly recommends.
“Spend some time with a young person,” Reich said. “You never know how much fun (it is) until you try.”
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