Various School Essays

The Alaskan Hunt

All photos by me
This is just a memior I wrote in 8th grade about my first Sitka Black-tail deer hunt!

We snuggled under the teddy bear patterned felt blanket that we always kept on the boat. The same stars that I could barely see from my house in town, were in full radiance out here, since there was no light pollution. My dad and I were huddled up under the galaxy, awestruck by the beauty of nature. The calm ocean reflected the starry sky back into my eyes from our spot on the roof of the boat. As I curled up for warmth on the crisp November night, I was filled with a sense of pride and fulfillment.

Less than 24 hours earlier, we had been racing through the water in our 35 foot boat, the Sea Grace. It was a Friday, and I had just been dismissed from Keet, so my dad took me straight to the harbor to leave. We stared out the foggy windows, keeping our eyes peeled for any Sitka blacktail deer on the beach. The light dusting of snow from the night before decorated the rocks and trees, making it easier to spot any. My dad looked to see if any of his usual hunting spots were open, but there were boats everywhere! Disheartened, we went further up Nakwasina Sound. We finally anchored in a little inlet far from the other boats. It was already dark out, so we went to bed, anxious for the next day.

When I woke up, tangled in my sleeping bag, I turned over and used my blanket to wipe the thick condensation off the window. It was snowing! The flakes gently fell and dissolved into the sea. I rolled back and saw, and smelled, that my dad was already up and cooking eggs for breakfast.

"Time to get up, hun! We're already late, it's past 7:00, but today's going to be the big buck day!"

"Ugh...Fine," I groggily conceded.

A few hours later, after a struggle to get all wrapped up in many layers of socks, pants, coats, and hats, we kayaked the short distance to the fine pebble beach. There was a small, content stream bubbling through the trees and onto the sand. While I was distracted with the task of catching snowflakes on my tongue, my dad beckoned me over to the treeline excitedly.

"Look, super fresh tracks! Maybe even from early this morning."

"Wow, maybe we can track it, they look like it's a big one!"

"Nah, tracking would be too slow. Let's just go over that little hump, and there's probably a muskeg on the other side."

"Okay," I agreed. I had never been hunting before, but I knew the basics. Muskegs were where the most deer were, and it was easier to see them without large trees trunks in the way.

It was hard lugging a 6 pound .223 on my shoulder. I kept on forgetting to be quiet and once exclaimed, quite loudly, "Hey Dad, look at that ice! Do you think it is thick enough to hold me?" My dad just shot me a venomous glance and continued walking. After an hour of this, we came upon a small muskeg clearing, about 15 yards across. There was a perfect little trench with a fallen tree across it. I rested the gun on it, and dad settled into a crouch behind me.

"I betcha the deer will come down that trail," he whispered in my ear and pointed to one of the two well-worn game trails passing through the clearing. I ignored his comment, and popped up the sight covers, peering through the clear crosshairs. We both had a dogwood leaf in our mouths to blow the deer call once in awhile.

We only spent about 15 minutes waiting. I was just beginning to notice my toes were going numb through my Xtra-Tuff boots when dad pinched my shoulder. I jerked my head up, and sure enough, there came a forked-horn, gingerly prancing down the 1st game trail, oblivious to our presence. It was a mere 15 feet away. I couldn't believe this was happening! I slid back the safety, snick! It immediately stopped and stared in our direction. I had had my sights right behind the shoulder, where its heart was. Except, there was a problem. It has halted right behind the only tree in the muskeg! I whispered out of the corner of my mouth, "I can't! There's a tree in the way!" My heart started beating in my ears as I nearly panicked. My dad soothingly began to say, "Just move up and shoot it in the ne-" KA-BOOM! The shot echoed through the valley. The buck dropped and started seizing uncontrollably. It still seemed surreal that I had taken a great beast down with the piece of metal in my hands.

After gutting it, my dad helped me hold it by the horns and drag it back the way we had come. We loaded the lifeless body onto the inflatable kayak and hauled it onto the deck of the Sea Grace. My dad was just as excited and proud as I was. Daylight was already fading, so we ate dinner. Once the stars came out, we brought blankets and pillows to the roof to stargaze.