Two First Time Deer Hunters....

[COOSEFAN]

Bear with me folks, this may be the longest story i've posted, but it's a good one, I hope you take the time to read it, it was definitely a special hunt!

 

You all have seen tons of pic's of my buddy Craig on here last couple of years, but his two boys Tyler (14) and Tanner (12) drew a tough Muley hunt this year and they invited me to go and I excitedly accepted the invite! These boys have both killed pigs but this was to be their first deer hunt! I've been on this hunt many times before and have had the tag myself and I know how tough it is and how bad the hunter pressure gets, but we felt confident we could find a few bucks to hunt if we hunted "smarter and harder"! This was to be our theme that we would live by and teach these boys during this hunt and we did just that! "Smarter and harder" is the best way to hunt this hunt because of all the hunters runnin' around. The "smarter" part is easy 'cause you just sit back and watch where all the quads, trucks, UTV's, and people are at during that first day of the hunt. We climbed up to the highest peak and made a note of the pressure areas and the non-pressure areas and we would then glass those non-pressure areas and find deer! By the evening of the second day, a bunch of the deer had been pushed further into higher country and further from the roads. The canyons are deeper and farther from the roads but this is where the concentrations of deer were showing up. Saturday evening we glassed up a herd of bucks. The light and distance kept us from seeing antlers, but we could see two of the deer sparring and pushing each other up and down the hill, so we now had our destination picked out for the following morning. This is where the "harder" part comes into play! Sunday morning finds us four taking the Ranger as far as we could into our area and then setting out on foot an hour before sunlight. We had two deep and steep canyons to cross to get to our pre-determined glassing point that would put us directly across from the bucks the night before. The boys did awesome! They each carried all their own gear in their adult sized backpacks and never complained about the hike! We arrived at our point and set up the 15's and instantly had bucks in our veiw! They were less than 100 yards from where we left them the night before. This was a huge lesson for the boys and they thought that was awesome we knew where the bucks would be in the morning! Craig noticed the big buck first and he was sparring with a smaller 2 point and would continue this for another 45 minutes after! There were around 8 other bucks and I don't know how many does on the same hill and it was amazing seeing that many deer in one spot. I'm sure it's because of the surrounding pressure and it helped the boys realize where the "smarter" part of our theme comes into play! The boys knew the hard work hiking in to this spot was starting to pay off and the exictement was about to kick into overdrive! The hill was 1100 yards away so I stayed put while Craig and the boys hiked down the canyon and up to a small hill in the middle, hopefully putting them within 200 yards of the deer. I watched as the big buck, which was a beautiful 3x3, sparred with the smaller 2 point. The other bucks were all small spikes and forkies, but any of them may be in danger on this day! We planned on Tyler getting first crack at em' and they would try for the big buck first and hopefully get Tanner on the 2 point if given the chance. They topped over the hill and the bucks all had made their way directly accross from Craig and the boys giving them a 200 yard shot. They located the big buck, Tyler set up and dropped the hammer sending the bullet just over the bucks back. The deer all ran up the canyon and Craig, leaving Tanner on point with his rifle, grabs Tyler and they haul butt up the canyon as well. The buck slowed down to cross the bottom and made his way up the same hill they were on. Tyler set back up as the buck walked up and stopped in an opening less than 200 yards just long enough for Tyler's .270 to blow out both his airbags and tip em' over!!!

