Post by: Jlittlebear31 on October 18, 2017, 08:58:10 PM
I set out Friday night to the areas of Winthrop and Twisp. Both of my sons were with me and we were pumped. My oldest is 14 and has taken two mulie bucks the past two years. My youngest son is 12 and has yet to connect, or even take a shot. I have an archery tag so it was known between the three of us that we were going to first focus on getting my younger one his deer.
After two full days of hard hunting and hiking we had nothing but less rubber on our boots. We saw a ton of deer but all were slick tops or fawns. We didn't see a buck, let alone a legal one on any public land.
Feeling a touch discouraged we decided to end the weekend on Monday farther east on SR 20 at an area I had hunted once before. As we pulled to a stop, I told both boys that I would leave it up to them how to hunt. We could go as high and far as they wanted or we could take it easy. I was pleasantly surprised when they both pointed to the top of a very high ridge and said, "let's go up there." An hour into our climb we were rewarded with jumping a legal buck and 6 doe. Of course they went up the hill at a pace impossible to match. I asked my youngest what he wanted to do and got my answer with a little cloud of dust and a sight of his bum heading up the hill. I stayed in place and glassed for several minutes and attempted to tell my other son where to go by hand gestures. He was a good hundred yards below us and I assumed and hoped he understood my directions. By the time I focused back up hill, I was shocked to see my youngest son gaining altitude like a fleeing elk! I gave chase and after 20 minutes it became clear I would not reach him before he hit the top of the ridge. Yelling to him to slow down was not an option so I just continued up. After another 20 minutes I watched his orange coat disappear over the ridge and out of sight. I then looked to where my other son was supposed to be and he was no where to be found. At this point I grew a little worried as both of my sons had never hunted here before, and it was an easy area to get turned around in. Not to mention the last time I hunted in the same area (within a 1/4 mile) my buddy had been charged at by a large sow with cubs.
I decided to keep after my youngest son as he was now way out of sight and actively chasing deer. As I topped the ridge I expected to see my son sitting up top. I was not amused and plenty irritated when I found him about 200 yards down the other side. A gruff "get over here!" snapped him back to reality and as he turned around, I could tell he was about to lose it. He sulked back to me with his head hanging low and I could clearly see large crocodile tears pouring from his eyes. After a few "you need to wait for me's" "I don't even know where your brother is now" and "what were you thinking's", my son began to cry. A devestated, anguishing cry I haven't seen in years. He tried to explain through his sobbing that as he crested the ridge, a 2 point stood up in front of him. Right after was a 3 point that did the same. His quote: "Dad, I had the gun resting on a rock and the crosshairs right on his shoulder. I saw he was a 3 point, so I took my safety off. I started to pull the trigger and my finger wouldn't work. I was pulling and pulling but it didn't move!" After simmering down myself and seeing his pain and frustration, I thought back to the countless times I have been "that close."
I gave him a big hug and reminded him of a little thing called "Buck Fever." He asked "is that what it feels like?" I told him it emerges in many different ways.
Knowing those deer were gone and still feeling a little panicky for my oldest son, we left the ridge and after about a 2 hour search, found him. He had done exactly what I had motioned him to do, only at a very slow, observant pace.
It was nearing 130 now and school and work on Tuesday was coming much too fast. I told the boys we should follow a ridge around and start a slow descent back towards the truck. After 20 minutes, we spooked two grouse that erupted at our feet. After cursing the "stupid grouse" for a few minutes, I did a quick scan and noticed the unmistakeable profile of a deer about 90 yards away in the trees. A quick peek from the binos showed he was a legal deer and had been jumped out of bed after hearing the grouse. He had no idea we were there but he was on alert. For 15 minutes we quietly danced from side to side trying to get my youngest a shot. The problem was, we were in an area with 3 foot fire weed every where. There were no trees, stumps or rocks close enough to make it to for a rest without spooking the deer. My youngest crouched to use his bipod and the deer would become invisible to him through the wall of fire weed. He wasn't capable of making the shot free handed either. I nearly had my oldest shoot him until I reminded myself we were first there for my youngest to bag his first buck.
With options limited and the buck standing still for over 15 minutes I decided to do the best possible thing. I crouched down and bent over to allow my son to rest his gun on my back and putting him high enough for his scope to clear the fire weed. Try this sometime with your hands on your knees. Then, remove your hands and plug your ears. Now stay still to allow your stressed out, excited shaking son enough stability to make a shot. It sucks!
I stayed in the position for three shots! Yep, the deer was perfectly behind a tree allowing for only a head/neck or rear lung shot. Not wanting a gut shot, we had decided on the neck shot. After two shots and reloads, my legs and back were about ready to explode. On the third shot, that deer hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. The three of us erupted in elation! There were high fives, hugs, back slaps all the while we continued to shake like we were in an earthquake. While waiting for death to occur, my oldest son showed me that he had videotaped the whole thing. The second photo is an actual "screenshot" of his video while the gun rested on my back.
Of all the animals I have taken in my life, none have matched the excitement, adrenaline rush and panic as this hunt and my oldest son's first deer hunt. To have both boys put their hands on the dead animal and say a prayer thanking God for the oppurtunity to take him warmed my heart near to tears.
As a bonus, the next day after football practice my oldest son scored his 3rd deer a 2x2 black tail. I am so thankful for the love of hunting and can not wait for my dauhgters to join in on the fun. This is a long read, but typing it up reminds me I won't soon forget it.
I hope the pictures turned out!
Post by: Widgeondeke on October 18, 2017, 09:08:20 PM
Post by: Seahawk12 on October 18, 2017, 09:13:04 PM
Congrats on all the success!
:tup: :tup:
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