Reported by local chron.com: Makayla Hay noticed the antlers as soon as the buck walked out of the edge of the woods and into the Madison County field. Even 150 yards away in the still-dim light of Nov. 2, opening day of Texas’ deer season, she could tell this buck was something special. “When you see a buck that far away, you can usually only see a couple of (antler) points,” the 15-year-old New Waverly High School sophomore said. “You really don’t know what his horns look like until he turns and you can get a good look.”
She knows what she’s talking about. Makalya is a dedicated, experienced deer hunter, having started her hunting career when, at 4 years old, she began accompanying her parents, Jim and Mary Hay, to blinds on a 1,600-acre hunting lease in Madison County.
“She would bring a pair of plastic binoculars and ‘watch’ deer with them,” Jim Hay recalled.
Soon, she was using real binoculars, seriously studying deer and learning how to safely use a rifle. Since taking her first buck when she was 8 years old, Makayla has become a good deer hunter – and responsible enough that her parents began allowing her to hunt by herself.
“I learned an awful lot about deer from my dad. I just love getting out there and seeing and watching deer. No two are the same,” said Makayla, who has her eyes on a career as a wildlife biologist.
Beyond belief
“Makayla can age deer on the hoof better than most men,” Jim Hay said. “She’s a good, solid hunter. She knows what she’s doing.” Continue reading…..
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