Just now getting this post up, as I had a few issues getting pictures loaded up. Youth season in Indiana is always the last full weekend in September. This year was the first year I've had/used trail cameras. We've been getting enough pics of good enough bucks that excitement was growing as the season got closer. Due to circumstances/choices my oldest son was up to bat. We headed to the cabin Friday night after watching the local high school football team (which he will be a part of next year as a freshman) beat a rival on our homecoming night 42-9. We didn't hunt Saturday morning as we were getting quite a few trail cam pictures before and right at daylight. Hung around and watched some college football and headed to the stand at the end of the 3rd quarter of the Notre Dame game. Not a whole lot of activity for the first couple of hours. About 6pm we had 3 does step into the foodplot we were hunting. My son had already stated he wasn't shooting a doe, so we just watched them and tried not to get busted. About 40 mins later they fed off into the woods to the north.
About 7:45 we had a small forked horn buck come into the foodplot. We watched him, practiced getting into shooting position, etc. The practice was needed as I am far from svelte and my 8th grade son is 5'10" and 200+. We kept watching as shooting light/time faded. With 10 mins to go another deer steps into the food plot. My son state's it's a buck and says he's going to shoot it! He gets lined up and I'm kinda coaching him where to aim and wait as he's quartering hard to us. I have my eyes glued to the deer with BANG, my son shoots. Buck kicks his hind feet and runs to are left. I realize he's hit at this point and as he approaches the fence I expect him to take a header into it. Nope. He sails over it with all the grace a whitetail has. At this point I'm getting a bit worried. We hear him in the woods behind and to our left, then a crash! Didn't have to look too hard to find blood nor did he go too far in the woods. My oldest had just shot his biggest buck to date!
IMG_E5600 by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr
IMG_5583 by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr
He experienced a bit of ground shrinkage, but was tickled! I was glad he's as big/strong as he is when it came time to load him into the SXS!! He's now at the age he gets to help with the whole process from field to table. We got the buck hung and skinned that night.
IMG_5601 by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr
For once it was cool enough for youth season to not have to have a rush, late night job to get them into the cooler. The next day we cut the meat and grabbed some ice cream at the Dairy Barn on the way home. Pretty darn good weekend!
PS- The backwards hat in the kill photos is becoming a "thing" for him.
PPS- That ASAT jacket is over 30years old, I remember when my dad bought it for me.
PPPS- Gack info: LH SS Ruger American 243; Federal Fusion 95gr; Weaver K6
About 7:45 we had a small forked horn buck come into the foodplot. We watched him, practiced getting into shooting position, etc. The practice was needed as I am far from svelte and my 8th grade son is 5'10" and 200+. We kept watching as shooting light/time faded. With 10 mins to go another deer steps into the food plot. My son state's it's a buck and says he's going to shoot it! He gets lined up and I'm kinda coaching him where to aim and wait as he's quartering hard to us. I have my eyes glued to the deer with BANG, my son shoots. Buck kicks his hind feet and runs to are left. I realize he's hit at this point and as he approaches the fence I expect him to take a header into it. Nope. He sails over it with all the grace a whitetail has. At this point I'm getting a bit worried. We hear him in the woods behind and to our left, then a crash! Didn't have to look too hard to find blood nor did he go too far in the woods. My oldest had just shot his biggest buck to date!
IMG_E5600 by Tyler Staggs, on FlickrIMG_5583 by Tyler Staggs, on FlickrHe experienced a bit of ground shrinkage, but was tickled! I was glad he's as big/strong as he is when it came time to load him into the SXS!! He's now at the age he gets to help with the whole process from field to table. We got the buck hung and skinned that night.
IMG_5601 by Tyler Staggs, on FlickrFor once it was cool enough for youth season to not have to have a rush, late night job to get them into the cooler. The next day we cut the meat and grabbed some ice cream at the Dairy Barn on the way home. Pretty darn good weekend!
PS- The backwards hat in the kill photos is becoming a "thing" for him.
PPS- That ASAT jacket is over 30years old, I remember when my dad bought it for me.
PPPS- Gack info: LH SS Ruger American 243; Federal Fusion 95gr; Weaver K6
