Youth deer hunting tomorrow!

[Joe Williams]

Whee!!!!!

Clothes are ready. Cathy has plentiful pb&j sandwiches made up since we'll be out all day. I've changed the choke in Sean's 20ga to improved cylinder. The 25 cartridge belt Sean is so proud of is loaded up with five Federal Truball slugs, and 15 Remington 6 shot game loads. More than abundant, but what good is a cartridge belt if it isn't loaded down with ammo and overly heavy? Sean has broken out the camo makeup, practiced with his new bleating fawn call, and has his new acorn cover scent all packed up. He's ready to bag either the 400 pound 28 point buck that is out there somewhere, or a very nice doe. The game cart is ready to go in the truck, ropes ready to help pull his catch up and out of the ravine we'll be overlooking. Three old orange hats on standby. Think we are ready!

Just in case we have no luck in the morning, we'll join Cathy, I'll set Sean up with his full choke, and spend the day squirrel hunting. May not be a lot of movement after mid-morning, but it's still a fine way to spend the day. She's got her Model 60 packed, my 10/22 is packed. Cookies for snacks, plenty of water.

Evening, back to deer hunting for me and Sean. But, I'm sure we won't be there past 8 am, so all those other plans are just plain silly

Looking forward to tomorrow!

 

[baldguy637]

Hope he bags a monster in the morning! I couldn't get off work so Brodie will have to wait untill this weekend to break out the bow. Brook is waiting untill firearms season.

Great choice on the tru-balls, i switched my stepsons Winchester 1300 from brennekes to the federals a few years ago. They shoot flatter and have been far more accurate. Brodie can shoot a three shot group at around 4" at 70yds. He's taken 5 deer with them so far, and none have went farther than 20yds, all were double lung shots.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Yep, I heard 'em start shooting Jr's deer for 'em about 30 minutes before sun set and they haven't stopped yet. About every 15 to 30 minutes you'll hear a shot from a different direction.

 

[DaDowd]

I look forward to youth season, it means my season is next weekend

 

[Joe Williams]

No 28 point bucks, or any other deer for that matter. Had a great time, though! Kind of a strange day.

Started off darn near running down a nice 8 point buck with the pickup on the way to hunting, then sitting there in the dark, waiting for legal hunting time. The second it rolled around, Sean wanted me to sound off on his new bleating fawn call we got him for his birthday. A few minutes later, we hear something coming up the hill behind us. Sean twisted around real careful, got his shotgun up, and waited. I stayed put to avoid unnecessary movement, just twisting my head around. Imagine my surprise when instead of a deer, we have a... uh... a wild dog come barrelling over the top of the hill. Imagine my greater surprise when it didn't stop when it saw us, assuming it had time to recognize what he saw. Sean didn't know what to do, didn't shoot it, but he learned his old man is still pretty darned quick out of the holster, even from under a shirt, when properly motivated. Shooting backwards, arm all twisted upside down, I missed the critter, but my prime aim of making him go 'way was achieved. 'Fraid either the scent of the predator around us, or the noise, messed up our morning hunting, though. We didn't see any deer Sean thought my "OH ****!!" was pretty funny, though LOL.

We watched squirrels and chipmunks scamper around, and about 9, 9:30 Sean decided he wanted to do some squirrel hunting instead. We hooked up with Cathy, who was squirrel hunting, and found that she hadn't seen a single squirrel, but had had a close encounter with a deer. Figures!

We dumped Sean's slugs and deer call in the truck, picked up my 10/22, and headed back out.

Poor Sean... not 10 minutes after we set up for squirrel hunting, I see him pointing behind us... at two doe, standing about 20 feet away chowing down. One was kind of small, the other would have made an awfully nice first deer! He alternated between looking frustrated, and wanting to laugh, then settled down to the business at hand after they ran off. Here he is, ready to unleash Hell on tree rats.

Kind of a wild day, squirrel wise. They were absolutely everywhere, tons of 'em! Activity didn't slow down mid-day, either, like it usually does. Squirrels didn't slow down, either. They were going like a bat out of Hell, zigging and zagging. Cathy and I got the giggles trying to keep our scopes on them waiting for them to stop a second so we could get a shot. Not being hungry and able to live without the meat, I'm not an overly large fan of taking shots on tiny fast moving targets at longish range. I'll just pass on them most of the time. As a result, we each only took one shot all day, and we both missed. Oh, well!

Sean had better luck. Cathy was lining up to try her second shot of the day, and I was watching with a great deal of interest because through her telescope she couldn't see the hawk that was diving to take IT'S shot on the same squirrel she wanted, when I saw Sean rise up to his knees out of the corner of my eyes and let loose a round in a completely different direction. Looked back to see Cathy looking surprised at the sound of Sean's shot, the hawk jinking away and also apparently quite surprised, and the luckiest squirrel in the woods today diving into it's hole. Sean's target, however, was not so lucky, and will hopefully be delicious!

