SEASON TO REMEMBER

YOUNG HUNTER’S ACCOMPLISHMENT BRINGS AWARD

Eight-year-old Davis Stephens of Fayetteville, right, scored a Triple Trophy Award this deer season while hunting with his dad, Tracy Stephens, left. The award, from the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, is presented to hunters who harvest a deer by all three methods — archery, muzzle-loader and modern gun. The pair show antlers from two of the deer Davis killed this season.

Eight-year-old Davis Stephens of Fayetteville, right, scored a Triple Trophy Award this deer season while hunting with his dad, Tracy Stephens, left. The award, from the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, is presented to hunters who harvest a deer by all three methods — archery, muzzle-loader and modern gun. The pair show antlers from two of the deer Davis killed this season.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

— Winning the Triple Trophy Award for deer hunting is an occasion for any hunter to celebrate.

It’s even more special when you’re 8.

Davis Stephens, a third-grade student at Holcomb Elementary in Fayetteville, didn’t know there was such a prize when he hunted deer with his dad, Tracy Stephens, this season.

The Triple Trophy Award, from the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, is presented to hunters who kill a deer by the three legal means - archery, muzzleloader and modern gun.

Not only did 8-year old Davis win the Triple Trophy, one of his deer was the first-place Washington County white-tail this year at the Arkansas Big Buck Classic held last month in Little Rock.

Davis was in a ground blind with his dad in October when the young hunter looked down the barrel of a muzzle-loader and shot deer No. 1, a fine buck.

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Davis shows the rack Feb. 7 from a 10-point buck he shot with his rifle that was the Washington County winner in the Arkansas Big Buck Classic held in Little Rock.

In November, during the modern gun season, Davis killed deer No. 2, a doe, with his own youth-model rifle he’s used the past couple of seasons.

Two deer down and Tracy hadn’t breathed a word to his son about the Triple Trophy Award. Dad didn’t want to put any pressure on his young hunting pal.

It wasn’t until Davis took deer No. 3 with a crossbow, another fine buck, that Tracy finally spilled the beans to his son. Davis remembers his dad’s words:

“He said ‘Davis, you just shot your Triple Trophy’ and I said ‘What’s that?’”

Davis knows well what the award is now. He beams like any proud hunter would when he shows his Triple Trophy certificate and an embroidered patch for his hunting jacket.

No need to ask Davis twice if he’ll show the impressive antlers from the two bucks he put on the ground.

Then there’s all that nutritious venison from his three deer, lots of it.

“We had to buy a bigger freezer.

We seriously did,” Davis said, sitting at the family’s kitchen table last Thursday.

“He’s proud that he’s had a hand in feeding our family,” his mom, Emily, said.

Tacos and spaghetti are two of Davis’ favorite dishes from the deer,all taken in Washington County.

TROPHY SEASON

Davis was sitting on his dad’s lap, playing a game on his phone, when deer No. 1 stepped in front of their ground blind in October.

The deer was 10 yards away when Davis put his finger on the trigger.

“I thought, ‘What’s going to happen if I miss?” Davis said. He shot and the buck dropped dead in its tracks.

The father and son were in a ground blind again in November.

Here came deer No. 2, the doe.

“We were sitting there and this deer walks in from nowhere we’d expect,” Davis said with 8-year-old exuberance.

“Dad said it was a yearling and I said it looked like a pretty good size to me.”

The deer was 25 yards out when Davis fired his rifle. Two down, one deer to go. His Triple Trophy was in reach, but only dad knew.

Deer No. 3 didn’t come so easy.

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Davis shows his Triple Trophy Award certificate and patch and the plaque Feb. 7 he won for the winning Washington County deer at the Arkansas Big Buck Classic.

This time Davis and Tracy were in a two-person tree stand with a crossbow.

“This one was weird,” Davis said. “We were up there and here comes a herd of little does, then some little bucks stepped out. We weren’t ready.”

Tracy said the crossbow was cocked but an arrow, called a bolt in the world of crossbows, wasn’t yet nocked on the string.

“Fifteen minutes later a bigger deer with a doe stepped out. Dad said it was a 10-point,” Davis said, excited-like.

Now they were ready. “I pushed down the safety and shot,” Davis said.

SEARCH IS ON

The shot looked good, but Davis and his dad waited the recommended one hour to look for the deer.

It got dark.

The two followed a faint blood trail but still no buck was found.

Emily was on her way with more flashlights and Tracy phoned for help in looking for the deer.

In the end, four people were on the search when, thankfully, they found the buck.

At the Big Buck Classic in Little Rock, Davis was impressed with all things deer, but was most amazed by the rattlesnake pit.

Not only that, Davis got to help draw names at the Classic during the doorprize giveaway.

He’s in an elite group, winning the Triple Trophy at such a young age.

Keith Stephens, Arkansas Game & Fish Commission spokesman, said fewer than 100 8-year-olds have won the Triple Trophy Award since it started in 1984. Game & Fish has presented about 16,000 Triple Trophy Awards total.

So how did dad do during all this Triple Trophy deer hunting.

“Oh he got a little 6-point,” Davis allowed.

This season may be a hard act to follow for young Davis next fall.

Who says you can’t win the Triple Trophy two years in a row?

Outdoor, Pages 6 on 02/14/2013