Mica Man
Well-known member
So last month I had the opportunity to take my two oldest kids ages 13 and 10 deer hunting on the breaks of the Salmon River here in my home state of Idaho. Both kids were excited, as was I. As I'm sure the same is for many of you. Some of my fondest memories growing up have been on hunting or fishing trips with family or friends and I was looking forward to sharing this time with them.
We started off the first evening glassing up a few small bucks that amazingly the kids opted to pass on. Then right before dark we spotted a nice solid 4 point with deep forks that ended up giving us the slip. Not too difficult for this deer to avoid us as three people trying to make a stalk do make some noise. We did see some promising country and had an idea where we wanted to be in the morning.
The next day we worked our way to the rim of a large canyon to begin glassing. Right before I was going to sit down to glass up jumped a small 4 point about 80 yrds away that tore off down and around the roll of the ridge we were on. I looked further down the hill and could see another small buck looking up at us from under a large rose bush about 120 yrds away. As I was trying to direct my kids to it's location up stood 5 bucks with three of them being decent 4 points.
It did not take long before these deer were following the same escape route that the first buck took, down and around the roll of the ridge. I encouraged the kids to hustle down the ridge in hopes of catching the deer before they made it across a small draw and up the adjacent ridge. We clamored down the hill the best one excited dad and his two kids could go till we came to a small rock outcropping with a view.
As if on que the five bucks came out of the draw and up the adjacent ridge about 150 yds away stopping broadside. The kids were asking which ones to shoot and trying to get a good rest to make a shot. With me trying to give directions and us moving around it just didn't happen. Instead of heading up around the adjacent ridge and out of sight all five deer made a bee line straight down hill, across the bottom of the canyon and up the other side.
My heart sank as I felt we had blown our chance. One of the bucks split from the five and continued down the canyon and out of sight but the other four began to mill around on the opposite hillside. I took out my rangefinder and began to take some readings. It was a long way away. I spoke with my daughter and asked her if she felt comfortable taking a shot at that distance. She felt confident so I figured I would let her take one shot.
I set my pack out across the rock outcropping so that she could stand leaning against the rock for a steady rest. I discussed where she would need to hold in order for her to make the shot and told her not to shoot unless the deer was broadside and not moving. She voiced understanding and I stood by watching through my binos. The smallest of the four deer stopped and turned broadside and she said she was going to shoot.
At the report of the gun the buck jumped and made a mule kick! It looked like a solid hit from what I could see. The buck started to make a few steps down the hill becoming wobbly on it's feet. The other three bucks just stood there looking at their wounded friend as he tipped over dead. By this time my 10 yr old son was getting on the gun and trying to find one of the three remaining bucks in the scope for a shot.
It did not take long before the remaining three bucks headed up and away from their fallen buddy. I continued to range the deer as they got further and further away with my son following them in the scope. I admit they got far enough out that I was telling my son they were too far for a shot. I remember him saying "dad the first buck is going to stop let me shoot him"
In the back of my mind I thought "no way in hell am I going to let him take a shot at this buck"! My next thought was "this will be a great teaching experience for him to realize what is too far to shoot". "Let him take one shot and miss and then discuss it with him". The lead buck stopped broadside. I gave him the hold over and watched through by binos. At the rifle report the buck humped up, turned and ran down hill approx 30 yrds. He stopped, began to sway back and forth and then tipped over! Unfreaking believable!
I was in complete amazement at what my kids had just done. Two great shots had produced two deer. Both kids used the same 243 shooting 100 gr. Partition hand loads. My daughter had shot her buck at 411 yrds and my son's was at 515. Call it crazy, lucky or something else but I had two excited kids and memories of a hunt that will last a lifetime!
Daughter pointing where her deer is lying.
Son pointing where his deer is lying.
[/ATTACH]
My son standing at his deer pointing where they shot from.
We started off the first evening glassing up a few small bucks that amazingly the kids opted to pass on. Then right before dark we spotted a nice solid 4 point with deep forks that ended up giving us the slip. Not too difficult for this deer to avoid us as three people trying to make a stalk do make some noise. We did see some promising country and had an idea where we wanted to be in the morning.
The next day we worked our way to the rim of a large canyon to begin glassing. Right before I was going to sit down to glass up jumped a small 4 point about 80 yrds away that tore off down and around the roll of the ridge we were on. I looked further down the hill and could see another small buck looking up at us from under a large rose bush about 120 yrds away. As I was trying to direct my kids to it's location up stood 5 bucks with three of them being decent 4 points.
It did not take long before these deer were following the same escape route that the first buck took, down and around the roll of the ridge. I encouraged the kids to hustle down the ridge in hopes of catching the deer before they made it across a small draw and up the adjacent ridge. We clamored down the hill the best one excited dad and his two kids could go till we came to a small rock outcropping with a view.
As if on que the five bucks came out of the draw and up the adjacent ridge about 150 yds away stopping broadside. The kids were asking which ones to shoot and trying to get a good rest to make a shot. With me trying to give directions and us moving around it just didn't happen. Instead of heading up around the adjacent ridge and out of sight all five deer made a bee line straight down hill, across the bottom of the canyon and up the other side.
My heart sank as I felt we had blown our chance. One of the bucks split from the five and continued down the canyon and out of sight but the other four began to mill around on the opposite hillside. I took out my rangefinder and began to take some readings. It was a long way away. I spoke with my daughter and asked her if she felt comfortable taking a shot at that distance. She felt confident so I figured I would let her take one shot.
I set my pack out across the rock outcropping so that she could stand leaning against the rock for a steady rest. I discussed where she would need to hold in order for her to make the shot and told her not to shoot unless the deer was broadside and not moving. She voiced understanding and I stood by watching through my binos. The smallest of the four deer stopped and turned broadside and she said she was going to shoot.
At the report of the gun the buck jumped and made a mule kick! It looked like a solid hit from what I could see. The buck started to make a few steps down the hill becoming wobbly on it's feet. The other three bucks just stood there looking at their wounded friend as he tipped over dead. By this time my 10 yr old son was getting on the gun and trying to find one of the three remaining bucks in the scope for a shot.
It did not take long before the remaining three bucks headed up and away from their fallen buddy. I continued to range the deer as they got further and further away with my son following them in the scope. I admit they got far enough out that I was telling my son they were too far for a shot. I remember him saying "dad the first buck is going to stop let me shoot him"
In the back of my mind I thought "no way in hell am I going to let him take a shot at this buck"! My next thought was "this will be a great teaching experience for him to realize what is too far to shoot". "Let him take one shot and miss and then discuss it with him". The lead buck stopped broadside. I gave him the hold over and watched through by binos. At the rifle report the buck humped up, turned and ran down hill approx 30 yrds. He stopped, began to sway back and forth and then tipped over! Unfreaking believable!
I was in complete amazement at what my kids had just done. Two great shots had produced two deer. Both kids used the same 243 shooting 100 gr. Partition hand loads. My daughter had shot her buck at 411 yrds and my son's was at 515. Call it crazy, lucky or something else but I had two excited kids and memories of a hunt that will last a lifetime!
Daughter pointing where her deer is lying.
Son pointing where his deer is lying.
[/ATTACH]My son standing at his deer pointing where they shot from.
