If I lost my temper by rummaging in my bag and being too loud, he would growl quietly, and I knew I had better stay quiet. I'm so glad he paid attention that morning. Without him, I would not have had the opportunity to kill my first deer, and it was memorable. As I leaned against the tree, my grandfather tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Do you hear that?” Actually, I did it! I heard the distinct sound of a deer walking towards us. My heart started to race and I could feel my breathing getting heavier and heavier. It was like I had waited ten years for the deer to reach the top of the ridge. Eventually, he skipped looking for food. The deer was, for me, enormous! As the deer approached us, I grabbed my 16 gauge shotgun which was loaded with a gut-breaking, muscle-tearing piece of lead called a slug. It was a gift to me as a child and it only added to the significance of that first murder. I put the gun on my shoulder and brought it closer to my shoulder like Grandpa had shown me. Then I realized I didn't have hearing protection. I said, "Dad! Cover my ears, I'm afraid it'll be loud!" He said, "Damn, boy,