1981. My first gun was a Winchester 1400 12 gauge my parents got me for Christmas. I had been squirrel and dove hunting with my dad with it for a couple years but he didn't deer hunt. My uncle was in a dog club so I asked him to take me. He took me and my cousin for our first deer hunt on the same day. I really didn't know what to expect but man it sure was fun.
We stopped for breakfast on the way, met up with the other hunters and they planned the first drive. It was about 12 degrees and we were riding in the back of the truck to the entrance to the property then we were mud riding falling all over each other boggin through the mud. We stopped and my uncle said hop out here load your gun shoot a deer if one comes by, if a dog comes by catch it.
Didn't get a deer on that drive but I did catch a dog so I felt like I had done good.
We did this a couple more times then ate BBQ for lunch. Everybody decided we would do one more drive before calling it a day. I was the first bystander out of the truck for this drive and closest to the road so they told me what ever else happened catch the dogs. A little btw later I heard the dogs strike up and they were heading my way. I heard something running towards me so I got ready and all of a sudden a doe popped out right in front of me. I brought the gun up and at the shot ,she rolled. Then all of a sudden there were dogs everywhere. When the truck came back to pick me up I had the doe and 6 hounds.
After that I was hooked. Been hunting ever since. Don't dog hunt any more but sure would like to do it again for old times.
Crazy thing about that hunt. It was mine and my cousins first hunt, I've been hunting ever since but my cousin never went again.