What started as a routine deer hunt for local outdoorsman Brian Beaver turned into a memorable multi-generational adventure that highlighted both family bonding and the importance of passing on hunting traditions.
Beaver, 57, of Utica, spent a recent Friday in the woods with his four grandchildren, Bailee, Brooks, Elaina, and Easton, using a recent kill as a lesson teaching them the fundamentals of tracking and field dressing.
“I knew the deer was dead,” Beaver told Mount Vernon News. “I watched it die.”
His grandchildren were out of school that day and wanted to join him when he recovered it. Beaver waited for them to arrive, then let them follow the blood trail through the woods.
“It was great shot,” Beaver said. “Good blood trail. (The deer) only went 60 yards. Cakewalk for them. They just followed the blood, and we sat back and let them do it. They got to within ten yards of the deer, and we asked, ‘Do you see the deer yet?’ They said, ‘No, but right here’s blood.’ Then they finally saw the deer.”
The hands-on experience gave his grandchildren a firsthand understanding of the hunting process, from tracking to field dressing.
“They found the deer and were there for the process of field dressing it and me tagging it,” Beaver said. “We got some pictures with them in it. I wanted them in the picture.”
The experience wasn’t just about the hunt.
For Beaver, a sixth-generation hunter, it was about education, heritage and passing on a love for the outdoors.
“I’ve been hunting since I was seven,” he said. “Some of my best memories are in the woods with my family. Now, I want my grandchildren to have those same memories.”
The recent learning experience with his grandchildren was a culmination of his lifelong passion for hunting and mentorship.
“They showed up with their Nerf guns and boots, and we went out,” Beaver said. “They followed the blood, saw the deer, and all of them pulled up their Nerf guns, shot it, and said, ‘We got him.’ It was just a good time, fun time. They learned a lot.”
With hs own grandchildren are now embracing the tradition, carrying forward the same lessons he learned as a child.Beaver said they show a growing interest in hunting, spending more time in the woods with him and developing the confidence and curiosity he hopes to instill.
“My granddaughter actually shot a six-pointer this year during bow season,” he said. “I’m at the point where I’d rather see others carry on the tradition with my kids and grandkids. I raised both my sons, and they bow hunt. From the time they were seven until they became independent, I taught them how to hunt, not just deer, but squirrel, turkey and rabbit.”
Teaching young people how to hunt is central to his life, he said, and reflects the lessons of patience, respect for nature and enjoyment of the outdoors that he learned from his father and grandfathers.
“I'd rather see them do it than me,” Beaver said. “I’ve been blessed beyond what I should have been hunting, and I just want to spark their interest to see if they enjoy it. If they don’t, they don’t. Whatever they choose to do is what we’ll follow. I feel it’s a good thing for them to learn.”
Beaver’s influence on local hunting extends to his son, Derek Beaver, who runs Dead on Drone Recovery, a business that uses thermal drones to locate deer after a hunt and ensure proper retrieval.
“He’ll go to the property, fly it in the air, find the deer if it’s dead, put a pin for them so they can go in and get it. If it’s alive, he’ll let them watch it and maybe come back a few hours later to check again,” Beaver said.
Beaver’s dedication to youth hunting extends beyond his own family.
He heads Whitetail Heritage of Ohio, a nonprofit organization that supports first-time hunters, handicapped hunters and others. Every year, the group hosts a special hunt on leased properties near Mount Vernon and Danville.
“We have landowners who let us use their property,” Beaver said. “We place a guide and a cameraman in a box blind with the hunters and provide crossbows, clothing and food for the day before taking them out hunting. That’s something my sons and I are proud of. This year, we took 36 hunters, and in one afternoon, they killed 27 deer.”
The organization evolved from a local chapter of the Quality Deer Management Association into an independent nonprofit focused on recruiting and educating new hunters while promoting respect for the outdoors.
It also gives back to the broader community.
Beaver described its annual fundraising banquet, which supports families in need and helps fund educational programs.
“We put our money back into the community; that’s what we do,” he said. “We have a 500-acre lease just outside Mount or Danville, and it’s just for hunting.”
The organization channels its resources into community programs, including providing hunting opportunities and education for new and first-time hunters.
“We maintain a calendar on our website where anyone can fill out an application,” Beaver said. “If you have a first-time hunter or don’t have a place to hunt, we’ll give you a weekend and take you up there to hunt. What we’re doing is giving back. We’re focused on recruiting and educating hunters, and we work closely with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).”
For Beaver, hunting is about much more than the harvest, it is about memories, tradition and bringing satisfaction to those he introduces to hunting.
“I always give back and try to give back,” he said. “I see the joy on people's faces. Many come in who have never shot a bow or deer hunted, and at the end of the day, whether they got one or not, they say, ‘Best I’ve had.’ Even the parents, I’ve made so many friends through this hunt every year. It’s truly amazing.”
Beaver’s hunting history spans nearly 50 years. He fondly recalled learning the skills that now shape his own family life while hunting with his father, uncles and grandfathers.
“One day I wish I could sit in the woods with my grandfathers again,” he said. “I want people to have that experience. If they don’t like it, they don’t. It gets them outside, enjoying nature instead of being glued to computers. Get them outside, into a creek, and muddy. That’s how I was raised. Today, everything is on social media, and the best thing to do is step away from it and enjoy what God created.”
As a construction worker and assistant varsity baseball coach at Utica High School, Beaver makes time to mentor others and pass on life lessons both in the woods and on the baseball field.
“I really enjoy working with the kids in that way, helping them become better people,” Beaver said.
Beaver’s commitment to teaching and mentoring others reflects his lifelong philosophy, helping people is its own reward.
“I just like helping people out,” he said.
