Youth elk success

[Deleted member 40728]

Awesome. Congratulations and thanks for sharing

 

[midwesthunter]

Great job!

 

[EKYHunter]

Great hunt. Congrats and thanks for sharing.

 

[HuntNV]

After a whirlwind Wyoming antelope hunt with my youngest son Nash, we returned home just in time to sleep in our beds for a night before heading out on his older brother Hunter’s youth cow elk hunt.

It was a dream come true for me as my Dad joined my sons for a hunt for the first time ever. We were fortunate enough to locate a group the night before the opener in some country we hunted last year. Knowing the lay of the land was helpful as we put together our plan for the morning.

As the sky turned gray a bull was bugling near the tank they had been at the night before. In the dark we started to ease our way into the junipers. The herd bull and a satellite kept up their chorus as we got within 100 yds. We could hear the bull rake the trees between us after each bugle. Right at this time a group of cattle fed around the tree we were using as cover. It didn’t take long and they were trotting off in the direction of the elk The sound of hooves gained volume and it looked like this show might be over. I gave a few cow calls and forged forward for a better view. I rounded a basketball shaped juniper to see 8 cows staring back at me. Just as Hunter got on the sticks they started to trot. One more cow call and the lead cow stopped broadside and looked our way. The 139 gn SST from his 7mm-08 did its job and soon all 4 of us surrounded the giant cow in a group hug. Truly a day never to be forgotten.

I want to thank OE4A who provided Hunter with this opportunity via a donated tag. Hunter has a degenerative nerve condition called CMT. The opportunity for him to go on hunts like this has helped him learn that although his challenges are different than others, he is still capable of doing difficult and amazing things. Each time he fills a tag I remind him that he can do anything. It’s always emotional. God bless everyone who makes these experiences possible.

I cannot wait to start taking my three and five year old out when they are a little bigger. Any tips on how to get them interested? My five year old wants to see guts pictures from my hunts already so I’m planning on trying shed hunting for the first time this spring to get them interested and involved

 

[FlatlanderAZ]

I cannot wait to start taking my three and five year old out when they are a little bigger. Any tips on how to get them interested? My five year old wants to see guts pictures from my hunts already so I’m planning on trying shed hunting for the first time this spring to get them interested and involved

I wish I could say what has got them interested. I don’t really know what it was. Let can say that when we eat game meat, which is multiple times per week, I always tell them what it is and the stories of how it was harvested. We look for animals whenever we are out and about. I praise them immensely whenever they show interest or find an animal or do something else. We watch hunting stuff on YouTube. We listen to podcasts. But all of that is just our life as it probably is yours.

I will say there are a few things NOT to do. Don’t over do it. If you go squirrel hunting and they lose interest then pickup pine cones or look for mushrooms or do something else.

Shooting guns can be at overwhelming for kids, don’t force it unless you have to (I had to force my oldest to get over his fear). The noise seems to be more scary than the recoil. Busy public shooting ranges are terrible for kids.

Buy them warm clothes, good boot, etc bring junk food snacks. Let them stay up late. Make a scavenger hunt of things for them to look for. Pay them for finding deer or elk or whatever.

Overall just make it fun.

 

[CentralValleyHuntin]

After a whirlwind Wyoming antelope hunt with my youngest son Nash, we returned home just in time to sleep in our beds for a night before heading out on his older brother Hunter’s youth cow elk hunt.

It was a dream come true for me as my Dad joined my sons for a hunt for the first time ever. We were fortunate enough to locate a group the night before the opener in some country we hunted last year. Knowing the lay of the land was helpful as we put together our plan for the morning.

As the sky turned gray a bull was bugling near the tank they had been at the night before. In the dark we started to ease our way into the junipers. The herd bull and a satellite kept up their chorus as we got within 100 yds. We could hear the bull rake the trees between us after each bugle. Right at this time a group of cattle fed around the tree we were using as cover. It didn’t take long and they were trotting off in the direction of the elk The sound of hooves gained volume and it looked like this show might be over. I gave a few cow calls and forged forward for a better view. I rounded a basketball shaped juniper to see 8 cows staring back at me. Just as Hunter got on the sticks they started to trot. One more cow call and the lead cow stopped broadside and looked our way. The 139 gn SST from his 7mm-08 did its job and soon all 4 of us surrounded the giant cow in a group hug. Truly a day never to be forgotten.

I want to thank OE4A who provided Hunter with this opportunity via a donated tag. Hunter has a degenerative nerve condition called CMT. The opportunity for him to go on hunts like this has helped him learn that although his challenges are different than others, he is still capable of doing difficult and amazing things. Each time he fills a tag I remind him that he can do anything. It’s always emotional. God bless everyone who makes these experiences possible.

How awesome is that!

 

[FlatlanderAZ]

This is a great story to read. Congratulations to all involved. Thanks for sharing here.

Thanks Randy. Bubba was pretty stoked to hear you commented on his hunt!

 

[reeltight]

Love it. Congrats

 

[gschuster97]

Always great to see young hunters, congratulations!

 

[BlakeA]

Congrats!

 

[Huntingchic2020]

Very cool and memories to last a lifetime. My 14 year old got her first elk last october in the youth hunt in 6A and 5B, on opening day. She keeps asking when we are going to hunt moose.