Sons first deer, MONSTER... missed
10-30-2005, 09:11 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 2,052
Sons first deer, MONSTER... missed
I have been watching a high 140s 8ptr that is 24"+ wide (inside) all bowseason. (I have killed two bucks from this place that were over 20" but this one DWARFS them.) So needless to say I was very excited about the prospects for my 10 year olds first Juvenile Season gun hunt that opened yesterday morning. I bought hima .243 Model 7 with a 2x7 Nikon Monarch for his 10th birthday last week. He practiced with it too 100yds and was deadly inside of 75 yds and could hold them onto paper at 100 so we agreed about 80 yds would be his max this weekend.
Needless to say yesterday morning a very old 10ptr that I have seen in my cloverpatch every morning I bowhunted, stepped right out at 200yds. He let him go and we tried to set up on a 18" 7pt "cull" but it didn't work either. During lunch I took him too our range and we shot my 22/250 at 200yds and he was wearing out a 3" diamond from a portable shooting table with a LeadSled on it. I moved him up too 100yds with his .243 and he put 2 of 3 into that same diamond and the 3rd one was barely out of the diamond but still deadly. I was proud of his shooting and tried to instill confidence in him for 150yds or so if he felt good with it.
So yesterday afternoon we moved too a shooting house of mine on the otherside of the woods and the first deer we saw was that same cull 7ptr. But he was nearly 200yds and my son just wasn't comfortable. The house has large wooden window sills and he was in a fully adjustable hydraulic typing chair and said he felt "solid". Shortly an even larger buck came out, it a BIG 6 pt cull that I have seen twice during bowseason and each time it had the monster 8 with him. I no more than wondered about the 8 when he stepped out right behind the 6. The closest they got was about 200yds and my son didn't want to take the shot. I was proud of him so we waited until all the deer left the field atpast dark and eased out of thearea in my electric golf "redneck cart".
This morning we greeted the sun in the exact same shooting house and @ 6:20 5 bucks came piling out of the woods from directly across the field. 3 year and halfers and two nice lil 16" two and a half yrs8ptrs. We were watching them when I saw the big 6 again, I could no more react too his sight when the BIG BOY stepped out right behind him! I tried to be calm so as not to over excite my son, but we were both VERY excited and I was as nervous as a whore in church!
The brute finally stood still at about 120 yds and my son took a steady rest (I even raised him up an inch or so with the chair) and after he assured me he was steady and comfortable he cut one loose on the buck. Like an idiot I wasn't looking through my binocs but the buck ran kinda stiff legged into the woods, he actually ran quartering away rightside from us and then turned sharply back too his left on an entry/exit trail as he headed into the woods. He wasn't on a "death run" and certainly wasn't running wide open or hunkered up like he might've been gutshot or something. The other bucks stood around just watching and fed for another 30 minutes before ambling back into the woods. I wonder if perhaps he heard the bullet whiz right over him and being as old as he is he just wasn't going to stand around and ask questions?
We waited 40 minutes before we climbed down, then we walked back too the truck and then drove too the spot where the deer was standing when shot so it was an hour before we actually began looking. I looked HARD allover that area and couldn't find anything. My son is shooting 100grn Interlock BTSP Hornady Custom so surely if he would've hit the deer SOMETHING woulda fell out or gotten scattered or been left on the ground? It is a cut cornfield and still has stalks and cuttings lying everywhere but with our drought the dirt is like powder and blood would be very easily spotted. I continued into the woods (basically a 20acre X shaped lot) and I walked every square inch of it out. I walked every ditch, looked in every treetop, kicked through every patch of tall grass. I feel confident he was NOT in there!
BUT I still feel bad for my son having missed (or lost... I hope not!) his first deer, ESPECIALLY a trophy of a lifetime such as this one. I tried to explain too him that I have only seen about 2 other 8s larger than this one in 20 years of hunting and NEVER seen a deer this wide. But I didn't want him to feel to bad and he just turned 10 lastweek so I doubt he even grasps it fully to begin with. He just kept saying, "That buck is MASSIVE"!!!
Our muzzleloader opens this weekend so hopefully I will get to see that beast again to at least know he is still alive (and I am MUCH more sure of my Savage than I am of my son and his .243). LOL one bright spot, my son asked if I had another muzzleloader so he could go this weekend as well. He really enjoyed it, but I think I am gonna let him "rest" and take him during our gun season next month and get some practice at close range on a few does first!!!
I just don't know what to say or think, [
]
RA
Needless to say yesterday morning a very old 10ptr that I have seen in my cloverpatch every morning I bowhunted, stepped right out at 200yds. He let him go and we tried to set up on a 18" 7pt "cull" but it didn't work either. During lunch I took him too our range and we shot my 22/250 at 200yds and he was wearing out a 3" diamond from a portable shooting table with a LeadSled on it. I moved him up too 100yds with his .243 and he put 2 of 3 into that same diamond and the 3rd one was barely out of the diamond but still deadly. I was proud of his shooting and tried to instill confidence in him for 150yds or so if he felt good with it.
