Post by 3ptbuck on Nov 15, 2012 1:58:11 GMT -5
Well I don't really know where to start.
As some of you saw in September, my daughter shot her first deer during the youth weekend. She really seemed to enjoy it and has asked to go with me several times and watch me bowhunt. We've had some good times and really close encounters with does and small bucks but nothing I wanted to put a tag on. This past week I decided to look into getting a crossbow so that she could hunt herself instead of just watching me since she can't pull back a legal bow yet. I purchased a Wicked Ridge Invader and she loved it. Knowing gun season is a couple days away I wanted to get her on one last good hunt before the gun crowd came in and changed things. With the OK from her mom, I got her out of school early today and headed to our public land spot.
We got in the stand around 130 and I guess she had a rough day at school because she was snoozing on my arm by 3. Around 315 I heard a buck grunt off in the distance. After I heard it again I woke Becca up and told her I heard one coming. Over the next 20min we heard this buck grunting and carrying on with a doe in a thicket to our left but you can not see into it. Finally the doe popped out 20yds away into the clearing were hunting over. The doe checked us out for a couple minutes then decided all was ok and started head off in front of us. I told Becca to get ready, that the buck would come out any second and follow the doe right in front of us. Then HE stepped out.
I didn't realize how big he was at first but knew at least he would be a great buck for her to take as her second deer. After he took a couple steps and looked up at us like the doe did my jaw about hit the ground. When the doe started getting away from him he lost interest in us and started slowly walking into our shooting lane. At 20yds quartering away I asked her if she was on him since I planned on stopping him for her. She didn't answer but as the buck got to 25yds he turned broadside and stopped giving her the best shot you could ask for. I looked down and asked if she was on him again and before I was ready or even looking back at the deer she shot. Both the entry and exit holes I could see looked great and we both went nuts up in our buddy stand!
Fast forward 45min and she followed a short 30yd blood trail to what's probably the buck of her lifetime. He's a main frame 10 with matching eye guards off the bases but only 1 will measure. Will put a tape and scale on him in the morning but he should go 140" and he's a big bodied pig.
I don't have many places to hunt and even ventured to public ground this year so I am so grateful that she got to experience a hunt like this. Hope you enjoy the pics
As some of you saw in September, my daughter shot her first deer during the youth weekend. She really seemed to enjoy it and has asked to go with me several times and watch me bowhunt. We've had some good times and really close encounters with does and small bucks but nothing I wanted to put a tag on. This past week I decided to look into getting a crossbow so that she could hunt herself instead of just watching me since she can't pull back a legal bow yet. I purchased a Wicked Ridge Invader and she loved it. Knowing gun season is a couple days away I wanted to get her on one last good hunt before the gun crowd came in and changed things. With the OK from her mom, I got her out of school early today and headed to our public land spot.
We got in the stand around 130 and I guess she had a rough day at school because she was snoozing on my arm by 3. Around 315 I heard a buck grunt off in the distance. After I heard it again I woke Becca up and told her I heard one coming. Over the next 20min we heard this buck grunting and carrying on with a doe in a thicket to our left but you can not see into it. Finally the doe popped out 20yds away into the clearing were hunting over. The doe checked us out for a couple minutes then decided all was ok and started head off in front of us. I told Becca to get ready, that the buck would come out any second and follow the doe right in front of us. Then HE stepped out.
I didn't realize how big he was at first but knew at least he would be a great buck for her to take as her second deer. After he took a couple steps and looked up at us like the doe did my jaw about hit the ground. When the doe started getting away from him he lost interest in us and started slowly walking into our shooting lane. At 20yds quartering away I asked her if she was on him since I planned on stopping him for her. She didn't answer but as the buck got to 25yds he turned broadside and stopped giving her the best shot you could ask for. I looked down and asked if she was on him again and before I was ready or even looking back at the deer she shot. Both the entry and exit holes I could see looked great and we both went nuts up in our buddy stand!
Fast forward 45min and she followed a short 30yd blood trail to what's probably the buck of her lifetime. He's a main frame 10 with matching eye guards off the bases but only 1 will measure. Will put a tape and scale on him in the morning but he should go 140" and he's a big bodied pig.
I don't have many places to hunt and even ventured to public ground this year so I am so grateful that she got to experience a hunt like this. Hope you enjoy the pics
