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TYHP hunt this past weekend

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    TYHP hunt this past weekend

    Long story. Wanted to show off my son’s first deer and it turned into a memoir.

    TL;DR version: TYHP is great and my son shot his first deer and bobcat with them. See pics below.

    Long version:

    My son, Caleb, was drawn for a youth hunt at Red Wing Ranch in Megargel this past weekend. I can't say enough good things about TYHP. I’d like to give a huge thank you to all landowners that allow these kids to come out and hunt. If you don't have a good place to take your kids hunting you should definitely look into it. tyhp.org

    We met some great people and the Huntmaster and guides were awesome. This was Caleb’s first hunt. I had a lease when he was younger but he was too young to hunt and doesn’t remember much of it. I happened to come across a link to TYHP when I was researching public land options.

    We arrived Friday evening, met everyone, and went over safety and shot placement. Off to bed with restless sleep anticipating the morning hunt. Three does and two bobcats were taken among four hunters for the weekend. Caleb was lucky enough to take a doe Saturday morning and a bobcat that evening.

    At first light three does and a button buck were working some hand corn at 60 yards. An inordinate amount of patience was exhibited... by the guide and myself! We knew what Caleb didn't: that he needed to get the shot off because this may be his only opportunity.

    After what seemed like an eternity of positioning his chair, adjusting the three cushions he needed to sit on to aim, and communicating which deer was the target, he was ready for the shot. Perfectly broadside, holding MY breath waiting for the shot..."Dad, I need my ears". It's ok the barrel is out the window. Waiting for the shot. "I think I need them". Ok - digging through his pack to get them. Got them on, more set up, deer in new positions so more deer ID. Finally ready for the shot which is coming any second now. She spooks and trots across the field taking the rest with her. So close. She never gives him another shot.




    We're having fun watching a few small bucks in the area when two more does work their way to more hand corn. This time they're at 100 yards and moving away. More set up and deer ID but this time his ears are already on. I ranged her at 135 yards but didn't want to say anything. He had only practiced out to 100 yards but shot a 2” 5 shot group at that range so I wasn’t concerned. He makes a great double lung shot and she only takes a couple of steps. No buck (doe) fever here; he was Mr. Cool. High fives all around. While we’re waiting to go see his deer we see a giant hog crossing the field behind us. He was moving too fast for a shot but was taking the same path as some deer that had shown up earlier. We kept an eye out but never saw him again.





    There is a stand known as “The Bobcat Stand”. Turns out there is a good reason for that. That same morning at this stand one of the hunters took a bobcat that was in a tree, eating a rabbit, about 20 yards from a sleeping coyote. Fast forward to the evening hunt and Caleb moves to the “The Bobcat Stand”. He has taken a deer so he is only hunting pigs and varmints. The Huntmaster/Guide surprises us with a handheld electronic caller. Caleb got a big kick out of the different sounds. The injured cottontail starts wailing and before you know it I catch movement 40-50 yards out the left side of the blind. A good size bobcat is bounding toward us. He pulls up at 20 yards and sits on his haunches searching for the wounded rabbit. Then he starts stalking in and Caleb fires at 18 yards.

    That was probably the most intense few moments I’ve ever had hunting. Everything happened so fast and I was hoping beyond hope that the cat was going to stay put long enough for a shot. Caleb pulled it off; even with a bit of “cat” fever and pretty rapid breathing this time. He was able to get set and get the shot off. I was pretty certain he hit mid body. The cat takes off and we get a good bead on where he went. We give it a while then go check. We’re starting to doubt a hit when we find a bit of blood where he went into some thick briars. We circle around and just after getting to where we think he would have come out we jump him. He only goes about 15 yards and I’m the only one that can see him so the rifle gets passed to me. I probably could have shot him then but I wait to let Caleb take the shot. He gets set but the cat moves before he can find him in the scope.

    We decide to back out and give him some time. We wait until last light and go back to where we last saw him. There is good blood where we jumped him earlier and a decent blood trail from there. Now it’s dark with the guide in front with the rifle, then Caleb, and then me. We get into some thick briars and the guide goes around while I go into the briars a bit to find next blood for a direction. Caleb is behind me and has pulled his pocket knife out ready to defend himself. He mentions his concern that there is a trail leading to him from the briars. I reassure him the cat has to go through me before it gets to him.

    Now the guide is about 10 yards away with the rifle, I’m on my hands and knees looking for blood, and Caleb says, “Do you hear that?” Everybody freezes and we can hear panting somewhere between me and the guide. We search everywhere with the flashlights but can’t pick him out of the briars. We weigh our options and decide to back out again and come back after dinner. It’s decided that we’ll wait and search in the morning from a safety standpoint.



    The next morning we’re on our way to “The Bobcat Stand” and what do we see at the base of the stand? Yet another bobcat just before it runs into the brush. We hunt a couple of hours seeing a few deer pass through and glass a bunch feeding a couple of pastures over. We decide to go find the cat. We get to where my hat was left on a limb and what do you know? There lies Caleb’s cat about three long steps from where I was on my hands and knees in the dark. High fives again.





    What a tremendous experience! Memories that will last a lifetime.

    #2
    Congrats!

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      #3
      As good as it gets
      Waydago!

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        #4
        Very cool!

        Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

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          #5
          Congrats! So awesome!

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            #6
            Attaboy Caleb!
            Dad too.

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              #7
              Greatness. Congrats Caleb and dad.

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                #8
                Awesome!! Mermories that will live forever!!

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                  #9
                  Congrats! My daughter has been able to shoot 8 deer on TYHP hunts. She absolutely loves the program. It's quality time spent, and lots of memories made

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                    #10
                    Thanks guys!

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                      #11
                      That's awesome! Congrats to the kiddo!

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                        #12
                        Awesome. Never heard of Red Wing Ranch in Megargel. Ive got land up there. Where they located from megargel?

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                          #13
                          Looks like a great time was had by all. Congratulations to the young man on his success with both deer and bobcat. Fantastic pictures!

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                            #14
                            Originally posted by splitbeam145 View Post
                            Awesome. Never heard of Red Wing Ranch in Megargel. Ive got land up there. Where they located from megargel?

                            It was southwest of town on the Brazos river.

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                              #15
                              Congrats to your boy. Memories that will last forever

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