Dads and kids: Passing on deer hunting tradition in Illinois

As a dad, I know the best deer stories aren’t your own.

Take Curt Pazdro.

When he emailed, “Dale, this was a buck of a lifetime,” he was talking about the buck his son Wyatt, of Minooka, shot opening day of Illinois first firearm deer season, Friday, Nov. 18 (photo above). Illinois’ second firearm deer season is Thursday through next Sunday, Dec. 1-4.

Here’s to bucks, dads and kids.

“I hunted in the morning in Kendall County, seeing nothing,’’ Pazdro emailed. “Then I picked Wyatt up at school at 2 [p.m.] and then in the stand at 3.

“The buck came by looking for does working a tree line. Then turned and started running through a cornfield, [Wyatt] had one opening and made a great shot trough the neck and dropped him.

“Emotions took over for both of us, and we shared a bonding moment that will never be broken. Wyatt said to me, `I’m not crying because I’m sad, it’s because I’m so happy.’ A big hug between a son and his father, that only the love of the outdoors can bring.’’

It’s not just dads and sons.

Ken Murphy noted his daughter, Nichole, 19. bagged an eight-pointer Sunday morning in Lawrence County with muzzleloader (above).

“It’s her biggest buck so far [dressed at 205 pounds]. I’m a proud dad!’’ Ken Murphy texted

She is studying to be a wildlife biologist at Stevens Point, Wis.

Kenneth Jahnke of Morton Grove proudly celebrated the first buck of his son Michael, 19, an 11-pointer shot in Clark County (above).

“Took three of us to get in truck: 6-foot bed, I could hardly close tail gate,’’ Jahnke emailed.

Steven Sturtevant sent word his son Steven T. Sturtevant shot one a big 12-point in Bureau County Friday morning (above).

“This will be his third giant he has harvested with a shotgun and one big eight-point with a bow off this property over the past eight years,’’ proud dad emailed.

That deer hunting bond extends well into adulthood for many of us.

Marcus Nack sent a bonding note from a southern Illinois hunt (photo at the bottom).

“We have been hunting together for 15 years, and my father [Don] has made me truly addicted to hunting whitetail,’’ Nack emailed. “While tracking my father’s deer (left) the rain had picked up and the sun went down. On the next day we hiked for about an hour until I found the deer. Three hours later, I harvested my own deer (right).’’

Father lives in Lombard, son is working on his masters in Stevens Point, Wis.

Adding proof deer hunting pulls and holds families together.