Matthew Dickerson, Addison Independent, November 19, 1998 (reprinted by permission)
For most Vermonters, the November rifle season is still two days away. But for a number of Addison youth, last Sunday was the day. Novemeber 8 was the 2nd annual Youth Deer Hunting Day, a day when those under 18 have a special opportunity to take to the woods and meadows with an elder mentor. Jonathon Wilkinson, a 14-year old Mt. Abe freshman from New Haven, was one such fortunate youth. Indeed, many adult hunters could be envious of him as he took to the woods with Harley Grice, one of the best hunting tutors a person could find in the state of Vermont.
The relationship between the two didn't begin on Sunday morning. It started a couple years ago when Jonathon began to follow Harley around during sugaring season. It was not long before the elder Grice had taken his young neighbor under his wing. As Jonathon describes it, "Harley is a really great friend. I sometimes annoy him, but he still lets me visit." Over several months of following him around and helping with various chores incluing the sugaring, Jonathon learned all sorts of things: about nature and trees, bird calls, the habits of various animals, and eventually about such specifics as reading scrapes and recognizing deer sign.
The young Wilkinson certainly had a worthy teacher. A retired dairy hunter, active sugerer, and skilled outdoorsman, Harley spends plenty of time outside. Not long ago, his wife Marilyn was proclaimed Queen of Hunting in Vermont. Together they had already raised three daughters (and taught them how to shoot). Harley was more than equipped to mentor one more youth. Long before hunting season, he started teaching Jonathon about guns. Jonathon was doing well shooting a .22 but was having some trouble with a deer rifle. So Harley bought for him a Remington bolt action .244 with a 26" barrel, originally designed for varmints. The lighter caliber combined with a heavier barrel proved steadier (and with less recoil) and soon Jonathon was making 175 then 250 yard shots at a cardboard deer.
On Sunday morning, they got up early and hunted on the farm in New Haven where they encounter several other youth out with their fathers. They took a break and came home for breakfast, church, and lunch. Wondering where they should head for the afternoon, Harley asked, "Do you care if you get a deer or do you just want to hunt?" Jonathon replied, "Let's just go hunting." So they headed up into the hills for the afternoon.
That response gets at the heart of what Youth Day is about. Though part of the purpose is to improve the chances of the youth to take a deer, the real benefit of such a day is much greater. As the state guidebook to hunting laws suggests, "a 'successful' day of hunting means to have hunted safely and ethically while enjoying all that makes hunting a special tradition learned by the young from their elders." Or, in the words of Greg Boglioli of Vermont Field Sports, "the day is not about buck pools or contests, but about learning sportsmanship." Harley confesses he originally had reservations about the day when it was first announced in 1997, but he now thinks its a great idea. What convinced him was the sight of all the parents out there hunting with their kids--instead of leaving them alone at home which is what most will be doing this Saturday.
Of course getting a deer still a nice bonus. And Jonathon did get his deer. Up in the hills that afternoon, Harley positioned him at the base of a narrow valley and then circled around over the ridge. He had come almost all the way around and was only about 100 yards beyond the top of the slope when he heard the shot. He then heard a few seconds of rustling in the leaves, which he took to be the sound of an escaping deer. But when he had climbed down the slope he discovered that his young protege had dropped a deer with a perfect shot. Not just a deer, but a 10 point buck. They hugged and danced, and Jonathon shook a bit. Harley could relate. He was 14 years old when he got his own first deer.
Not having expected to be carrying more than 100 pounds out of the woods,
it took them some time to drag their game to the car. They then had to call
for a bigger car. Field dressed, the buck weighed in at 159 pounds. Not
bad for a first hunt.