My first deer hunt was in late November 1947 with my Dad and cousin who was one year older than me, Bubba Turner. Our hunt was along a tree line bordering a grain field on the Goree State Prison Farm, several miles south of Huntsville, Texas. My Uncle, A.C. Turner was the Warden of the “Walls Unit” in Huntsville and had arranged the hunt, with one of his buddies who was Goree’s Warden.

My family and I were visiting in Huntsville with the Turners that weekend and getting up early my excitement was building as we ate, dressed and drove out to the Prison Farm. My Dad and I were using 16 gauge shotguns loaded with #1 buckshot and Bubba had his new 30/30. The rifle was a gift from his parents in recognition of his shooting his first deer, a real nice buck on the just passed, opening day!

Using our flashlights we walked out to our blinds. My Dad had the first spot, a nice ground blind. My blind, if it could be called that, was me squatting behind several stalks of goat weed and Roy, flashlight bobbing, walked on for several hundred yards, as he sat down, off went his light. It was dark, dark, my watch didn’t have a radium dial, since back then most watches had radium dials and I sat for it seemed like hours, but really only 30 minutes.

With dawn breaking, I just knew that I would see a deer. Up came the sun, no deer, an hour later, no deer and still squatting down, my rear was getting tired! Finally, in the distance, here came Bubba. He had a big imagination and told me that just at daybreak, he’d seen a big buck, but couldn’t get a shot. I’d seen nothing, my Dad, likewise and Dad added, “Goose hunting is a lot more fun!”

For me, sitting on my butt for two hours wasn’t fun and thinking to myself, The juries still out on this deer hunting, maybe I’ll try it again?