This weekend, we ran up to the lease for the second weekend of rifle season hunt. My dad, uncle and my son and I were hoping for the best despite not having the greatest weather. This year is my 9 year olds first behind the trigger, after sitting with me since he was 3. We sat Saturday morning, and all we got was a few skeeters, not quite a limit.
We headed back out that afternoon to the same stand in hopes for a few target bucks I’ve been eyeing for him. A hot sunny afternoon turned into nap time, but luckily I woke up in time to see a deer approaching the feeder pen. I saw that it was a big spike and quickly started waking him up. I think that was perfect, because he didn’t have any time to get nervous. We got the gun situated, and waited for the buck to get broadside.
What seemed like an eternity (probably 2 minutes) the buck finally turned broadside under the feeder. He squeezed off a shot, and I watched the buck give a mule kick and leap out of the pen. To my surprise, he acted like he wasn’t hit, and walked right back up to the pen. After he jumped back in the boy rushed a second shot, missing the deer. We watched him leave, and despite outward appearances, I knew he was hit. We didn’t wait nearly long enough, and went down to check for blood. Nothing in the pen or where he jumped out. We walked up to where o last saw him, and my son found a drop of blood. I wanted to teach him to blood trail so we started the tracking job. Not 20 yards later we came up to a good bit of blood, and I knew it was lung.
We followed the blood for another 50 yards and it totally dried up. I started surveying the area ahead looking for a dead deer, but still looking for more blood also. Another 50 or so yards in, I heard him. He was gasping for air and I could hear him gurgling when he breathed. We slowly headed that direction, and jumped him up... no follow up chance. I knew that we had already messed up by pushing him, so I made a decision to move fast and surprise him. We closed the distance fast in a fairly open area and he stood up to run again. This time I was ready and dropped him with my 25-06 to the neck. I wasn’t about to lose my boys first deer, no matter what.
After a quick celebration, we headed to get our gear and my 4 wheeler to get his prize. While walking, I thought about all of the mistakes I made recovering this deer, and used it for a teaching moment with my son. Glad it all worked out, he is on cloud 9! He’s ready to get a bigger buck now, couldn’t have started with a better one.
The AR hit its mark, he had a perfect lung shot. I was very disappointed that it didn’t get both lungs, and there was zero blood from the entry hole. All blood was from him coughing it up. I wanted a solid body shot for his first, less room for error. We will be practicing with his 243 from now on, much better penetration and knock down power!
Oh, and I did better on the skeeters Sunday morning, wore em out!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
We headed back out that afternoon to the same stand in hopes for a few target bucks I’ve been eyeing for him. A hot sunny afternoon turned into nap time, but luckily I woke up in time to see a deer approaching the feeder pen. I saw that it was a big spike and quickly started waking him up. I think that was perfect, because he didn’t have any time to get nervous. We got the gun situated, and waited for the buck to get broadside.
What seemed like an eternity (probably 2 minutes) the buck finally turned broadside under the feeder. He squeezed off a shot, and I watched the buck give a mule kick and leap out of the pen. To my surprise, he acted like he wasn’t hit, and walked right back up to the pen. After he jumped back in the boy rushed a second shot, missing the deer. We watched him leave, and despite outward appearances, I knew he was hit. We didn’t wait nearly long enough, and went down to check for blood. Nothing in the pen or where he jumped out. We walked up to where o last saw him, and my son found a drop of blood. I wanted to teach him to blood trail so we started the tracking job. Not 20 yards later we came up to a good bit of blood, and I knew it was lung.
We followed the blood for another 50 yards and it totally dried up. I started surveying the area ahead looking for a dead deer, but still looking for more blood also. Another 50 or so yards in, I heard him. He was gasping for air and I could hear him gurgling when he breathed. We slowly headed that direction, and jumped him up... no follow up chance. I knew that we had already messed up by pushing him, so I made a decision to move fast and surprise him. We closed the distance fast in a fairly open area and he stood up to run again. This time I was ready and dropped him with my 25-06 to the neck. I wasn’t about to lose my boys first deer, no matter what.
After a quick celebration, we headed to get our gear and my 4 wheeler to get his prize. While walking, I thought about all of the mistakes I made recovering this deer, and used it for a teaching moment with my son. Glad it all worked out, he is on cloud 9! He’s ready to get a bigger buck now, couldn’t have started with a better one.
The AR hit its mark, he had a perfect lung shot. I was very disappointed that it didn’t get both lungs, and there was zero blood from the entry hole. All blood was from him coughing it up. I wanted a solid body shot for his first, less room for error. We will be practicing with his 243 from now on, much better penetration and knock down power!
Oh, and I did better on the skeeters Sunday morning, wore em out!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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