Skip to main content

Deer Stories: Youth Hunters Bag Their First Bucks

With family members by their sides, these youth deer hunters notched their first harvests.

Deer Stories: Youth Hunters Bag Their First Bucks

Successful youth hunters (clockwise from top left) Rylee Bigham, Samantha Donley and Bentz Rich.

Not many things make a deer hunter happier than to see a son or daughter bag their first whitetail.

It’s an exhilaration that will be lovingly remembered and shared at future get-togethers like family vacations and deer camp.

"It was a special evening I'll never forget," Illinois teen Rylee Bigham said after she harvested a large whitetail buck while hunting with her father this fall.


We all love stories about world-record bucks and the pursuits for the buck of a lifetime. But for first-timers, especially young hunters, that first kill — whether a doe, spike buck or 10-pointer — can be just the beginning of a lifelong passion.


Game & Fish has received several reports of youth hunters reaching the first-buck milestone during the 2021 season, so we thought we’d share some of those stories.

  • If you have a first-buck story to share with us, let us know by clicking here.

Grandson's Buck Delights Earl Bentz

First Bucks
Young Bentz Rich shared his harvest with grandfather, legendary bassboat pioneer Earl Bentz and mother Mariel. (Photos courtesy of Earl Bentz)

Passing down the love for deer hunting to the next generation is as awesome as downing a Booner buck yourself.

Legendary bassboat pioneer Earl Bentz was all smiles to see his young grandson, Bentz Rich, take a nice eight-pointer this fall.

Young Bentz harvested the big deer at the family ranch in Tennessee, sharing the experience with his grandfather and mother, Mariel. As you can see in the photos above, they could not be prouder.

Earl Bentz, an inductee in the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, is the founder of Caymas Boats (as well as Stratos, Javelin and Triton previously).




'Special Evening' for Illinois 12-Year-Old

First Bucks
Rylee Bigham shared the hunt for her first deer with her father and grandfather. (Photos courtesy of family)

Rylee Bigham, 13, an eighth-grader at Mercer County Junior High in Aledo, Ill., bagged her first deer this season after three years of dedicated hunting.

Rylee, a volleyball and softball player, also turkey hunts and fishes with her father and grandfather. The Bigham family, a multi-generational group from grandparents to grandkids, has been hunting together for many years in Mercer County, Ill.

"It was a great time especially sharing it with my Dad and really enjoyed learning more about how to hunt, too. It was a special evening I'll never forget," Rylee said.

Recommended


She Even Led Tracking Expedition

First Bucks
Samantha Donley, 12, bagged her first buck with a crossbow during a hunt with her father, grandfather and uncle. (Photos courtesy of Kevin Donley)

Samantha Donley, 12, of Pleasant Ridge, Mich., harvested her first deer the day after Thanksgiving (Nov. 26, 2021).

She killed the four-pointer while hunting with her father, grandfather and uncle.

She made a perfect shot with her crossbow and led the tracking expedition.

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Fishing

Baitcaster Basics: The Overhead Cast

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Fishing

Bass Crash Course: How to Properly Tune a Baitcasting Rig

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Gear

Winchester Big Bore: Backcountry Bear Protection

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Guns

Ruger American Now Chambered in 7mm PRC

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Guns

Classic Marlin: 336 and 1894 Lever-Action Hunting Rifles

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Learn

NWTF's Passion for Wild Turkey Conservation Still Burns After 50 Years

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Gear

First Look: Leupold's BX-4 Range HD Rangefinding Binos

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Gear

Browning's Max Point, Silver Series Rifle Ammunition

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Gear

New Hunting Ammo from Remington: 360 Buckhammer

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Guns

New from Browning: X-Bolt Pro LR McMillan

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Gear

New Hunting Blades from Buck Knives

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match,...
Gear

Hornady's Hot New 7mm PRC Cartridge: SHOT 2023

Game & Fish Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the Game & Fish App

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now