Become a mentor to help out new hunters

The year was 1982. I was 24-years-old. My wife and I were expecting our first child, and my dad, Raymond Aucoin, was recently divorced from my mom after 23 years of marriage. It was the best of times and the worst of times. While my dad and I shared lots of similar interests, his passion for deer hunting was not one of them. I began to think about the possibility of hunting with my dad as a way to spend more time with him after the divorce, so I became a deer hunter. Dad happily started to mentor me on the various strategies and planning that went into deer hunting. On our third hunt, I shot a doe. On our fifth hunt, I shot an 8-point buck. Dad was so excited and filled with pride for me! I was stoked as well. The fire had been lit.

Dad and I became hard core, public land deer hunters. I learned from his many years of hunting experiences and absorbed everything he taught me. Dad led the way, sharing the strategies that he developed through trial and error. We were a great team, helping each other to take many, many deer.

As the years passed, Dad’s age began to slow him down a bit. At that time, I took the lead. In 2000, while bow hunting on a WMA, I was fortunate enough to take a 10-point buck and an 11-point buck within eight days of each other. An interview about that accomplishment landed me a job as a field reporter. I used the knowledge and experience that I gained from my dad to write stories about our exploits and those of my other hunting buddies.

A new generation

Dad’s knees started to give way when he got into his seventies. I continued to coax him to hunt a bit by making it as easy as possible for him to get to his stand location. He fought the good fight, but eventually had to shut down his hunting career due to the pain from many years of wear and tear. His torch was passed down to me.

I became mainly a solo hunter for a while. As passionate as I am about deer hunting, sharing a hunt with a partner is as good as it gets for me. Little did I know that my hunting life was about to change in a way I did not see coming. In 2009 the Saints won the Super Bowl, fulfilling a life-long dream for me. Around the same time, something much greater occurred. My grandson, Baylor Allen, was born.

From a young age, Baylor developed a love for the Saints, LSU and all things outdoors. Not coincidentally, those subjects were also my favorite interests. Baylor and I had an immediate connection, and he was out in the boat with me hunting and fishing as soon as he could walk.

In our relationship, I became a mentor for him. I did not take this responsibility lightly. As he followed in my every foot step, I knew Baylor would emulate whatever I did. My intent was to show him great examples of ethics and integrity. Much like my dad had done for me, I poured everything I knew into Baylor. He supplied the passion and soaked it all in. We scouted, strategized, hunted and fished together at every opportunity. It is such a joy to watch him grow and see him reap the rewards of his labors.

Pay it forward

Baylor shot his first 8-point buck last season at the age of 14. Now I know why my dad would get so excited when I shot a deer. The thrill is so much more when a loved one accomplishes something. His passion is contagious and now exceeds mine. I have no doubt that he will one day be a wonderful mentor to his children.

I would like to encourage all of you to become a mentor to a youth. Pour your passion into them. Teach them all the things you have learned in your lifetime. Show them by example what they should and should not do. Walk the talk. Pay it forward.

I thank my dad for taking the time and effort to introduce me to hunting. I cherish his mentorship and what it has meant in my life. If God says the same, I plan to be deer hunting for many more years. That said, I am passing the torch to Baylor. The future of hunting in our family is in great hands.

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