So yesterday afternoon we moved too a shooting house of mine on the otherside of the woods and the first deer we saw was that same cull 7ptr. But he was nearly 200yds and my son just wasn't comfortable. The house has large wooden window sills and he was in a fully adjustable hydraulic typing chair and said he felt "solid". Shortly an even larger buck came out, it a BIG 6 pt cull that I have seen twice during bowseason and each time it had the monster 8 with him. I no more than wondered about the 8 when he stepped out right behind the 6. The closest they got was about 200yds and my son didn't want to take the shot. I was proud of him so we waited until all the deer left the field atpast dark and eased out of thearea in my electric golf "redneck cart".
This morning we greeted the sun in the exact same shooting house and @ 6:20 5 bucks came piling out of the woods from directly across the field. 3 year and halfers and two nice lil 16" two and a half yrs8ptrs. We were watching them when I saw the big 6 again, I could no more react too his sight when the BIG BOY stepped out right behind him! I tried to be calm so as not to over excite my son, but we were both VERY excited and I was as nervous as a whore in church!
The brute finally stood still at about 120 yds and my son took a steady rest (I even raised him up an inch or so with the chair) and after he assured me he was steady and comfortable he cut one loose on the buck. Like an idiot I wasn't looking through my binocs but the buck ran kinda stiff legged into the woods, he actually ran quartering away rightside from us and then turned sharply back too his left on an entry/exit trail as he headed into the woods. He wasn't on a "death run" and certainly wasn't running wide open or hunkered up like he might've been gutshot or something. The other bucks stood around just watching and fed for another 30 minutes before ambling back into the woods. I wonder if perhaps he heard the bullet whiz right over him and being as old as he is he just wasn't going to stand around and ask questions?
We waited 40 minutes before we climbed down, then we walked back too the truck and then drove too the spot where the deer was standing when shot so it was an hour before we actually began looking. I looked HARD allover that area and couldn't find anything. My son is shooting 100grn Interlock BTSP Hornady Custom so surely if he would've hit the deer SOMETHING woulda fell out or gotten scattered or been left on the ground? It is a cut cornfield and still has stalks and cuttings lying everywhere but with our drought the dirt is like powder and blood would be very easily spotted. I continued into the woods (basically a 20acre X shaped lot) and I walked every square inch of it out. I walked every ditch, looked in every treetop, kicked through every patch of tall grass. I feel confident he was NOT in there!
BUT I still feel bad for my son having missed (or lost... I hope not!) his first deer, ESPECIALLY a trophy of a lifetime such as this one. I tried to explain too him that I have only seen about 2 other 8s larger than this one in 20 years of hunting and NEVER seen a deer this wide. But I didn't want him to feel to bad and he just turned 10 lastweek so I doubt he even grasps it fully to begin with. He just kept saying, "That buck is MASSIVE"!!!
Our muzzleloader opens this weekend so hopefully I will get to see that beast again to at least know he is still alive (and I am MUCH more sure of my Savage than I am of my son and his .243). LOL one bright spot, my son asked if I had another muzzleloader so he could go this weekend as well. He really enjoyed it, but I think I am gonna let him "rest" and take him during our gun season next month and get some practice at close range on a few does first!!!
I just don't know what to say or think, [
]RA
10-30-2005, 09:31 PM
#2
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 15
RE: Sons first deer, MONSTER... missed
It's good he is taking it light. Now if only Dad can get the vision of that big ones rear end going back into the woods. I doubt that will ever happen. Your pain may be your sons gain. He has a many years of hunting ahead and is now inspired to find the BIG one that he knows is out there. Good job!
10-30-2005, 10:51 PM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Central Missouri
Posts: 360
RE: Sons first deer, MONSTER... missed
first year I ever went hunting I missed a nice eight point buck at fifty yards cause no one was there to say slow down, take a solid rest. But I recovered go a little pissed at myself and bagged a 145" 14-point buck the next year. Your son will be ready to hit the field anytime you want to take him.
10-31-2005, 07:16 AM
#5
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Darien, IL
Posts: 6,744
RE: Sons first deer, MONSTER... missed
Some folks don't believe it, but missing IS a part of hunting. We all want to know our limits and our firearms limits and try to stay within them. But even when you do operate within the limits - a miss can happen and it has to be dealt with. The bigger the deer, the bigger the hurdle.
But you two both won in my BIG BOOK. You spent time together in God's great outdoors. There are kids who have never been to the woods.
But you two both won in my BIG BOOK. You spent time together in God's great outdoors. There are kids who have never been to the woods.
11-01-2005, 07:07 AM
#7
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: WC FL
Posts: 26,323
RE: Sons first deer, MONSTER... missed
ORIGINAL: DevoMR
Sorry to hear that he missed such a nice deer, but you and your son have shared something that is becoming less and less common - a hunting experience together that you both will always remember.
Sorry to hear that he missed such a nice deer, but you and your son have shared something that is becoming less and less common - a hunting experience together that you both will always remember.
So true!
11-01-2005, 10:09 AM
#8
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location:
Posts: 480
RE: Sons first deer, MONSTER... missed
It would probably help your son become a better shooting hunter if you had him practice with the same type of rest he would be using while hunting. Many people are very good shooters off of the bench, but if they have to rest the same gun on a fallen log they are doomed. Hopefully, with a little more practice and a little less nerves he will be gettinga great trophy this season!
