Mackenzie Grenier’s first shot at deer hunting went exceptionally well.

Her father, Tony, was looking one way and the 10-year-old Auburn girl was looking the other. While sitting in the New Gloucester woods with her cousin, a button buck walked into Mackenzie’s view.

“I took aim and shot it,” she said.

A button buck is a male fawn six months old or younger. Because his antlers haven’t yet grown, he has two bumps or “buttons” on top of his head.

It was her first time hunting, her first time firing a .30-6 rifle and her first deer.

“I felt really excited,” Mackenzie said. “But we still had to stay quiet in case other hunters were still hunting. As soon as we got back to the car my dad was, like, screaming, ‘Good job!'”

“It was really fun shooting a deer, but kind of sad at the same time that it had to die,” she said.

Mackenzie is not the only hunter who has had success this hunting season.

Matt Clifford said 335 deer have been cut at Sabattus Deer Processing since expanded archery season opened Sept. 10. 

That is about 40 ahead of last year, said Clifford, a senior at Oak Hill High School who works for owner Greg Provost after school. 

Clifford was skinning a 160-pound, eight-point buck as Alex Wiers and Jacob Spencer made sausage and vacuum-packed cuts of venison.

“We know the deer are eating a lot of nuts because there is a lot of fat,” Clifford said.

While the deer are eating acorns, Mackenzie will be eating deer meat. 

“My brother (Tyler) was so jealous because he hunted last year and didn’t see a thing out there,” she said.

“He wanted some deer meat and I told him no,” she said. “But I’m actually going to give him some, anyway.”