I was able to spend nearly 2 weeks with my daughter hunting whitetails this season. The timing was just about perfect as we were smack dab in the middle of the rut here. I was able to take the time and share what little knowledge I know about whitetails with her and in that short time got the chance to see lots of amazing things.
The bucks simply were flat out chasing does and trying to get them to stop was a another thing. At times we saw 3-4 bucks trying for the same doe. During our time out in the pastures it came down to having a hot doe in the right place and at the right time. I talked to her about aging deer on the hoof and things to look for. I certainly wanted her to get her first deer but since we're in a county with antler restrictions it was important that it met the requirements to be legal.
Fast forward to the last morning she was able to hunt before having to return back home to do some girl stuff. There were 6 does along with a spike and a forked horn out in front of us when it was light enough to see. We had seen a nice 8pt earlier in the week that I agreed to let her take if given the chance and deep inside I was hoping it would. It was growing lighter by the minute, the sunrise was beautiful and I was wondering how the day was going to work out. Sitting there reflecting about the good times we had together as well of some low points in the 2 weeks were flashing before me thinking what a great life we're experiencing in front of us. I then come to my senses when I hear her saying "dad there a buck coming out of the sendero on the right at 100yds and it looks like a shooter" I put my glass on him and without a doubt I agreed. Was this the moment we were waiting for? Yes, yes it was!
All we needed now was for it to cooperate and present her a shot. Well there were obviously a doe or two that got his attention and for about what seemed an eternity the thing would not stay still, chasing them all around. At one point a hot doe came through a gate right towards us within 20 yards of the blind we were sitting in with the buck right behind her. It actually stopped by us so close that she couldn't shoot if the tried due to her rifle/window position.
This buck finally took off again and chased a doe . All along I continued to repeat and asked my daughter "are you on it, is the reticle where I told you it needs to be"? I must have said this 20 times or more. . It was 80 yards away, and just as it was turning broadside again and me giving the green light to shoot it bolted again. Dang it I thought to myself, is this buck ever lucky. This time it chased the doe down the sendero 200 yards and out of sight. We sat there staring at each other in disbelief as to what we were watching. I was coming apart inside as I watched this, how could this be? So close but yet so far away. I asked her..."well are you ready to go now"? and she replied quickly "heck NO". She reminded of what I told her days before about having patience and how to wait because anything can happen during the rut.
A few minutes passed by and suddenly a does came out up the sendero in the direction where the buck had went just minutes earlier. I told Cat to be ready as the buck could be right behind her. Sure enough the doe ran across and the buck was just steps behind her. I quickly told her I was going to holler to get him to stop and to be ready to shoot. With that I did my best impression of James Brown with a loud "heyhhh", the deer stopped and asked her again "are you". Well I didn't get the whole phase out before hearing psssssssssssttTHUD! The buck dropped in his tracks and didn't as much twitch. It was dead silence for a second or three, I sat there amazed with my heart just a thumping witnessing my daughter taking her ever first deer. 2 weeks of ups and downs quickly ended with a bang, well not really as it was suppressed.
I had been videoing the action with my Iphone and had captured everything but the actual shot taking place and could kick my self for doing so but the excitement must have gotten to me. Oh well, visual memories were made that cant not be taken away from the both of us.
We fist bumped and sat in the blind reflecting and going over what had happened over the last 20 minutes or so. It was so cool and inspiring to say the least! The deer's white belly and antlers could be seen in the straw colored glass 123 yards away from our vantage point.
Sorry for the long winded story along with the misspelled words and all but this was a great moment in out lives that I wanted to share. She was pretty pumped and woke mom up with a phone call and of course a few boys she knows. They conspired and now the cape and antlers are at the taxidermist.
Long story short........
Cat's first deer, an 11pt with some trash.
123 yard shot taken with a 260 Rem I put together. A Berger 140gr VLD hand load placed high in the shoulder took out some lungs and spine for at instant kill.
The bucks simply were flat out chasing does and trying to get them to stop was a another thing. At times we saw 3-4 bucks trying for the same doe. During our time out in the pastures it came down to having a hot doe in the right place and at the right time. I talked to her about aging deer on the hoof and things to look for. I certainly wanted her to get her first deer but since we're in a county with antler restrictions it was important that it met the requirements to be legal.
Fast forward to the last morning she was able to hunt before having to return back home to do some girl stuff. There were 6 does along with a spike and a forked horn out in front of us when it was light enough to see. We had seen a nice 8pt earlier in the week that I agreed to let her take if given the chance and deep inside I was hoping it would. It was growing lighter by the minute, the sunrise was beautiful and I was wondering how the day was going to work out. Sitting there reflecting about the good times we had together as well of some low points in the 2 weeks were flashing before me thinking what a great life we're experiencing in front of us. I then come to my senses when I hear her saying "dad there a buck coming out of the sendero on the right at 100yds and it looks like a shooter" I put my glass on him and without a doubt I agreed. Was this the moment we were waiting for? Yes, yes it was!
All we needed now was for it to cooperate and present her a shot. Well there were obviously a doe or two that got his attention and for about what seemed an eternity the thing would not stay still, chasing them all around. At one point a hot doe came through a gate right towards us within 20 yards of the blind we were sitting in with the buck right behind her. It actually stopped by us so close that she couldn't shoot if the tried due to her rifle/window position.
This buck finally took off again and chased a doe . All along I continued to repeat and asked my daughter "are you on it, is the reticle where I told you it needs to be"? I must have said this 20 times or more. . It was 80 yards away, and just as it was turning broadside again and me giving the green light to shoot it bolted again. Dang it I thought to myself, is this buck ever lucky. This time it chased the doe down the sendero 200 yards and out of sight. We sat there staring at each other in disbelief as to what we were watching. I was coming apart inside as I watched this, how could this be? So close but yet so far away. I asked her..."well are you ready to go now"? and she replied quickly "heck NO". She reminded of what I told her days before about having patience and how to wait because anything can happen during the rut.
A few minutes passed by and suddenly a does came out up the sendero in the direction where the buck had went just minutes earlier. I told Cat to be ready as the buck could be right behind her. Sure enough the doe ran across and the buck was just steps behind her. I quickly told her I was going to holler to get him to stop and to be ready to shoot. With that I did my best impression of James Brown with a loud "heyhhh", the deer stopped and asked her again "are you". Well I didn't get the whole phase out before hearing psssssssssssttTHUD! The buck dropped in his tracks and didn't as much twitch. It was dead silence for a second or three, I sat there amazed with my heart just a thumping witnessing my daughter taking her ever first deer. 2 weeks of ups and downs quickly ended with a bang, well not really as it was suppressed.
I had been videoing the action with my Iphone and had captured everything but the actual shot taking place and could kick my self for doing so but the excitement must have gotten to me. Oh well, visual memories were made that cant not be taken away from the both of us.
We fist bumped and sat in the blind reflecting and going over what had happened over the last 20 minutes or so. It was so cool and inspiring to say the least! The deer's white belly and antlers could be seen in the straw colored glass 123 yards away from our vantage point.
Sorry for the long winded story along with the misspelled words and all but this was a great moment in out lives that I wanted to share. She was pretty pumped and woke mom up with a phone call and of course a few boys she knows. They conspired and now the cape and antlers are at the taxidermist.
Long story short........
Cat's first deer, an 11pt with some trash.
123 yard shot taken with a 260 Rem I put together. A Berger 140gr VLD hand load placed high in the shoulder took out some lungs and spine for at instant kill.
