Mia Ferguson of Russell, Kentucky, and her grandfather Larry Kuykendall, a.k.a. “Pop,” have
been deer hunting together since she was 14-years-old. As I listened to their story, it became clear they needed to tell the story using their words––not mine.
Below is a beautiful conversation between a grandfather and his granddaughter. It’s about deer hunting, but if you listen closely, you’ll see it’s mostly about a bond between hearts, literally forged in the woods.

Mia: I graduated from Russell High School in 2021 and just earned my degree from the
University of Kentucky, but every November, I head straight to Western Kentucky to be with my grandparents, especially to hunt with Pop.
Pop: She comes to stay with us the whole month of November. I’ve been retired for 11 years
now and love it. Spending time with my family is the best part.
Mia: We started in 2014 when I was 11. I was too small to reach the trigger, so Pop stood behind me and helped. Every time I came down, I wanted to shoot guns with Pop. That’s how it all began!
Pop: She gives me all the credit, but she’s got the instincts. She’s taken down a deer or two each season and never with more than one shot, except once.
Mia: Last year I shot a 10-point buck at 230 yards. The second shot dropped him.
Pop: I grew up bird and rabbit hunting with my dad, but I didn’t start deer hunting until later in life. Now my hunting is all about getting Mia ready for her hunt.
Mia: I started with Pop’s .22 in the garden and now use his .243 rifle. I’ve always used Pop’s
guns.
Pop: These days, my hunting is more like scouting. About three weeks before she comes in
November, I get up early in the morning and start looking for movement. I check out a few
different spots before she gets here. No trail cams, just walking and watching, and sometimes I’ll take a picture of the deer I see with my phone for Mia.
Mia: Most of our memories come from being together outdoors, but that 10-point last year is pretty much our favorite memory. We saw the buck through binoculars, but I had to head back to school, so Pop kept eyes on him a few days while I was gone.
Pop: She was so nervous someone else would shoot it while she was gone.
Mia: I couldn’t take it anymore, so I skipped class and came back down. We saw him early that morning, but I didn’t have a good shot. Then he came back, and that was my moment. I’d had shoulder surgery, but I just put the gun up and took it. The second shot took him down.
Pop: One time, I got down on my hands and knees and let her shoot a deer across my back. Another time, I braced my arm against a tree trunk at dusk, and she rested the barrel on it to take the shot. We’ve got some tales that’s for sure.
Mia: The most special part is using Pop’s gear. I use his guns, and his dad’s field-dressing knife. Pop taught me everything, and using his stuff makes it all more meaningful.
Pop: These past two years, Mia does it all. She does the shooting, dressing and processing. We make ground venison for spaghetti, chili, tacos, and burgers.
Mia: Last year, we smoked one and packaged the meat to take to school. We shredded it
together around a card table.
Pop: My wife, Mia calls her “Ga”, has breakfast ready when we get back from our hunts.
Mia: Ga always has bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy ready for us to eat.
Pop: I’ve got 10 grandkids. They’ve all made good grades and never been in trouble. I love them all and have special memories with each of them.
Mia: Pop said he wants me to have his hunting stuff. I can’t even think about that without
crying. Thanks to Pop, I’ve got my own knife, sling and gun case, but it’ll always be Pop’s
hunting gear that means the most. He’s got me set.
Pop: I’m 74 and still in excellent health and I love being out in the woods and sharing times with all my grandkids. That’s peace.
Mia: We were raised strong in the Christian faith. When I’m there with Ga and Pop in God’s
creation, it really hits me how lucky I am. I’ve gotten to the point I appreciate things like the land
and he country and just how blessed I am to do this with my grandfather.