By Brody Gray
At midday, he got up to take a stroll through the woods. Crossing the creek, he walked along a tree line. Crunch. He heard something … something big lurking in the woods.
With hesitation, he slowly worked his way to the middle of the woods. Keeping his eyes peeled he took a seat on a log. He was almost ready to call it a day when out of the corner of his eye, he saw a deer about 30 yards away.
He could tell it was a “nice one.” It walked toward him. When the deer was about 15 yards broadside, he pulled the trigger and the bullet pierced through the thick skin. Feeling the instant pain, it walked away, wounded.
That’s when junior Sebastian Gillum’s 9-point buck ran 50 yards into the field and drew its last breath.
Gillum is one of several avid hunters at Delta.
“I was 6 or 7 the first time I went hunting,” Gillum said. “My grandpa, Tim Hatfield, focused on hunting when he was younger so I want to also.”
Gillum has killed six deer.
“When I hunt on the farm I say the same Bible verse every time, Genesis 27:3,” Gillum said. “Hunting is peaceful.”
The verse states “Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison.”
Gillum takes his deer to the Buck Stop in Redkey for processing. He said his favorite thing he gets made with it is jalapeno cheddar summer sausage.
Freshman Nevaeh Enyeart’s story started much like others. Enyeart can’t remember the first time she went hunting, but she knew it was with her dad.
“For the past years I’ve been hunting with my step dad, Codie Logan,” Enyeart said. “But when I was younger it was always with my biological dad. I guess that’s just how I got into it just being around him, watching him and my uncle getting excited about going out.”
Enyeart has killed two deer so far, a buck and a doe, and each time it felt like a small victory. But what really kept her coming back was the peace she found out there.
“While I’m out there, it’s peaceful,” Enyeart said. “You just sit there, listening to nature. Sometimes it feels like you’re the only person in the world, and all that matters is the moment. But when you spot a deer, that’s when the nerves hit. You wait for the right shot, trying to stay calm and focused.”
Though she sends the deer she harvests to a butcher, Enyeart makes sure to eat every bit of the meat. “My favorite is summer sausage,” Enyeart said.
Enyeart also completed hunter safety courses, ensuring she will be well-prepared for her hunting trips. One of her most memorable hunting stories happened about two years ago.
Within the first hour of hunting in a new spot, she bagged a deer.
“I’ve never been out and shot a deer that quick before, and I don’t count on it happening that fast again,” she said.
As they were dragging the deer back to the truck, a trail camera captured the moment, preserving the memory.
For Enyeart, hunting is special because it connects her to family history and traditions.
“I always looked up to my dad when I was younger. He would tell me these stories about when he was around my age killing deer and how it felt,” she said. “Hunting is just a way to carry on those traditions and stories. It’s something we do together.”
As Enyeart continues her hunting journey, she knows she’ll always carry the lessons passed down from people that came before her, from her dad to her step dad.
At 9 years old junior Griffin Fisher embarked on his first hunting trip. While most children his age might be playing video games or going to sporting events, Fisher found himself in the outdoors.
Fisher hunts by himself now, equipped with knowledge passed down from generations. The tradition runs deep in the Fisher family. From his grandpa to his dad, everyone eagerly participates.
Their shared love for hunting fuels his passion and connects him with his family. In Fisher’s time hunting he has had five successful hunts.
Dealing with disappointment is an essential aspect of hunting.
When Fisher doesn’t manage to bag a deer, he doesn’t let it discourage him.
“I just remember there’s something new every day,” Fisher said.
This year’s deer was special for Fisher.
Fisher was out for four or five hours before he shot his deer. He saw four does and a four-point buck earlier in the day.
And he saw more on the other side of the property, too far away.
“I was thinking I chose the wrong side of the property to hunt,” Fisher said
He was about to take a shot at the four-point but that was when the 7-point buck stepped out. It was the final minute of light and the last day of muzzleloader season.
Fisher carefully aimed and took a shot at the 7 point, killing it in one shot.
