Every hunter remembers the first time an animal stepped into range. The quickening breath. The thump of a heartbeat you can hear in your ears. The weight of the moment settling into your hands. That rush is electric and unforgettable. But what comes after it, the choice you make in that breathless pause, can shape the hunter you become for the rest of your life.
In northwest Mississippi, Lakeisha and Henry Woodard of HALO Hunting (Henry and Lakeisha Outdoors) witness that defining moment in their daughter Harmony, showing how mentorship, family, and patience guide young hunters far more than any shot ever could.
Harmony isn’t new to the outdoors. She has harvested a turkey and practiced diligently for deer season. But this year, she hopes for something special—a chance at “the big six,” the family’s name for a heavy six-pointer they’ve been watching on camera and in the field. The anticipation alone has her buzzing with excitement.
Before turning to Harmony’s hunt, the episode follows Lakeisha on an evening sit. Conditions are warm and windy, but when a doe finally steps into a perfect lane, she steadies herself and makes a clean, broadside shot. Her success is more than meat for the freezer. It’s an example for her children of resilience, respect, and doing things the right way.
Later, Harmony climbs into the stand with both parents beside her. Three does step out. Her breathing changes. Her dad whispers steady encouragement. Her mom watches with a calm only experience can bring. This is the moment Harmony has trained for.
She settles in behind the rifle.
Lines up on the deer.
Holds her breath as the woods fall silent around her.
Then, in the middle of all that adrenaline and anticipation, something inside her shifts.
“I’m not ready,” she says softly.
There is no disappointment, only pride. “If you’re not ready to pull the trigger, you don’t have to,” Lakeisha reminds her.
“I wanted to make sure my intentions were not her intentions,” Henry says .
Harmony leaves the woods without a harvest, but with something even more important: trust in herself. “Even though I did not shoot a deer, I was still grateful that I hunted… there’s always another day” she says.
And her parents beam. “She showed me she is her own person,” Henry reflects. “That’s what we want to develop in the outdoors”. Lakeisha adds, “We don’t want to pressure our kids into doing anything they don’t want to do”.
This is what youth mentorship really looks like. Not pressure, but patience. Not expectation, but confidence in one’s decisions. When families take this approach, the outdoors becomes a place where character grows as surely as skill.
Watch the Ascend episode to see how one family turns a deer hunt into a lasting lesson in values, courage, and heart.
Learn more at ducks.org/ascend.
The Women's Outdoor News, aka The WON, features news, reviews and stories about women who are shooting, hunting, fishing and actively engaging in outdoor adventure. This publication is for women, by women. View all posts by The WON
