Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

5 year old boy + crossbow = BBD!!!

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    5 year old boy + crossbow = BBD!!!

    Brooks and I can’t possibly thank Jeremy (STGS), Jason, and Kevin (Texastaxi) for a weekend that we will never forget! Brooks was able to get his first deer (an old 8 with a little kicker) with his crossbow, and I was able to connect with a big drop tine buck and a buck we nicknamed flyer! I will post kill pics first for those who don’t like to read the story part!

    Story to follow...







    It all began earlier this year when Jeremy and I were trying trying to get a date nailed down for a hunt at the 4R. The only dates I could get to work during November was a weekend that Brooks would have to tag a long due to some prior obligations for my wife. When I broke the news about Brooks coming on the hunt, Jeremy said absolutely! Brooks has been practicing for a while with his crossbow and shot a few hogs already, but Jeremy gave us the green light to bring it to shoot hogs and possible some does (at the time, none of us imagined that he would kill his first buck!). In fact, I was adamant that he stick to shooting hogs only.

    Fast forward to last Thursday, we get loaded up and head west to the 4R after picking Kevin up. Plan for the trip is for me to focus on getting an arrow in the buck we called “goody drop tine” and possibly another buck called “flyer”. Kevin was on doe duty, and Brooks was on hog duty with the possibility of shooting a doe.

    The first morning finds Brooks and I in a Krivoman blind where the goofy drop tine frequented.





    After watching a bunch of different bucks running around, he finally showed himself! We played cat and mouse for a while. I had him anywhere from 10 yards to 45 yards, but couldn’t get a clear shot. At one point, I thought he was leaving, then he turned back and worked into my far left shooting lane. Unfortunately, I couldn’t position the video camera on him, and I felt like this was my last opportunity. So I let the arrow fly! I felt great about the shot until he turned and ran the other way. I saw that my exit was pretty far back and I had misread the angle. Thankfully, he ran behind the feeder and wobbled then disappeared out of sight. I wasn’t sure if he had dropped or ran off. Soon after, he got up from where I had last seen him and ran directly into the feeder pen and flipped over. After a few seconds, he was down!!! The best part was that my son was right there by my side for the entire thing!!!









    After cleaning deer all morning and running into town for some lunch, we started planning for the evening hunt. Plan was for Brooks and I to switch blinds where “flyer” was seen periodically, but also to take Brooks’ crossbow to shoot a hog or maybe a doe.

    Soon after getting set-up with me in the shooters position, flyer shows up but never offers a shot. After a few passes, he eventually walks away out of sight and I thought the opportunity was over since he is so sporadic. About that time, a heavy old 8 point feeds in about 10 yards from Brooks’ window. His eyes light up and he asks if he can shoot him. Again, I was adamant that he was only shooting hogs and maybe a doe if he was lucky. I kept reiterating this to him and watch the sorrow over take him. Pretty soon I got a text from Jason, who was watching from the rifle blind, saying that the heavy 8 was one of the management bucks they wanted shot. My gears started turning and I secretly decided that I was going to let Brooks shoot him (I’m a sucker, I know).

    Remind you, I am I the shooters position with my bow in my lap, Brooks is beside me on a chair with his crossbow against the door behind up, and we are covered in deer anywhere from 10-50 yards on the ground in a Krivoman blind. I slowly started getting windows shut, but had to leave the video camera window open. Brooks starts getting on to me telling me I was going to scare all of the bucks away. I get my bow put out of the way and kneel down on the ground to see if we could somehow switch spots. After Brooks asks me for the 100th time what I was doing, I lean over and whisper “you are going to shoot that big buck” in his ear. I have not ever seen that boy show so much excitement on his face. He was grinning ear to ear!

    Somehow, we were able to switch places, get his tripod set-up, and get his crossbow locked and loaded. Thankfully I checked his field of view before opening the windows again. The windows on the blind were too y’all for him to shoot off his tripod standing. The only way I could get him high enough to clear the window was to get him to kneel on the chair I was sitting in and raise his tripod up another 10-12”. I’m sure we were louder than I hoped, but somehow we managed to get repositioned with out running every deer in the county off. After checking the video camera, I slowly started to open his shooting window. At this time the 8pt was 22 yards away. Once we got settled and the video turned on, the 8 started walking to the feeder (45 yards away with no shot). The sun was going down and I thought we had missed our opportunity, but I kept telling Brooks that we still had time.

    Soon after getting I the feed pen, another buck pushes the 8 out and he starts walking right back to our hand corn. I got the video running and got Brooks back on the crossbow. I waited for the buck the get broadside and clicked his safety off. As I was whispering in his ear to aim above the arrow and slowly squeeze, he lets it rip! I turned to see the buck kick and run (I had no idea where he hit it since I was watching him). The deer ran 50 yards and stoped. I saw the exit was a little low and further back than I liked, but he was dumping blood while he stood there. He finally started moving into the brush and crashed (thank you Jason)!!!

    Brooks couldn’t hardly contain himself! He was shaking like a leaf and kept saying, “I shot a huge buck, I just shot a huge buck daddy!” This kid is consumed with hunting. He watching hunting videos daily, he has sat with me while I hunted since he was 2, he “hunts” in the back yard as often as we will let him, and he has put a lot of time and effort into practicing, learning, and watching. All of it paid off at that moment! My baby boy had shot his first deer, and an old, heavy buck at that! Once he calmed down, he gave me a big hug and said, “I love you Daddy! Thank you for letting me shoot a big buck!” I would be lying if I said I didn’t tear up a little.

    After a bunch of hugs and high fives, we started getting everything packed to go find his deer. I had the video camera rolling the entire time! We met up with Jason and him and Brooks started following blood while I filmed. After a short track, they walked up on his buck and he was able to put his hands on him!!!

