Illinois Youth Gun Season (first buck)
10-16-2017, 06:49 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Northern IL
Posts: 268
Illinois Youth Gun Season (first buck)
Flew my 11 year old grandson up from NC for a taste of the Illinois Youth Gun Season.
He has taken some does with his x-bow, he was still in search for his first buck.
It was warm, windy and a thunder storm was moving in.
We sat in the truck till it passed, the radar was good, so we set up on the edge of a freshly harvested bean field for an evening hunt. Within an hour there were 5 does feeding 50 yds from the stand, 4 more does and 2 small forks joined the other deer in the field.
Now we have 11 deer within 50 yds. I told him no forks, he was good with that. The deer just kept feeding in the same area (almost an hour). Another buck walked out, it was a 70-80 class buck, I asked him if we should, he said yes. Then I see more movement in the thicket and out steps a bigger buck.
Now we have 13 deer within 50yds of us, the 2 forks started jousting taking the attention of the other deer so we made the move to get into position. The Savage 220 was in position, his breathing was loud and heavy, he squeezed. All the deer went one way after the shot but the buck turned and bolted back into the thicket where he first came from and disappeared. I asked how the shot felt, he said he was right on it. We sat in stand till dark, almost an hour, probably the longest hour of his life. He did all the tracking, I just sat back and watched the excitement of him finding the first sign leading to his first buck, a nice 10 pointer. He was definitely the happiest kid on earth. I was so proud of that young man. The deer dressed out at 178 lbs.
He has taken some does with his x-bow, he was still in search for his first buck.
It was warm, windy and a thunder storm was moving in.
We sat in the truck till it passed, the radar was good, so we set up on the edge of a freshly harvested bean field for an evening hunt. Within an hour there were 5 does feeding 50 yds from the stand, 4 more does and 2 small forks joined the other deer in the field.
Now we have 11 deer within 50 yds. I told him no forks, he was good with that. The deer just kept feeding in the same area (almost an hour). Another buck walked out, it was a 70-80 class buck, I asked him if we should, he said yes. Then I see more movement in the thicket and out steps a bigger buck.
Now we have 13 deer within 50yds of us, the 2 forks started jousting taking the attention of the other deer so we made the move to get into position. The Savage 220 was in position, his breathing was loud and heavy, he squeezed. All the deer went one way after the shot but the buck turned and bolted back into the thicket where he first came from and disappeared. I asked how the shot felt, he said he was right on it. We sat in stand till dark, almost an hour, probably the longest hour of his life. He did all the tracking, I just sat back and watched the excitement of him finding the first sign leading to his first buck, a nice 10 pointer. He was definitely the happiest kid on earth. I was so proud of that young man. The deer dressed out at 178 lbs.
Last edited by Bucktail_Bob; 10-17-2017 at 04:06 AM.
10-16-2017, 12:36 PM
#6
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Northern IL
Posts: 268
Rockport, You stuck a nice one, congrats. We hunt just outside of Savanna.
Grandson number two is coming up next year. He is a year younger, he is already demanding a larger one than his brother’s. Sibling rivalry at its best
Grandson number two is coming up next year. He is a year younger, he is already demanding a larger one than his brother’s. Sibling rivalry at its best
