2 Cool Fishing Forum banner

Thanks Dad

1K views 11 replies 11 participants last post by  SCOTT SOKOLY 
#1 ·
Just wanted to take some time and say thanks to my dad for getting me involved in this wonderful sport of hunting. With all the pictures of people harvesting deer and my son recently shooting his first deer, it brought back memories of being a kid and hunting with my father. I still remember all of the hunting trips I got to share with him and still get to share with him. I will never forget the day that I shot my first deer and the day we were in the field together when I shot my first banded duck. I remember the lump I got in my throat when he called me and shot his biggest deer to date and it was the first one after his open heart surgery. There is no better sport in my mind and enjoy every day that I get to spend in the great outdoors. So to all of you who got us involved in this great sport, a heart felt thank you. And to you Pop, thanks again.


Lets here from some of you who got you involved and some of your stories from your youth. Hope this isn't to sappy.
 
#2 ·
Bird hunting was my dad's thing. Ever since I can remember he would do a lot of dove, duck and goose hunting. It was always very interesting to me. When I was about 8, I started dove hunting with him as a spectator. At about 10, I started duck hunting in the marsh as a spectator. At 12 I got my first shotgun (20 gauge youth pump). I remember the night before the opener of the next duck season, we took his suburban to the Anahuac Wildlife Refuge and got in line to make sure we got "our pond" the next morning and slept in the truck. The next morning we got "out pond" and I had my limit of ducks on the water before my dad ever fired a shot. He got his limit soon after I did. After that I was definitely hooked and we have hunted together every year since. We've both become much busier since then, but we will still get out a couple times this year.
 
#3 ·
Thanks Papa....

First off, thanks for the thread 6Mile.

My dad wasn't much of a hunter, so, I have to thank my Grandfather (Papa) for introducing me to hunting. From the time I was about 6 he took me 2-3 times a year. And, almost always around Thanksgiving. Boy, did I look forward to Thanksgiving.

When I killed my first deer we were sitting in and old Volkswagen Bus Stand on the edge of an oats patch in Victoria, TX. Man it was cold!!. We weren't seeing a whole lot so I curled up on the floor and covered up with a blanket. I remember him kicking me saying, "get up, there's a deer." I looked out the back of the bus and saw what I thought was a doe at about 50 yards. I said, "it looks like a doe." He said, "Nope, it's a spike. you gonna shoot it, or talk?" I raised the .223, settled the crosshairs on his shoulder, took a long breath, and fired!! The buck jumped and ran about another 40 yards! I yelled "Damm it!!" Worked the bolt, settled it on his shoulder again, and the buck fell over dead. I had hit him through the shoulders the first time. Boy, was I excited and shaking then.

My son killed his first deer 7 years ago with the same gun. We did a write up for the Victoria Advocate describing how my son killed his first deer with his Grandfather's .223. The same gun his Daddy killed his first deer with. I'm just glad Papa lived long enough to experience that.

He passed several years ago. Ironically, just yesterday my Mother was recounting to me a discussion she had with him the day he died. He said he was feeling a lot better and was hoping the boys would take him out to sit in a stand that year. He passed away that night........with deer hunting on his mind. Guys, this sport stays with you forever. Cherish it.

I miss you Papa.
 
#4 ·
hunting and fishing weren't really up my dad's alley, but he spent lots of time and money making sure i got to go. i think he recognized that look in my eye. he joined a duck lease when i was in high school. took me on my first wade fishing trip (a pod of dolphins scared the carp out of us newbies), rented boats, hired guides. bought me a two shotguns, my pse and my first boat. in the summers he'd really sacrifice :) and send me to my granparents in florida for a month or so in the summer where they lived on the water and i got to fish every day and night in one of the best fishing spots i've ever fished.

we made it to the rockets last night and we're taking my grandfather to the texans game on sunday, so we still find time to spend together. but he doesn't like sitting in the cold rain at sunrise waiting for the birds to come in anymore. he did do his part and more when i was younger. thanks dad
 
#6 ·
Growing up, I don't recall a whole lot of weekends where my dad wasn't taking my brother, sister, and me out of town to hunt, fish, or just camp. Dad has always been an avid outdoorsman, and he definitely passed that gene on to his kids. Deer, hogs, squirrels, rabbits, doves, ducks, geese, bullfrogs, and any species of fish were fair game depending on what time of year it was. When he had things to do around the house, he would get away for a couple of hours and take us riding around in the country just to see if we could spot some wildlife from the roadside.

