The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

Struttin’ Time

First deer makes a lifetime memory


Kaleb Hardy, 10, shows the first deer he harvested, a doe, as his grandfather, Ricky Hardy, looks on approvingly.

Kaleb Hardy, 10, shows the first deer he harvested, a doe, as his grandfather, Ricky Hardy, looks on approvingly.

You as Struttin’ Time readers probably remember the years we have spent together hunting, fishing, and just hanging out.

When Ben Gish at The Mountain Eagle and myself started Struttin’ Time we never knew if it would last or not. It was an experiment, and as far as I know it has worked. I still get hunting and fishing stories to share with you.

Although sickness has finally invaded my body, my will is strong, and I keep making trips to hunt and share the stories with you. Next week, I travel to the Blue Ridge mountains in North Carolina to hunt for black bear. It is a hard hunt, and I am not for sure that I can finish the seven days that I have marked off. I will give it my best shot.

This week’s Struttin’ Time comes from Rick Hardy of Estill County. It is about his 10-year-old grandson, Kaleb Hardy. As I tell you readers, I admire parents who will still get out of bed well before daylight and take their children hunting or fishing.

Kaleb loves baseball, football, and hunting. I am of the opinion that more parents than not put their own likes above their children’s and let the computer do the raising of their children. Rick Hardy II, the son of Rick Hardy, tries to spend as much time with Kaleb as possible. Kaleb plays the above-mentioned sports, and this is his second year at deer hunting.

This year, Kaleb downed a nice old doe, and I am glad he broke the water. Now that he has put one on the ground, the next should come easier. I was asked once why I do stories about a hunter killing a doe and why I don’t hold off until they get a big buck. Remember, any trophy is in the eye of the beholder. A trophy is only important to me. Very seldom does anyone stop by my house to check out my trophies.

So, for Kaleb was just as happy taking a doe as he would have been taking a 10-point buck, and here’s a tip of my hat for a job well done. Keep up the good work, and one day you may be a star on a television hunting show. We all need to start somewhere.

I am having trouble finding anyone to take with me on my black bear hunt. They all can outrun me. Wish me luck.

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