A couple hours later, filled with not very good hunting but much enjoyment watching the squirrels and chipmunks run around, Cathy points to her left... at a decent sized buck, with a very scrawny four point rack. Sean decided that was enough of squirrel hunting! Cathy made her way back to the truck to get the slugs and deer call and drop off one of the .22s so we could stay in compliance with youth deer hunting laws, Sean and I stayed put to try to get another squirrel. Just as Cathy was making her way back down the trail to us, he popped himself another one. He's pleased... it's the first time he's bagged two in a day, not to mention two in an hour! It'll be yummy, too, and was bigger than his first of the day.

We set up for deer hunting about 3 o'clock... wanna take a swift guess as to how many deer we saw? LOL. Poor guy. Still, he had a great time, and so did Cathy and I. I told him that if we can get that many deer that close, we should darn well be able to get him his first deer this season. And he now believes that adage that if you are hunting squirrels, you'll see deer, and vice versa

 

[Bigum1969]

Sounds like you've got one heck of a kid there, Joe. You and your wife have done a great job with him!

 

[brotherbill3]

Took my nephew's son out for his first deer hunt. We didn't have much Luck either. Lots of squirrels making all kinds of noise. No deer. We only got out in the afternnon - he had football to attend in the morning. And we punch a few paper holes with the muzzle-loader first (he's using my M-L) ... so now I'm about to give it up so we can be out again before dawn. ... Later everyone.

And NICE on the squirrel. Good job - rep sent on the hat. glad we're not the only one's wearing orange for squirrels.

 

[ARGarrison]

I guess my Youth Deer Hunt went as well as others. Like brotherbill, my youth hunter had football practice Saturday morning. So it was afternoon before we hit the woods. The squirrels were out in force. One even came up close enough behind us I was thinking of taking the muzzle loader and using it as a club. I never seen a deer yesterday unitl after I dropped him at home and was drivng home in the rain and a lone doe crossed the road in front of me.

 

[brotherbill3]

Glad we aren't the only ones. We were out again this morning (Sunday). It was a busy day at Wilbur Whi. Almost got over run by Rocky (Raccoon) ... and his family. They basically ignored us all day. Dropped the kid off w/ his dad ... and saw one run across the road about 2 miles before I got home. ...

Hope its was fun for everyone.

 

[DragonGunner]

Just heard my great nephew shot a 11 pointer..his first deer.

 

[Dukshead]

Daughter took her second deer Sat morning down at some property near Atterbury. 185lb doe at 75 yards with CVA Wolf. Really proud of her right now. She even wanted to stay and see more deer after hers was laying on the ground. Saw a nice 8 or 9 point that I hope is still there this weekend!!

 

[USMC_0311]

I went with my son and while he did not get his first deer we still had a good time this weekend. A guy I work with asked how we did, after hearing we did not get anything his comment was "what a total waste of time".

I asked him when was the last time he spent 48 hours with one of his kids without interuption from TV, cell phone, computers, text messaging...?
Unsuccesfull maybe but hardly a waste of time.

We saw deer, squirrels, turkey, and rabbits. The deer didn't present itself enough for a shot but the squirrels laughed at us and came right up to us. I told them I would be back with a .22 the next day. He told his freinds because when we went back they were gone.

 

[brotherbill3]

I went with my son and while he did not get his first deer we still had a good time this weekend. A guy I work with asked how we did, after hearing we did not get anything his comment was "what a total waste of time".

I asked him when was the last time he spent 48 hours with one of his kids without interuption from TV, cell phone, computers, text messaging...?
Unsuccesfull maybe but hardly a waste of time.

We saw deer, squirrels, turkey, and rabbits. The deer didn't present itself enough for a shot but the squirrels laughed at us and came right up to us. I told them I would be back with a .22 the next day. He told his freinds because when we went back they were gone.

Double to your co-worked ... but that is what sooo many people don't get ... it's not guaranteed ... that's why its hunting ... not shooting.

Hope your son had a great time; My Nephew's son I had out for his first time had about the same luck ... except we saw Rocky Racoon and his family. I was glad to hear from his dad how much fun he had, because in our "HURRY UP, I GOTTA HAVE IT NOW" world the patience to wait on the game ... and just ENJOY the woods and listening and stalking, even without bagging something, is so hard for some people to understand. ...

 

[rjstamp]

I cant wait to take my grandson bow hunting....we've been practicing and hes getting very good on the targets.