UncleJesse
09-03-2013, 02:18 PM
Finally got to take my son out for his first hunt. He's been wanting to shoot stuff since he was 8 and so finally this was the year he turned 10.
Were out Saturday evening the night before opening to do some scouting on new cut blocks since last year. There were a zillion WT deer out feeding. We came across one 3 pointer in velvet that didn't care that we were watching him from 40 yards away. My son was going crazy saying he wishes it wasn't the day before, etc. Took him back to camp for some sweet dreams.
Opening morning, the 1st, we went to the same spot and saw 3 spike/forkhorns but I couldn't seem to get him the shot i knew he needed to build his confidence. Not discouraged, we went back to camp and waited the day out.
It was all I could do to keep him in camp after about 4pm. The cut blocks were only 1km away and i knew we had to wait until at least 6:30. We headed out and immediately were into deer. At one point, we got out to glass a couple on the hillside 200 yards away and a large growl came from the bushes beside us. We didn't find out what it was, but my son was a bit shook up over it. And no bucks to be seen... yet.
So, we booted down the road to another block and as we were approaching a slash pile, a little spike stood still front-on. My son got out, got a good rest and lined up the crosshairs when along bounds a doe right in front of this velvety spiker. I said don't shoot the doe! She ran off but the spike waited too long. Boom! My son sent a 100 grain partition out of the 243 at 2800 his way - maybe 40 long paces away. He said "Dad, that shot felt amazing! I hit him, I can see him limping." (in my mind, i was wondering if we were in for a long pursuit with a bad shot).
We waited a bit and then went our way to track him down. I was doing my best to show good technique. Here's where he stood, now circle and look for blood in the direction he went. NO BLOOD. Ack! Well, let's follow the direction he went. My son started getting concerned but I was looking ahead enough to know... there he was!
We collected him 20 yards from where he'd shot him. The bottom of the heart was gone and he broke the front leg. Recovered the partition under the hide on the rear of the ribcage. If you look at the pic, you can see the entry hole on the front of the deer just below the ear tip. Couldn't have been a better shot to take out the heart.
What a great introduction to harvesting for the young lad. I'm sure they won't be as easy as this one was.
http://i44.tinypic.com/14ak8ys.jpg
http://i43.tinypic.com/2d7vez4.jpg
Were out Saturday evening the night before opening to do some scouting on new cut blocks since last year. There were a zillion WT deer out feeding. We came across one 3 pointer in velvet that didn't care that we were watching him from 40 yards away. My son was going crazy saying he wishes it wasn't the day before, etc. Took him back to camp for some sweet dreams.
Opening morning, the 1st, we went to the same spot and saw 3 spike/forkhorns but I couldn't seem to get him the shot i knew he needed to build his confidence. Not discouraged, we went back to camp and waited the day out.
It was all I could do to keep him in camp after about 4pm. The cut blocks were only 1km away and i knew we had to wait until at least 6:30. We headed out and immediately were into deer. At one point, we got out to glass a couple on the hillside 200 yards away and a large growl came from the bushes beside us. We didn't find out what it was, but my son was a bit shook up over it. And no bucks to be seen... yet.
So, we booted down the road to another block and as we were approaching a slash pile, a little spike stood still front-on. My son got out, got a good rest and lined up the crosshairs when along bounds a doe right in front of this velvety spiker. I said don't shoot the doe! She ran off but the spike waited too long. Boom! My son sent a 100 grain partition out of the 243 at 2800 his way - maybe 40 long paces away. He said "Dad, that shot felt amazing! I hit him, I can see him limping." (in my mind, i was wondering if we were in for a long pursuit with a bad shot).
We waited a bit and then went our way to track him down. I was doing my best to show good technique. Here's where he stood, now circle and look for blood in the direction he went. NO BLOOD. Ack! Well, let's follow the direction he went. My son started getting concerned but I was looking ahead enough to know... there he was!
We collected him 20 yards from where he'd shot him. The bottom of the heart was gone and he broke the front leg. Recovered the partition under the hide on the rear of the ribcage. If you look at the pic, you can see the entry hole on the front of the deer just below the ear tip. Couldn't have been a better shot to take out the heart.
What a great introduction to harvesting for the young lad. I'm sure they won't be as easy as this one was.
http://i44.tinypic.com/14ak8ys.jpg
http://i43.tinypic.com/2d7vez4.jpg