Alex's first hunt

[Couestracker]

I went to the Youth Outdoors Unlimited junior javelina camp to help my friend Jorge with his son Alex's first hunt. Those people with Y.O.U do a fantastic service for the young hunters and everyone else there to help out. Kudos to Y.O.U and their staff of volunteers.

We were skunked on Friday and Saturday morning, did not see any javelina. We went to a new area Saturday afternoon and just before dark, Jorge spotted a huge javelina feeding a few hundred yards away. He thought it was a cow at first! We were worried about how much light we had for them to get over there. We usually have our radios with ear buds for this kind of stuff, but one was forgotten back in camp.

I watched as they made their way over and I also watched the javelina as it fed. As I saw Jorge get Alex set up for the shot, I was very concerned about the time, because admittedly, we didn't know what the legal time was (our bad!).

They were taking a while getting set up and I was tempted to yell "don't shoot" because I was thinking it was too late, and there were several Game and Fish officers in camp. Didn't want to have Alex's first hunt turn into trouble.

I was somewhat relieved when I saw them get up from their shooting position and

start heading back over towards the Ranger.

We met up back at the Ranger well past dark. Alex didn't shoot because he couldn't make out the javelina. He was facing/aiming to the West, so in the diming light he couldn't get on it. We talked about the legal light issue and agreed not getting a shot off was for the better.

Back at the camp, we asked one of the Game officers about it and was told that as long as the hunter can see well enough to make a good shot, there wasn't a specific time past sunset to adhere to - that's only for bird hunting.

Sunday morning we headed back to the same area and worked our way in from down wind. There weren't many high ground spots to glass from, so we worked our way through slowly, glassing as we went. There was a higher mound ahead, so we were going to get there and glass, but I decided to go look in a recessed area I saw, so I went by there and then went to the edge of a nearby canyon.

From the canyon edge, I saw obvious tracks from a herd that had crossed the wash. I moved further down so I was above the tracks. Looking down the canyon, it opened up to flat desert-and that's when I spotted the herd! I counted at least a dozen, so now I had to find Jorge and Alex. I stood on the highest rock looking for them. Luckily, we all wore fluorescent orange hats! I see Jorge off in the distance and wave my hat until he sees me. When he looked at me with his binos, I motioned for them to come over.

The javelinas were feeding and moving slowly to our left. Jorge setup Alex on a rock, using his backpack as a rifle rest. Alex aimed the Winchester .243 at one in the clear and nailed the 90 yard, downhill shot! He just killed his first big game animal!

After high 5's, hugs and a few pictures, they went on their way down to tag and clean it, while I hiked back to get the Ranger. Here's a few pictures:

 

Lined up for the shot

 

shot from this ridge

 

Looking up the canyon

 

Alex and his javelina

[1uglydude]

Congrats to Alex!

 

Funny, we found ourselves in the same position on Saturday evening in 23. The only difference was we were so concerned about the light that we busted the herd out trying to get on top of them in time.

[218buck]

Way to go congrats on your pig.

[kidso]

Great job, and nice of the shooter to not pull the trigger on a shot he was unsure about. Congratulations!

[sebhunter]

Awesome job, congrats on your pig!

[lancetkenyon]

Much respect to the hunter who did not pull the trigger without an ethical shot! Much respect to the adults who get the kids out into the field as well. Congrats on redemption the following day too.

[WHALE]

Great job on getting Alex his first Javi

[KidBowHunter]

Congrats!