Jmac0501
Active Member
My youngest(Misha)(10), decided he didn't want to hunt last year after harvesting a doe the year before. He'd made a perfect shot on the deer, but didn't understand that she may run off, even when shot correctly. He thought she was suffering when she ran like that and didn't want to wound an animal by not making a good shot. I respect him wanting to be sure of things and not wanting to hurt her by making a bad shot.
I spent a lot of time explaining anatomy, where to aim, as well as some time practicing with him.
Saturday morning he was up first. We went to a ridge top stand that is surrounded by oaks and just off the edge of a cornfield. Had a doe out along the corn at 7 am, but she was at 75+ yards and going the wrong direction. A few minutes later I caught movement of a doe and fawn coming out of the timber to the cornfield.
She ended up behind a tree for us, but fortunately that tree has multiple forks, and I've trimmed all of the little branches out of the forks so it's easy to shoot through. She stood at the corn edge right in the middle of one of those forks for us at about 50 yards. Misha shouldered the gun and got ready. She wasn't broadside, then the fawn was in front of her, then the fawn was behind her... after what seemed like forever, everything finally aligned. He cocked the hammer and patiently settled the cross-hairs. The shot surprised me a bit. I couldn't see a hit with the smoke and as she ran towards us, I was looking for the exit wound. I didn't see one. He asked, did I get her. I said I'm not sure yet, lets listen. She bounded through the woods, down the hill, and I heard the un-mistakeable crash. Misha heard it too, but wasn't sure what it meant. I'm pretty sure you did buddy. Perfect behind the shoulder double lung shot.
Doesn't that smile say it all?
Proud of him. He struggled with ethics of hunting at an age that I never even thought of it and made a perfect ethical shot on her.
Took my 13 year old out on Saturday evening and had an AWESOME encounter with a mature buck at less than 10 yards on the ground. We were sitting in the edge of a cornfield and everything was coming together until he decided to stick his head in the first row. That stare-down was INTENSE. Alik was never able to get off a shot, but has a pretty good memory for the season already.
I spent a lot of time explaining anatomy, where to aim, as well as some time practicing with him.
Saturday morning he was up first. We went to a ridge top stand that is surrounded by oaks and just off the edge of a cornfield. Had a doe out along the corn at 7 am, but she was at 75+ yards and going the wrong direction. A few minutes later I caught movement of a doe and fawn coming out of the timber to the cornfield.
She ended up behind a tree for us, but fortunately that tree has multiple forks, and I've trimmed all of the little branches out of the forks so it's easy to shoot through. She stood at the corn edge right in the middle of one of those forks for us at about 50 yards. Misha shouldered the gun and got ready. She wasn't broadside, then the fawn was in front of her, then the fawn was behind her... after what seemed like forever, everything finally aligned. He cocked the hammer and patiently settled the cross-hairs. The shot surprised me a bit. I couldn't see a hit with the smoke and as she ran towards us, I was looking for the exit wound. I didn't see one. He asked, did I get her. I said I'm not sure yet, lets listen. She bounded through the woods, down the hill, and I heard the un-mistakeable crash. Misha heard it too, but wasn't sure what it meant. I'm pretty sure you did buddy. Perfect behind the shoulder double lung shot.
Doesn't that smile say it all?
Proud of him. He struggled with ethics of hunting at an age that I never even thought of it and made a perfect ethical shot on her.
Took my 13 year old out on Saturday evening and had an AWESOME encounter with a mature buck at less than 10 yards on the ground. We were sitting in the edge of a cornfield and everything was coming together until he decided to stick his head in the first row. That stare-down was INTENSE. Alik was never able to get off a shot, but has a pretty good memory for the season already.
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