    Once I get the video edited and put together, I will get it posted!







    After a late night of cleaning deer and celebrating, we got a game plan together for the next morning. The plan was to sit at the same stand to see if “flyer” came back. I had my doubts since we had shot a deer there the evening before and flyer liked to disappear from time to time.

    Much to our surprise, he was one of the first bucks on hand corn when the sun was coming up! Before I could get a clear shot, he left and went to the feeder (out of bow range). Brooks kept asking why I didn’t shoot and showed some disappointment actually, ha. Finally, flyer jumped out the feed pen and came back to the hand corn. For what seemed like an eternity, he feed toward me or got out of my shooting lane. Eventually, he got to 22 yards and quartered away, I drew and right before I could settle my pin, another buck walked in front of him. After holding too long, I had to let down. As soon as I did, the other buck moved. I recollected myself, drew, settled, and released!!! The shot felt great! Flyer took off to our right and ran with a wobble, but never stopped.

    I kept replaying the shot in my head. I always aim for the opposite leg. In my mind, the shot was good, maybe 2-3” further back than I like, but felt confident with the quarter away. After finding the arrow soaked in blood, I knew this deer was dead!

    We met up with Jason and started the track after talking about the shot and looking everything over. The blood looked good for 20-30 yards, then got very spotty. We followed it for 50-75 yards to a road, but were not finding any merging more than drops. So we went back to the truck and gave it another 20-30 min.

    We got back on the trail and went to a spot where Jason had thought he saw a flash of white from the rifle blind after the buck ran in the brush. Sure enough, there were two very large areas of pooled blood, but no buck!

    We followed sporty blood for another 50 yards or so, and lost it as it went across another road. We made the deification to call in a dog rather than keep tracking and mess the area up. We went back to the truck and reviewed the video footage. On the second draw back on the deer, I didn’t not realize he had take a step forward with his opposite leg and that his leading leg was so far back. Even with the, the shot looked further back than I had remembered. Based off the video, we figured guts on entry and liver on exit. With that info and the amount of blood on the arrow and at the large spots, I was confident the buck was close by, but needed more time.

    Fast forward an hour, Kevin Dubose shows up with two dogs and drops them on the trail. We hang back confident that they will run up on a dead deer quick into the track. Boy was I wrong! Kevin and Jason come back saying that they think they have him bayed up 550 yards away!!!

    In much surprise, we hop in the trucks and get as close to their location as we can. Once we pull up, we can hear the dogs have him bayed. Jason and Kevin jump out and start forcing their way through the black brush. Soon after we here a shot ring out and the dogs go quiet.

    I have bow hunted my entire life. I shot my first deer with a bow at 9 and am 36 now. I know bad shots happen, but I do not like them to happen like this. With some embarrassment and humility, but also gratitude, I waited to hear the battle story.

    As soon as Kevin got close, he said, “I don’t know how that deer was still alive, let alone live enough to fight my dogs! The shot was perfect.” I thought was joking at first, but he said the shot entered at the last rib and came out in the middle of the opposite shoulder! After finally getting to the buck and seeing the shot, we have no clue how he lived that long, ran that far, and was able to fight two dogs for that long. I have killed a lot of animals with a bow, and I love quartering away shots. If I had that shot to do over again, I would of put it in the same place if I knew that was the wound tract I was going to get (the buck was quartering more than I though when looking at the video).

    After autopsy, the arrow went through the liver, diaphragm, one lung, and sliced the edge of the heart.

    I am extremely thankful that we decided to stop the track and call Kevin and his dogs in! He saved the day! We had buck #3 on the ground!!! Flyer, the immortal deer was dead!!







    What an epic trip!!! 3 bucks down with my son by my side!!! It was not over yet though! There was still some fun to be had.

    Saturday afternoon, Brooks and I got in the truck with Jeremy to go fill some feeders and set some snares. I had my new rifle from the APR build that I wanted to get bloody. So we brought it along for a hog or doe.

    When we get to the third feeder 3 big bucks we’re standing there staring down the truck. We looked them over and watched them run away. Right about that time, we both look down the sendero and see something way down that looks like it doesn’t belong. I hang the new rifle out of the window and Jeremy pulls up his binos. After a short second, we both concur it is a coyote. He gives me a quick range (240 yards), and I dialed the scope up. Drilled him! It was weird because the coyote never lifter his head. It looked like he was eating something, and when we drive up on him, he definitely was!

    He was eating a **** king snake!





    Once again, I want to thank Jeremy, Jason, and Kevin for an unforgettable weekend, and most of all for letting Brooks tag along! That kid is officially ruined and has been talking about this trip non stop!!! We are already looking forward to the next one, and we will cherish these memories forever!

    A few more random pics...






    #2
    What a read! Congrats to you both!!

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

    Comment


      #3
      Great story and Congrats to you and Brooks!

      Comment


        #4
        Impressive! Now that's awesome!

        Comment


          #5
          Congrats to you and your son! Great recap.


          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

          Comment


            #6
            Congratulations to you both, great bucks and lots of good memories made!

            Comment


              #7
              Congratulations. Looks like you just got a new hunting buddy and trigger man.

              Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

              Comment


                #8
                Great hunt with great bucks!

                The smile on the little man is priceless! Congrats!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Wowzowers congratulations


                  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Congrats.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Great write up. Congrats to you and your son. That 4R place sounds awesome

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Man i appreciate the write up. Congrats to the little man

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Good stuff! Congrats

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Congrats


                            A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
                            Ecclesiastes 10:2

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Fantastic job dad. And congrats on great deer to you both.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X