12 YO daugthers first deer

[CaptainMorgan1995]

Well early muzzleloader season is done and it was awesome. My 12 year old daughter shot her first ever deer and it was a great deer.
Opening morning for us hunting outside of Twisp. At first light we spotted 9 deer, 3 of them nice bucks heading up the opposite hill from us.
After they went over the ridge we try to circle around them and head them off.
Mackenzie and I run/ fast walk down the hill and though the a field. While in the field I spot 3 shooter bucks on the side hill next to us. Luckily they hadn't seen us.
So we stop dead in the open. No cover at all. They would look at us but not sure what we were. After about 30 minutes they head over a ridge, so we take off again. Not 2 minutes after we leave they pop back over the ridge next to us. So we stop in the middle of the field again.
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Wait another 30 minutes or so until they head over the ridge.
We finally make it across the field and circle to get the sun behind us and wind in our face. I was pretty sure they had bedding down on the flats above us.
So we are finally able to put a stalk on them. I wasn't 100% sure where they had bedded down but we headed in the direction that I thought they were.
Working through the 6 foot tall sage is a pain and I wasn't sure Mackenzie would be able to shoot in it. As we moved forward the sage got smaller and smaller.
We continued to work towards the area where I thought they where, we got to about 15 yards of the bucks got up out of there beds and stared at us. With the sun at our back and wind in our face they had no idea what we were. I quickly got the bino's up to see which were the legal bucks. As it worked out the one she shot was 20 yards broadside to us. I had her get her safeties off and rest the rifle. Neither of us remember the gun going off. I just remember reloading her Knight. We watch the buck take off then stop 40 yards from us. I got her to rest on my shoulder for a second shot. BOOM, I remember that shot. I watched the buck go over the ridge. We hurried to the edge and watched her buck stumble down the hill. I wasn't entirely sure where he was hit so we sat and watched him for about and hour. He would occasional try and get up and head down the hill but not very far. Finally we got down to find him and he lay dead by a small creek.
She was so excited.
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Now the rest of the story:

On Tuesday the 10/2, WDFW wanted to congratulate Mackenzie on her deer. When we got back to camp I hung the head in a tree ~8 foot high. I was going to do a European mount for her bedroom.
When I went back to get the head it had been stolen / taken. Originally I thought a bear had taken it, but the ground under the head was undisturbed. I found out later a person was seen walking back to where the head was and never came back out. This is at Silverline campground on Perrygin Lake. Still not sure someone or something took it. But Mackenzie was upset but got over it pretty quick. We still have the memories and pictures

[combs338]

Very, very, very awesome. I cant wait until my 3 year old boy is old enough to take his first animal. Congratulations to both of you!!! So great to see families to in the outdoors together!!

[Wea300mag]

Great story until the last part. Congrats to Makenzie and really bad voodoo to the weasel that stole the head. 

[combs338]

Wow i got so excited about the story i did not read the last part. Some people need to get a life and leave other peoples stuff alone. Sorry to hear that.

[CaptainMorgan1995]

Still holding out hope it was a bear. And the owner of Silverline will find the head in the spring? We will see.

[mrmoskillz]

Great deer! Nice job young lady   Sorry to hear about the head but you will remember the hunt forever.

[pianoman9701]

Sorry to hear of the theft. Some jerk took it and will probably dump it when it begins to stink a little. Keep your eyes in the dumpsters around there for a few days.

She's already an awesome hunter. Great job, great pictures, and welcome to the club!

[Blacktail Sniper]

That's a great story, but with a terrible ending for the little lady.

[huntnphool]

Congrats to Mackenzie, it is a shame there are people out there like that.

[Atroxus]

Great pics! Sounds like a great time. Sorry to hear about the loss of the head though.

[Holg3107]

AWESOME STORY!!!!!!!! Aside from the last part. Maybe someone on here knows how to do a reproduction based on the photos? Either way congrats to your daughter!

[BOWHUNTER45]

Awesome ...Good for her    that is just heart breaking that someone or something would take her 1st set of horns 

[h20hunter]

What a great job on both of your parts. Hopefully the assclown will get their just deserve.

[cedarriver]

 Wow! Congrats to the both of you, a lot of great memories. Sorry for the way it ended.

[ellensburgpo]

Congrats to the young lady. Too bad that some pos had to partially spoil her memory.