Bob McCarl, 90, of Boyers shot this 8-point buck Nov. 7 while bowhunting in northern Butler County with his son, Ron.

I noticed the large racked buck jogging along the edge of the field as I was sipping coffee and planning my work day. My first thought was that the annual rut was on and the deer had been moving.

When you're a deer hunter and you hear fellow hunters report that the deer are moving, it's time to be in the woods. For archery hunters, it means that your chances of spotting some nice bucks improves as well.

One such hunter never misses an opportunity to be in the woods with his son, grandson or son-in-law. I've run into this fellow at Lake Arthur night fishing for stripers, walleye fishing at Pymatuning and along a trout stream.

He also loves turkey and deer hunting, and he and his family have had many successful adventures while targeting all types of fish and game. The amazing thing about this hunter is that he is 90 years old.

Bob McCarl of Boyers was born in Grove City right after World War I and moved to northern Butler County in 1946. In his 80 years of hunting and fishing adventures, he met quite a few influential outdoorsmen who took their pursuits of North American game to a new level.

Pictures and mounts of many magnificent game animals in his home revealed his family's success. I was most impressed by an Alaskan moose that his son, Ron, had tagged years ago. It was the largest bull moose mount I had ever seen. Beside it were elk and caribou bulls.

However, this story isn't about a game room or trophy hunts, but about a family who still meets for spaghetti on Sundays and for a day of outdoors pursuits any time.

Bob and Ron have hunted together for years and this year was no exception — even if Bob had turned 90 years old in the summer. They still pursued spring gobblers and planned on an archery hunt for bucks in the fall.

Ron and Bob recently planned to hunt some creek bottoms where the thickets grew and creeks meandered slowly around them. Ron had set up a ladder stand for his father and climbed up higher in the same tree above his dad. They were hunting buddies but both recognized the limits age brings.

Bob was very happy with his hunting area and had seen four different bucks. He had a good feeling about his chances as the air was crisp but working toward a beautiful day.

The pair climbed into their stands before daylight to avoid spooking deer, but they could hear some crashing around them in the underbrush. The sound of walking through thickets and splashing in water was unmistakable.

The grunt of a buck convinced them that they were onto something. Ron used a grunt call to gain the attention of the buck, which responded with a return grunt.

Ron warned his father that the buck was interested and on his way. Bob prepared his Horton Hunter crossbow and waited for the buck to come closer.

The buck closed the distance quickly and came into range. He was a nice 8-point and Bob took his shot — and hit the target.

The two hunters tried to collect themselves in the tree when they heard another buck grunting and coming in to their stand. Both watched another buck come toward them on the same trail as the first.

Ron watched the buck as he came closer and closer, but at the last second it zigged when it should have zagged and made its escape into the thickets.

Ron wasn't worried about missing that buck. He knew that he'd have another day to hunt the bottom lands.

But he never would have a better memory than of a successful deer hunt with his 90-year-old father.

Jay E. Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.