Stockdale discovers love of deer hunting
First buck: Coshocton teen Sarah Stockdale shot this nine-point buck the day after learning how to use a crossbow. Photo contributed to The Beacon
COSHOCTON – The day after picking up a bow for the first time ever, Sarah Stockdale nailed a nine-point buck.
“My Dad had been hounding me for years to go out and spend time with him,” said the 17-year-old from Coshocton. “He kept telling me if I’d go out I’d love it, but I kept saying I wouldn’t.”
This year, however, she decided to give in to her Dad’s request and is glad she did.
“He took me out to my grandpa’s and showed me how to hold the crossbow,” Stockdale said. “I had no idea what to expect, but my first shot was a bullseye. I shot about 10 times after that and they were all within the center.”
The next day she headed out with her Dad to his tree stand.
“It actually took me longer to get into the tree stand than it did to get my deer,” Stockdale said. “The stand is about 25 feet up and I’m scared of heights, but I was only up there about five minutes when I saw him. My Dad was telling me where they were going to come down from and where to shoot and then I tapped him to tell him I saw one.”
She shot the deer in his shoulder at 25 yards and he went about another 75 yards before he dropped dead.
“It was an adrenaline rush,” Stockdale said. “I’ve been back out eight times since then.”
Her Dad was extremely excited for her and shared the news with everyone in his cell phone’s contact list.
“I liked going hunting and it was nice spending time with my Dad,” Stockdale said. “It was a great bonding experience and now that I know I’m good at it, I’ll definitely go back out with my Dad.”
She plans to get her deer mounted European style, which is just the skull and antlers and would like to hang it up in her room. Stockdale also is looking forward to enjoying some deer steaks with her Dad.
“I was scared to even shoot a deer, but after I saw how proud my Dad was of me, I love it,” she said.
Sarah’s mother Amy is the executive director of the Coshocton County Chamber of Commerce and she said that deer hunting is the number one attraction that brings guests to our community.
“We get a lot of calls at the chamber from people wanting to bring their teens and young children here to enjoy the great outdoors,” Amy said.
Sarah plans to also hunt deer during the upcoming gun season and has discovered that even when she doesn’t see any deer she still enjoys being out in nature.
“It’s just nice to enjoy the peace and quiet,” she said.
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: People & Places
