Brian in Montana
Well-known member
My 12 y/o daughter shot her first deer yesterday. It was a lot of fun to be there for that. We hiked up up into a canyon where my wife and I have shot a few mulies, nothing huge, mostly does and meat bucks. The wind was howling and the deer we saw were way up high. About an hour before sunset, as Shayna was getting cold and starting to lose interest, a handful of does and yearlings appeared from the trees and cooperated nicely. A big doe gave her about a 100yd shot.
She did great, breathed, waited for the other deer to clear, and squeezed. Immediately after the the shot she said, "I missed, I missed!". I watched the does bound up the ridge about 50 or so yards and she stopped and stumbled. I told Shayna, "I don't think you missed. Just chamber another round and get ready to shoot again.". At that point the adrenaline was overwhelming her - she said, "I'm shaking too bad!". About that time the doe wavered and fell over.
She hit her a little far back, and the deer was quartering to a little, so she took out one lung, the liver, and nicked the stomach which always makes a mess, but the shot was completely effective. It was fun to see my little girl do that and watch her go through the swirling hurricane of emotions that comes with taking your first big game animal. She did great and it was a proud moment for her. Today we're going to have fresh tenderloin and heart.
She did great, breathed, waited for the other deer to clear, and squeezed. Immediately after the the shot she said, "I missed, I missed!". I watched the does bound up the ridge about 50 or so yards and she stopped and stumbled. I told Shayna, "I don't think you missed. Just chamber another round and get ready to shoot again.". At that point the adrenaline was overwhelming her - she said, "I'm shaking too bad!". About that time the doe wavered and fell over.
She hit her a little far back, and the deer was quartering to a little, so she took out one lung, the liver, and nicked the stomach which always makes a mess, but the shot was completely effective. It was fun to see my little girl do that and watch her go through the swirling hurricane of emotions that comes with taking your first big game animal. She did great and it was a proud moment for her. Today we're going to have fresh tenderloin and heart.
