Hunting with dad, youngster has season they will never forget
Steve Rogers never fired a shot during Mississippi’s 2013-14 gun season on deer, but he’ll tell you right away “it is hands down, the best deer season I have ever had.”
When he tells the story, it’s easy to see why.
It was the first season his 7-year-old son Reed was able to handle a gun and could be the hunter when they shared a stand. The youngster far exceeded any expectations his dad had.
Reed Rogers limited out on bucks, culminating in a 140-inch 10-point taken on Jan. 31, in the final hour of the final day of the season.
“It was so much fun,” Steve Rogers said. “He killed his first deer, a doe on Nov. 27, his first buck, a 5-point on Christmas Day, he got a 7-point on Jan. 25 and then got his third buck on Jan. 31. It was perfect, because each buck was progressively bigger, ending with that big one.”
The son had been hunting with his dad for years, often joining him in the stand as an observer. This year, he was finally big enough to handle and shoot the single-shot .243 rifle.
Breaking the ice
On Nov. 27, the dad and son were hunting at Steve Rogers’ hunting camp in Claiborne County. It was really cold, the father said, and the deer didn’t seem to be moving well.
“It was getting close to dark when three does walked into the field,” he said. “I helped Reed get his rifle set up and he found the deer in the scope quickly, but he was very hesitant about shooting. I kept asking him if he could see the deer and if he was steady and he told me ‘yes’ each time but he just was a little nervous about pulling the trigger.
“This went on for three or four minutes and the biggest doe was getting nervous. Finally he touched off the shot and the doe hit the ground immediately but got back up and ran off. The deer only ran 30 or 40 yards and piled up.”
At 90 yards, Reed Rogers made a perfect shot on the 110-pound, 5½-year-old doe.
“We were equally excited, high fiving, and calling everyone we could think of to tell them Reed had just killed his first deer,” Steve Rogers said.
There’d be plenty more calls to be made over the next two months.
First buck down
On Christmas Day, they slipped off to Claiborne County for an afternoon hunt, and were rewarded with good deer movement.
“We saw a group of does early but we couldn’t get a shot because a spike came out and started chasing them around the plot,” Dad said. “Finally, all the does left and Reed didn’t really want to shoot a spike so we waited. Shortly thereafter, a nice 8-point came out and Reed tried to get on him but the deer was looking at our stand from the time he walked out and he saw us and spooked. We were both very disappointed.”
The next hour passed without any activity and the youngster was beginning to show the effects of being up early to open his Christmas presents.
“Reed was starting to nod off when I heard a deer walking in the woods and I told him to get ready,” Steve Rogers said. “He picked his head up for a minute and said he was going back to sleep and to wake him again if the deer showed up. The 5-point walked out just a minute later, and Reed got the gun up, found the deer in the scope, and shot.
“The deer didn’t look hit, but Reed assured me he was steady. We walked to where the deer had been standing and immediately found blood. The deer only went about 40 yards or so and Reed helped me trail him all the way. He was very excited, and immediately asked me if this deer was bigger than the bucks that his sisters had killed in previous years.”
Month later, it’s No. 2
Fast-forward exactly a month to Jan. 25, when the Rogers were hunting at a friend’s camp in Warren County.
“We were really there to shoot a doe but we had the go ahead to shoot a buck as long as he would make the program,” Steve Rogers said. “About an hour before dark we were watching a couple of fawns about 50 yards away and I saw a buck coming. I knew immediately that he would make the program so I told Reed to get ready.
“He got his gun up and found the deer in the scope but it was too thick to shoot. Reed followed the deer through the scope for about 50 yards until the deer hit an opening and stopped. Reed shot, and as the deer ran off I remember him saying, ‘I got him, I do believe I got him!’”
The deer was hit perfectly and only ran 50 yards before he went down.
“We were high-fiving and taking some pictures when Reed asked me if this deer was bigger than the deer either of his sisters had killed previously, and this one was,” the proud pop said. “He was a 7-point that weighed 178 pounds. He was 14 inches wide and had 21-inch main beams, and the biologist said he was 5½-years old.”
The trophy finish
On Jan. 31, the Rogers men slipped off to try one last hunt on a friend’s private land southeast of Jackson.
“We got to the stand late and didn’t see much at all,” Steve Rogers said. “Finally, just before dark, I saw a deer come into the far end of the field. It was facing us and walking straight toward us so I was scared to even pick up my binoculars much less try to get Reed in position for a shot. We could tell it was a nice buck but didn’t know just how big he was.
“When I finally looked through my binoculars and saw just how big he was, I started getting nervous and started breathing heavy. The buck stopped about 70 yards in front of us but was still facing us. He would nibble a little grass then look right up at us. Finally, he put his head down long enough to let Reed get his gun up.”
That added a little comedy to the day.
“Reed found the deer in the scope and saw how big he actually was and he started breathing heavily; we were both breathing so hard it was comical,” Dad said. “The deer was still facing directly towards us and we didn’t want to shoot him straight on. The longer we waited, the louder the breathing got. Finally, the deer turned slightly so that he was at least quartering towards us.”
With the youngster able to see a shoulder, he got Dad’s go-ahead to shoot when he felt steady.
“When he shot, the deer went down immediately,” Steve Rogers said. “I was so excited that I nearly tore the door off the stand trying to get out and Reed was right behind me. We were laughing, hugging and high-fiving.”
It was a moment the happy father said he will never forget, the final in a season filled with such moments. This time, there was one thing missing.
“He didn’t even have to ask if this deer was bigger than his sisters’ deer; it was obvious,” Steve Rogers said. “The buck had 10 good points, was 14 inches wide, but had tall points and 22½-inch main beams. He was a solid 140-inch class buck.”
* Read other stories about big bucks killed this season by clicking here.
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