My Son's First Big Game Hunt

[Goldfinger78]

Over the past few months I have been eagerly awaiting my son Thomas’s first big game hunt. Thomas is ten years old and LOVES dove hunting, but he has never experienced a big game hunt. Needless to say, I was mixed with emotions once I learned he drew the youth 22 elk tag. At first I was excited just thinking about getting to chase elk with my son. Then I was nervous, would he like big game hunting? Then, to be entirely honest, I was a little jealous knowing that he would have an opportunity to get his first elk before I got my first. The year prior I had a cow elk tag and had one in range at 364 yards but as a newer hunter I got too excited and did not get into a good position to shoot. The cow disappeared before I could shoot. After telling Thomas that he drew the tag he told me, “Dad, I am just excited to spend time with you!” My strongest emotion was felt at that moment, and I knew we were going to have a memorable time regardless of the outcome.

Thanks to Thomas’s Uncle Adam, known to many of you as Big Browns, we were shown many different areas in the unit to scout prior to the hunt. I started taking Thomas out three days prior to the hunt to scout. The first evening we went out, I glassed up a cow elk across the ridge at about 500 yards away. I let Thomas look through my binoculars, and then, I decided this would be a good opportunity to practice by doing some dry firing. I took out the rifle, got the elk in the sight, and put Thomas behind the gun. The instant he realized he was looking at an animal in the scope and not a paper target he got pretty excited. As the cow fed up the hill, Thomas followed it with the scope. While Thomas was following the elk, I was explaining to him shooting positions and advising him that if the cow went broadside we were going to dry fire. The cow stopped a few seconds later and while I was telling Thomas to get ready to dry fire I heard a click. I looked at Thomas and he looked up at me and said, “Ooops!” Needless to say, there was a pretty stern talk about gun safety and waiting for me to give him the “go ahead” to fire. After a few tears from Thomas and a valuable lesson, we headed down the hill. The next two mornings we went out and were in elk each day. We also did more dry fire and live fire on some rocks ranging from 400 to 600 yards away. Thomas learned his lesson from the night before and was doing a great job behind the gun from that time on.

The night before the hunt Uncle Adam joined up with us to head out on opening day. All three of us were pretty excited for the opening morning knowing that the last three days of scouting we saw elk each day. As most experienced hunters know, just when you think you have it figured out, you really don’t. We glassed up one bull on the morning hunt and after a few hours and no luck we decided to head back to the truck and regroup. Adam and I were pretty bummed, but Thomas held his head high and was in good spirits. Adam and I wanted to go back to the cabin and rest up for the evening hunt. We gave Thomas the choice though, and he decided that he wanted to do some squirrel hunting midday to pass the time. He was able to get a few, and we all had a blast.

It was now time to go back out for the evening hunt. We had visited a few different locations while scouting, so we were considering a different location from the morning. Both Adam and I could not decide which spot to go to, so we let Thomas make the choice, after all it was his hunt. After Thomas was prepped on the locations we were considering, he made a choice, and we headed out. We got settled on top of our ridge by 4pm. We took a quick rest on top of the hill before we started to glass. Adam split up to look at a ridge in the distance while Thomas and I were glassing the ridges directly across from our location. During this time Thomas told me, “So far this feels like scouting and not hunting.” I quickly explained to him that once we locate an animal things will happen fast and it becomes a “hunt” in no time. Not fifteen minutes later Adam came running into our position and told me to pack everything up and it was time to move. Adam had glassed up a single cow about 1100 yards from our location.

We started the stalk, and Thomas was doing great. He was able to keep up with us for the most part. It was pretty rough on him since we were hiking through scrub brush that was as tall as he was. Not once did he complain as we tried to get closer to the elk. We got to about 700 yards, but it was still too far to shoot based on Thomas’ skill and it would really be pushing the limits of my 6.5 Creedmoor. Adam looked at me and said that Thomas and I needed to go to the hill just in front of us to cut the distance to about 400 yards. Adam would stay behind on the ridge to watch the cow. I looked at Thomas and said, “We have a good chance, but we have to hustle.”

We were racing the sun at this point as it was about 5:30 pm. We still needed to get down from the hill we were on and back up another hill. We headed down and because of our adrenaline we got back up into position in no time. I slowly ridged over and saw the cow right away and ranged her up at 384 yards. At this time I had to calm myself down. If it wasn’t for my elk hunt the year prior, I don’t know if I would have been able to get calm enough at this crucial moment to help my son. After regaining my composure I looked around and realized that because of the shrubbery we could not lay prone. I slowly got the gun set up on a tripod using a triclawps for the forend and shooting sticks for the buttstock. I dialed the turrets for elevation and wind and put the elk in the sights. I looked at Thomas and said, “Come over and get behind the gun.” He got behind the gun and said, “I see it!” I told Thomas we were going to do a dry fire to make sure we are good and steady. I told him shoot when he was ready, and about three seconds later I heard the “click.” Thomas did not flinch at all. I knew it was time. I told Thomas, “Let’s put one in the chamber.”

Once we had a round chambered Thomas started to hyperventilate. I quickly got him off the gun, and after what seemed like an eternity, I was able to calm him back down. After he was calm we got the elk back in his sights and had to increase the magnification for the shot. After increasing the magnification to full power Thomas said “Dad, I can’t see it anymore!” The elk hadn’t moved, so we backed of the magnification so he could see it again. Once I heard him say “Dad, I got it!” I slowly increased magnification but not quite to full power. I asked Thomas if he could still see the elk and he said yes. I told him to aim just behind the front shoulder of the elk and shoot when he was ready. About five seconds later the gun went off and I watched the elk drop instantly!!! Thomas made a perfect double lung shot and she did not move more than 5 yards. We started hugging and screaming for joy! We could hear Adam on the ridge behind us screaming and hollering with joy! What a great moment! Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, Thomas told me, “Dad, I feel like I could do anything!!!” This experience has taught my young boy a valuable lesson that that if he puts his mind to it, he can accomplish almost anything, not just in hunting but in life!!!!

[chico]

Congratulations to the young man ! Great job !

[jim]

Awesome story Chris. Great cow Thomas congrats on your first elk.

[Original born to hunt]

That is awesome congratulations to your little man 👍

[Arrowslinger]

Big congrats to Thomas!!!

[Big Browns]

That was an amazing experience! I'm very proud of Thomas for being an outstanding young man and a real trooper! This will always be one of my favorite hunts!!!

[Whiteboy]

Great story this is what hunting is intended to be like and some people twist a great thing and make it seem like we are the bad people but if there kid was to look up at them after a great hunt and say Dad, I FEEL LIKE I CAN DO ANYTHING. it may change some feelings. Great job little man Dad looks like you got a good hunting buddy.

[rossislider]

Congrats guys! That is awesome.

[SO I HUNT]

Congrats to hunter..

[Will K]

Good job.

[CouesPursuit]

Heck yea. Congratulations and great shooting, Thomas!

 

I really enjoyed the write up. Good job, Dad and Uncle Adam too!

[cramerhunts]

Very nice, congratulations all the way around!

[PRDATR]

Congrats guys.

[Zeke-BE]

Way to go guys

[Goldfinger78]

Thanks for all the comments guys. Amazing experience I will never forget!