Now that I can post pics without resizing them (I'm not too tech savy), I thought I would share my 14 yr. old son's youth deer hunt from last fall. The youth hunt is a great thing. It allows plenty of time for teaching a youngster instead of rushing to beat the guy on the next ridge to the game. This hunt was was a great teaching/learning experience.
We spotted a group of 9 bucks late in the morning about 1.5 miles away and watched them bed for the day. One buck stood out and that was the one he was going to try to shoot. We closed on the bucks and got set up about 100 yds. from the nearest bedded bucks. We could see 8 of the bucks but not the biggest one. After laying above the bucks for about an hour and a half I finally spotted an antler sticking out of a juniper. He was not with the main group but bedded down the draw at 143 yds. I laid down my pack as a rest for the butt of the rifle and he used the bipod on the front and got a great rest and dialed in on the buck. That took about 15 min. He wanted to be set up perfectly and we had time. Just as he got set on the buck he stood up but facing us. The buck stretched, shook off and bedded back back down. 2 hours of laying on the bucks, the big one stands up and no shot. Another half hour passed and the other bucks started to get up and feed and spar and rub junipers. Finally the big buck got up again but again head on. He started walking to the right which took him lower and out of sight. All that work to get set up on the buck and now he has moved. Since we had worked on the drill for so long earlier I told him to do the same thing only quicker and without moving much since now the bucks were up and we were in view. When the buck rose back into view he was on him and as soon as he cleared the other bucks he made a perfect shot from 100 yds.
The buck ran a short way and went down yet I had him put in a fresh round and get on the deer again just in case as we let the other bucks move off. Interestingly the next biggest buck walked over to the downed buck and laid his antlers on the ground sideways near the buck. For about 20 seconds he postured and seemed to understand that now he was the big buck. When he was done he bounded off after the other bucks.
The teaching/learning continued as we worked together to bone the deer and prepare for the pack out. We had left the truck at about 11:30 and got back right at dark. Thanks to the structure of the youth hunt we were able to take our time every step of the way so he could learn to hunt instead of just killing a buck. It was a great day in the field with my son.
Waiting for the shot.
Approaching the buck.
Happy kid.
Ready for the pack out.
We spotted a group of 9 bucks late in the morning about 1.5 miles away and watched them bed for the day. One buck stood out and that was the one he was going to try to shoot. We closed on the bucks and got set up about 100 yds. from the nearest bedded bucks. We could see 8 of the bucks but not the biggest one. After laying above the bucks for about an hour and a half I finally spotted an antler sticking out of a juniper. He was not with the main group but bedded down the draw at 143 yds. I laid down my pack as a rest for the butt of the rifle and he used the bipod on the front and got a great rest and dialed in on the buck. That took about 15 min. He wanted to be set up perfectly and we had time. Just as he got set on the buck he stood up but facing us. The buck stretched, shook off and bedded back back down. 2 hours of laying on the bucks, the big one stands up and no shot. Another half hour passed and the other bucks started to get up and feed and spar and rub junipers. Finally the big buck got up again but again head on. He started walking to the right which took him lower and out of sight. All that work to get set up on the buck and now he has moved. Since we had worked on the drill for so long earlier I told him to do the same thing only quicker and without moving much since now the bucks were up and we were in view. When the buck rose back into view he was on him and as soon as he cleared the other bucks he made a perfect shot from 100 yds.
The buck ran a short way and went down yet I had him put in a fresh round and get on the deer again just in case as we let the other bucks move off. Interestingly the next biggest buck walked over to the downed buck and laid his antlers on the ground sideways near the buck. For about 20 seconds he postured and seemed to understand that now he was the big buck. When he was done he bounded off after the other bucks.
The teaching/learning continued as we worked together to bone the deer and prepare for the pack out. We had left the truck at about 11:30 and got back right at dark. Thanks to the structure of the youth hunt we were able to take our time every step of the way so he could learn to hunt instead of just killing a buck. It was a great day in the field with my son.
Waiting for the shot.
Approaching the buck.
Happy kid.
Ready for the pack out.