My dad is fully responsible for me becoming a biologist...it just came naturally to me after spending all those years outdoors. We still find time to get together to hunt and fish.

Thanks, dad, for all the memories.
 
#7 ·
1st off, Thanks 6mile.

My father is the reason that I have the love for the outdoors that I have. There is an 8 year gap between me and my nearest sibling. So needless to say my father was not the youngest man when I was born. But he did everything he could to get me out to fish, when he could. Hunting was not really his thing because of health issues and he grew up having to hunt to feed his family. It was just by chance that I fell in with a crowd in school that did a lot of hunting, but I found them through my love for fishing.
When I bought my boat, I had to go to Florida to pick it up and I made sure that my father was there for the first fishing trip that I took that boat on. BTW I also got engaged that weekend on that boat.
Dad turned 83 this past September and I do everything that I can to impress upon my sons that their love for the water and the outdoors was inspired by him through me.

I love you dad!! And more thanks to you than can be put into words!

Scott
 
#8 ·
Thanks for the post 6mile. My dad wasn't a big hunter, but he knew I loved to go so he would take me as much as he could. We hunted the old Barrow Ranch for geese a couple of times and hunted deer on the family's +-100 acres near New Boston, Texas.

Unfortunately, I was fifteen and my bro was thirteen when he passed away. Although our lives changed significantly after that, I never forgot the lessons he taught me while he was with us.

Fast forward to now when I have two kiddos of my own that go fishing and hunting with me as much as possible. I can tell already that they are as hooked as I am on the outdoors.

Thanks dad for what you did for me even though you weren't as into it as I was.
 
#9 ·
Dangit 6mile, you tryin to make me cry.
My dad was a squirrel hunter and fisherman. I spent many morning in the woods looking up for bushy tails. I was sitting next to him when a fox came within 10 ft of our feet, when an armadillo rooted around our feet. I can still feel the pine cone pieces falling on my head from the squirrels cutting them above us. We camped/fished Penwaugh slough when it was a dirt road in the woods and a store to check in. We camped at the 3rd boat ramp way in the back and slept under the stars and mosquitoe nets. The slough was flooded timber at that time, you had to navigate your flatbottom thru the trees and gators. Late nite baths was 2 people in the water soaping, dad on the bank counting gator eyes. You learn to bathe quick when eyes start moving or disappearing. Dad is still around and goes to the lease with us to camp, cook, visit and be with his grandkids, 2 boys I am raising for him.
Enough for now. Sorry for rambling.
Thanks 6mile.
 
#10 ·
My dad too was a hunter, but mostly birds...But he loved to fish. I can remember many Sat. am he would wake me up to go fishing with him. He taught me to love the outdoors and everything in it. He passed several years back and I really miss those days with him. Thank you for the thread. And thanks Dad for the memories.
 
#11 ·
wow! where do I start?

Whether it was his patience while teaching me to fish a plastic worm on Toledo Bend, or Sam Rayburn. Or while I was packing decoys for him chasing ducks and geese in Anahuac or East Matagorda, or chasing whitetails in Alabama---------
now we chase whitetails in South Texas, and trout and reds in Rockport.

Didn't matter to us then where we were, and still doesn't matter to us where we are, just as long as we can do it together.

I have so many memories that have been made hunting or fishing with my dad that it would probably take up the whole bandwidth. But, there are still alot of memories for us to make hunting and fishing in the future.

The fondest memory of all for me, was fishing with my dad this past July after he had just recently had a heart attack. Didn't catch a whole lot, but the time spent together was priceless and will always be priceless.

Thanks dad, for all that you have done, and continue to do for me---------
(and thanks to mom for always understanding)

Capt. Forrest
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top