SFC B
Well-known member
As I alluded to in my looooong post in Europe's thread, without doubt I have 2 equally great memories that I hold highest.
First, was being with my son when he took his first deer. When we were stationed at Bragg I got him out during youth season and he saw a doe but had no chance to connect. A couple of years went by and while home in IN on leave from the Army a land owner/friend let me take him out with no restriction on what could be taken. We set up in a depression in the middle of a small cut corn field on Thanksgiving night. The little spot gave us concealment with tall weeds and grasses while allowing us to be within 150 yards of 2 nice long field edges. We sat on Home Depot buckets and with only a little bit of shooting light left a 2.5 yo buck poked out about 350 yds away at the edge of the property. He was moving perfectly toward us along the edge. The boy had to steady himself from buck fever and his shot was high but dropped the buck. We had to hustle to dress the deer and get it to the processor but I will always remember how his face first showed some anguish and thoughtfulness of the moment and then changed into a look of accomplishment.
Next was Hunting Princess taking her hog After a deployment a friend from TX hooked me up with a rancher in south of San Antonio who offered up a stay for the family and a management deer up to 130 if I could get there. Mama, I, the boy and HP loaded up the truck and headed southeast. The rancher offered up hunting for the boy as well. First thing the first morning I pulled the trigger on a mature buck right at the edge of what I could shoot (high 120s). Later in the morning the boy got a really OLD 3x. We were both well chuffed. That afternoon after taking care of the deer we went back out and took a couple of cull bucks that the management plan said had to go. The following morning we took some time to shoot at the range they had on the property. We had brought HPs .22 cricket that she had gotten only a month before and she had pride of place. After filling up the center ring from 15 yds the ranch hand asked if she wanted to shoot his AR (he urged her on saying his 6 yo boy had taken deer with it knowing that she was 8 yo and competitive ) At 50 yds she was within an inch so we moved to 100 yds and she was still within 2in. The ranch hand said with shooting like that she was welcome to take a chance at a pig if we could find some. That afternoon we headed to a blind at the intersection of a main and secondary senderos. When the feeder went off deer started to drift in for chow. After about an hour a group of pigs entered the mix. HP couldn't get her chair high enough to get a sight picture out the blind. She hopped up on my lap and we got her in position with the rifle resting on the window ledge of the blind and the waiting game began. The pigs and deer continually milled about never giving a clear shot. HP started to get a little frustrated and I had to calm her. With only a few minutes of light left only a sow and doe remained in the picture. Finally the doe walked off. HP settled on the rifle and I asked if she had a good sight picture. She said yes. I said "Whenever you are comfortable pull.....BAMMM!!!" She was apparently ready and double lunged the sow at 90 yds. She was a little more steely than her brother and couldn't wait to put hands on. We tossed the old girl in the truck and headed back to the dressing station and walk in cooler. I was afraid the dressing might put her off but she insisted on helping. The ranch hands made a special effort to praise her for helping control the hog population. Our first meal at home on return was pork......HER pig as she reminded us Here are the pics for each
First, was being with my son when he took his first deer. When we were stationed at Bragg I got him out during youth season and he saw a doe but had no chance to connect. A couple of years went by and while home in IN on leave from the Army a land owner/friend let me take him out with no restriction on what could be taken. We set up in a depression in the middle of a small cut corn field on Thanksgiving night. The little spot gave us concealment with tall weeds and grasses while allowing us to be within 150 yards of 2 nice long field edges. We sat on Home Depot buckets and with only a little bit of shooting light left a 2.5 yo buck poked out about 350 yds away at the edge of the property. He was moving perfectly toward us along the edge. The boy had to steady himself from buck fever and his shot was high but dropped the buck. We had to hustle to dress the deer and get it to the processor but I will always remember how his face first showed some anguish and thoughtfulness of the moment and then changed into a look of accomplishment.
Next was Hunting Princess taking her hog After a deployment a friend from TX hooked me up with a rancher in south of San Antonio who offered up a stay for the family and a management deer up to 130 if I could get there. Mama, I, the boy and HP loaded up the truck and headed southeast. The rancher offered up hunting for the boy as well. First thing the first morning I pulled the trigger on a mature buck right at the edge of what I could shoot (high 120s). Later in the morning the boy got a really OLD 3x. We were both well chuffed. That afternoon after taking care of the deer we went back out and took a couple of cull bucks that the management plan said had to go. The following morning we took some time to shoot at the range they had on the property. We had brought HPs .22 cricket that she had gotten only a month before and she had pride of place. After filling up the center ring from 15 yds the ranch hand asked if she wanted to shoot his AR (he urged her on saying his 6 yo boy had taken deer with it knowing that she was 8 yo and competitive ) At 50 yds she was within an inch so we moved to 100 yds and she was still within 2in. The ranch hand said with shooting like that she was welcome to take a chance at a pig if we could find some. That afternoon we headed to a blind at the intersection of a main and secondary senderos. When the feeder went off deer started to drift in for chow. After about an hour a group of pigs entered the mix. HP couldn't get her chair high enough to get a sight picture out the blind. She hopped up on my lap and we got her in position with the rifle resting on the window ledge of the blind and the waiting game began. The pigs and deer continually milled about never giving a clear shot. HP started to get a little frustrated and I had to calm her. With only a few minutes of light left only a sow and doe remained in the picture. Finally the doe walked off. HP settled on the rifle and I asked if she had a good sight picture. She said yes. I said "Whenever you are comfortable pull.....BAMMM!!!" She was apparently ready and double lunged the sow at 90 yds. She was a little more steely than her brother and couldn't wait to put hands on. We tossed the old girl in the truck and headed back to the dressing station and walk in cooler. I was afraid the dressing might put her off but she insisted on helping. The ranch hands made a special effort to praise her for helping control the hog population. Our first meal at home on return was pork......HER pig as she reminded us Here are the pics for each