Craig took Tyler down to the deer to make sure he was done, then left him there and ran back to Tanner. Tanner had watched as the rest of the herd ran back towards me and they proceeded to follow. I had the whole herd below me as they snuck up to 200 yards again, but Tanner was facing directly into the sun and the deer were all bunched up making it impossible to pick out a single buck. We decided to let them go as they were settling down so we could hunt them later. We hauled butt back over into the canyon to get our hands on Tyler's first buck! What a beauty....especially for a first deer! It took me alot of years before I finally got a decent muley and Tyler whacked one right off the bat! It was a special moment to share with them and I know I was proud as heck for Tyler and his daddy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tyler got to finally experience first hand what his daddy had been talking about over the years......."watch out when you kill something and Jimbo's there with a camera, it ain't no fun if yer the lucky hunter"! Tyler did awesome and hung in there for the photo session even though his legs were killin' him! With the heat, we didn't take that long with pics and we knew we would have to fully skin and quarter this deer to get him out! With Craig's and my packs loaded full of meat, Tyler's pack full of hide and antlers, and Tanner's pack overfull with our jackets and other gear we finally headed out. We made it about 3/4 of a mile when Craig, who was in the lead, dropped to the ground. I grabbed Tanner who was in front of me and pointed ahead through a hole in the brush and you could see ears and antlers! The deer were about 100 yards but were in tight with each other and Tanner wouldn't be able to shoot from his knee so all we could do was stay motionless! I was hunched over with my heavy pack holding on to Tanner and we all stayed still for about 3 minutes when they finally moved out. Tanner and I ran up to a clearing as the deer single file made their way through and we identified it was the same herd, but they had a new-comer! A bigger buck joined up with them and he was nice! He ran through at about 80 yards and Tanner got one shot off but shot behind the buck. Now Tanner and I ran up into the clearing, followed his tracks to make sure it was a miss and then proceeded along the base of the hill that they ran up. It was hot, around 12:00 and the deer acted like they didn't want to run anymore so we just took our time looking under the shade trees on the hill. Several hundred yards later we had deer shapes under a tree 200 yards up the hill and they weren't spooked any more! I (gladly) pulled off my pack and wrestled it into position in front of Tanner. He got his rifle on it and watched the deer as they slowly fed out into a small opening. Tanner sees that they are spikes and steady's himself for the shot......BOOOM....miss, the buck runs forward and another small buck steps into veiw........BOOOM....miss! The shots were just high and I calmly told Tanner to aim a little lower than he had been and just then the bigger buck steps through but not long enough for a shot! Now the deer are hidden from us, and surprisingly not spooked! Craig and Tyler are about 80 yards to our right and Craig is holding up the "feeding" sign and he could see all the deer from his angle. Tanner then informs me he's only got one bullet left and Craig had the rest in Tanners pack with him! Tanner was set up and I didn't want to chance moving so we decided to make our last bullet count if given the opportunity. This whole time I'm worried about the meat and the uncaped head of Tylers buck because the heat was cooking us where we sat! We stuck it out for another 5 minutes and then a spike stepped out heading back to where we had previously shot. Tanner got his scope on the opening as the spike passed by and then the small 2 point stepped out but Tanner and I decided we would save that last bullet for the big buck! There was a little pause with no deer but as I was trying to calm Tanner down the big buck stepped out! I yelled to try and stop the buck but he kept walking and .....BOOOM! Tanner had the buck dead to rights even though he didn't stop and I didn't see or hear evidence of a hit so I jumped up with my binos and watched as the buck appeared in another opening, running with his rump and tail in the air and then doing a flip into the grass!!! HE'S DOWN!!! WhoooooHooooo!!! I'm gettin' all excited again just typing this! We got up there and were all excited at Tanners great buck and noticed he made a perfect shot just above the armpit in the shoulder and through the heart! The hugs and hootin' and hollerin' started and it was a great time to be on that mountain that day! Again, it was a special moment that I was very thankful to be a part of and just proud as heck of those boys! Now it was Tanner's turn for the photo session, but with the heat and fact that we were already in the middle of packing a deer out, we took a few with Craig and Tyler and they took off to see how far they could get the Ranger in there. Tanner and I finished a few pic's and then started tearin' into that deer like a pack of coyotes! I guarantee if we hadn't skinned that deer when we did, we would have lost most of it! It was very hot and the meat was even hotter as we opened it up, but we got it skinned and quartered in record time and soon had a tree full of venison and two extremely worn out, but very content dudes sittin' under it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Craig and Tyler were able to get the Ranger close to us so we thankfully didn't have to pack out two deer and made it back to camp that much faster. I caped out both bucks and got the hides on ice and then let the boys finish cleaning off their skulls. They enjoyed the heck out of it and spent quite a while cleaning them up, doing a great job. From start to finish, Tyler and Tanner did an amazing job, they were willing to go wherever and whenever we needed to, and they never complained or lost hope! They worked very hard for their first deer and I'm sure because of that, they will treasure this experience as much as I know Craig and I do, and i'm sure they won't ever forget their first bucks!

 

Thanks for reading this "book" that I wrote, I've just been excited to share it and all the details with you all JIM>

 

Here's the boys cleaning off their skulls......

 

[azcouesandelk]

Awesome story and a big congrats to those boys! They now know how to hunt the right way thats for sure!

[ac guy]

Way to go!. What excitement. I'm going up to 20c this weekend to help with the youth hunts. I've never been so nervous in my life.

[AZRDHD]

Congrats to the boys! now that is a way you learn how to hunt. none of this road hunting, just a lot of honest work and it all pays off.

[COUESAZ]

Good stuff Jim. I know what you felt on this hunt. I was on a junior hunt with a couple of the Mcledon boys. They both tagged out on there first deer and i was just as pumped as if i was there Dad. One was a son and one was a nephew.You could not tell from the proud fillings that were around those two bucks being shot.

 

I do seem to notice a secret that you have and we all should learn from. It is the rock piles or formations. Deer must be atracted to them as all your photos show them on rock piles. Like i have said before your photos are great. Congrats to craigs boys. I will have to talk to there uncle travis and see if they can teach him anything.

[shortpants]

What a fantastic story Jimbo!

I really enjoyed reading it and I'm proud of those boys and proud of you and Craig.

You just re-wrote the textbook on how to hunt.

[Ron G.]

A big congratulations goes out to Tyler and Tanner! Way to go guys! Great story and pictures, as always.

[stanley]

Outstanding Jim!!!! I'll be on the 36A Junior hunt this weekend with my oldest boy. Can't wait!

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

S.

 

[Coues Sniper]

Awesome story Jim. Congrats to Tyler and Tanner on 2 great bucks! Those kids are going to remember that hunt forever, and they probably learned more than you realize. Very cool stuff.

 

The light and distance kept us from seeing antlers...

 

That's because you leave that Gorgeous 80mm HD scope of yours at home!!!! You're crazy man.

[COOSEFAN]

Thanks for the reply's everyone.......the boys have been reading all of your responses and are excited to see you all enjoy the story and pic's!

 

I do like rock piles or anything that will elevate the buck. It makes it alot easier to get the camera angle from down low and it also displays the deer better, kinda like on a pedestal or somethin'. I've never seen a photo that I liked where the camera is above looking down on the subject, it's gotta be level or from below.

 

Kevin k......I'll have to agree with you this one time but I did have that scope with me up there............it was in the trailer back at camp!

[azyoung]

Awesome bucks! Congrats to the young hunters

 

Thanks for the great pics and story!

 

azyoung

[tucrats]

Fantastic story and a GREAT JOB TO THE BOYS! I swear I felt like I was there while reading! Congrats to all and keep them in the hills!

 

jimmya

[Gr8 White Jr]

Great story! There is nothing better than that right there. Congrats to the two young hunters on two great first bucks!

[Canyon State Hunter]

Great pics and story...That 3 point is a cool lookin' buck!

[jim]

That is what hunting is all about. Those boys earned their first deer and will be what keeps our hunting heritage from completely disappearing.