2 Firsts and a Fourth

[luvdemcoues]

This year my three youngest sons all drew a youth deer tag. We spent a lot of time shooting and preparing for the hunt. As the hunt grew closer, it was fun watching the excitement in my boys. For two of them, this was their first time on a deer hunt with their own tag. Much to my wife's dismay, there were a lot of youtube hunts on TV in the house leading up to the hunt. 

Opening morning found us on our go-to knob glassing a large bowl. This bowl has always been good to us. Fairly quickly we were picking up deer everywhere. About 20 minutes after seeing light, my buddy spotted a group of bucks and I was able to find the biggest in the group. Nothing crazy but a decent 3x2. My older son took a look at him and decided since he was feeling super sick, he would take that buck. We got him set up quickly behind the 7 PRC and he made a great shot that put the buck down quickly. I was proud of him. After we packed that buck out, my son decided it was best for him to go home. My buddy loaded him up in my truck and drove him all the way back into town. Good friends like that are hard to find.

Second day I had another buddy join us. He brought a couple young men with him who had never experienced hunting before. They did awesome and are hooked. While driving to a spot, we spotted a little sporky and my youngest son immediately wanted to shoot that buck. We tried talking him out of it, but he was determined that was gonna be his first buck. We quickly hiked up and around a hill we thought he'd be headed to and were able to cut off the group of deer he was with. We got him set up on a tripod for a fast 100 yard shot. As soon as the buck started to come up the hill opposite from us, I told my son that was him and to take the shot as soon as he stopped. The buck paused long enough to look back at us and my 10 year old son made an absolutely perfect shot and the buck ran hard for 30 yards and piled up. The bald, grassy hill gave us the perfect show of the whole event. My son could not be happier with this buck. He is very proud of it. Hahaha.

On the third day, we went to a hill where we spotted a group of bucks at last light the night before. We immediately picked up the bucks at first light. At 750 yards, we wanted to cut the distance. So we left my youngest son and my buddy on the hill to keep an eye on them. My son and I made the fast move and cut a few hundred yards off. As soon as we topped over the shooting knob I saw 20 big bushy whitetails flagging at us as they ran straight up the hill away from us. I was shocked. The wind was in our face. We were under the hill from them and they could not see us. I have no clue what spooked them. But my son didn't panic and laid down behind the rifle. I ranged and dialed. I got my BTX set up and found the biggest buck in the group and walked my son into it just before he topped over. My son made an amazing 512 yard shot and the buck dropped without taking a step. Game over. 

The practice paid off for each of my boys and I was a proud papa. 

[WHT_MTNMAN]

Awesome youth hunts buddy!! Congrats to you guys. 

[Chef]

Great stuff!

Good shooting, good friends, and hooking the youngsters onto hunting for life!

Congrats to all of you.

[Lucafu1]

Congrats to you all.

[Mocha1545]

Congrats to all of you. It doesn't get any better than that! Memories for life!

[Crazymonkey]

Lifetime  of memories  there . Good hunting!

[PRDATR]

That's what it's all about.

[AzDiamondHeat]

GREAT story and memories made!

I LOVE the look on the first boys face. Epic picture even though he was sick....lol

[wildwoody]

Great times on the hill. Congratulations 

[AZbowhntr]

Great shooting. Congrats to you and all your sons.