Gone Hunting.. > Hunting With Kids

Anthony (Jr Viking1022) Finally Gets His First Deer x 2!!!

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Viking1204:
With hunting season just about over this year my oldest son Anthony was lucky to be selected for the Youth Quota Hunt on Eglin AFB in NW Florida after 2 years of applying without getting selected!  This is a two day hunt that occurred this past weekend in a closed area of Eglin AFB’s Test Range. There are lots of deer in these closed areas since they don’t open it for the normal hunting seasons. I’ll try to keep it short but I have to tell you the story of both days to understand just how awesome this weekend was for me and Anthony! Keep in mind Anthony also had homework he needed to complete before going back to school Monday, he works hard to keep up his straight “A” average and hunt too!

Day 1 (Saturday) Friday we had found out Anthony was selected to hunt a power line area that was between two creek heads. There was about 400 yards from one ravine to the next that we could see from our ground blind. On Saturday we setup on the Southern end of the power line area per our guide’s recommendation so we could see down into the one ravine looking South and see down the power lines looking North, with a North wind for the weekend this was a good setup. We had to leave the house at 3:45 am to get setup and in the blind 30 minutes before shooting light so Anthony was a bit tired that first morning.

We decided I would keep a lookout to the South while Anthony watched to the North. A few times I had to make sure Anthony was awake and watching his side, he had pretty heavy eyes! At about 7 am Anthony whispers “DEER” but doesn’t move an inch or even try to pick up his rifle sitting one foot away! Sure enough I look out the North side of the blind and there is a nice size Doe standing broadside to us about 25 yards away looking straight at the blind wondering what in the world was that doing there! Anthony looked about as shocked as the Doe seeing the blind as he did with seeing the Doe that close to the blind. I said “pick up your gun and shoot it” but before he could move an inch the Doe was smart and took two hops and disappeared into the woods and out of sight! I can honestly say Anthony was wide awake now!

At about 7:45 am Anthony says “DEER” again and this time it’s another Doe crossing the power line opening about 235 yards to our North, the longest shot Anthony has ever taken is at 100 yards but the Doe doesn’t wait around for him to even think about it. We think cool, we’ve seen two deer already, and things are looking good! At 8:00 am a nice size Buck enters the power lines from over 200 yards away again to our North so I quickly grab my Buck Roar and grunt in his direction. Sweet I think, he’s walking towards us so Anthony gets his gun up and ready but the Buck turns and heads into the woods in the same place the doe went, we figure he must be chasing that Doe as they tend to go into rut pretty late here in NW Florida. Not long after Anthony sees another Doe from a different direction cross the Power Line area but at about 400 yards to our North.
 
By this time Anthony and I are thinking we need to move this blind to the North some so at about 8:30 am we decide to step out of the blind and do some scouting for a good area to set our blind in further to our North. Anthony is carrying his gun and we’re carrying the shooting stick and our chairs and walking right down the middle of the power line opening. Sure enough the one Doe comes back about 100 yards to our North and doesn’t even see us as she crosses the power line opening again without stopping or looking in our direction, still no shot opportunity. We start to walk North again and out steps the Buck following the Doe but he looks right at us, we’ve frozen holding our chairs, gun and shooting stick. I guess since we froze before he saw us he figures we’re no threat. He proceeds to start rubbing on the power pole that is about 100 yards North of us, he even squats and pees! I’m like are you kidding me, he’s rubbing a power pole and peeing in a scrap at the power pole, wow! Bad thing is he’s looking North and the only shot Anthony has is right up his rear end. So I tell Anthony to kneel down and get setup to take the shot. I’m going to grunt to get his attention and get him to turn sideways to look for the other buck. Wouldn’t you know when I do grunt he doesn’t turn around to check us out and give Anthony a shot, he proceeds to walk right back into the woods never even looking our way. Poor Anthony doesn’t shoot because I told him to wait because I don’t think he’s ready to take a shot at a moving deer. Little did I know he was setup to the right of the Buck and ready to pull the trigger when the Buck’s shoulder was in the crosshairs of his Marlin 30-30. I felt so bad for him, he didn’t take the shot because of a communication error between the two of us. 

Well we get the blind moved to the North some and now are setup in a little notch in the tree line so our blind blends in better and we’re sitting about 65 yards from the power pole the Buck had been rubbing and peeing on. Wouldn’t you know we wouldn’t see another deer the rest of the day. We did see two turkeys and two fox with one fox rubbing his back on the ground not 5 feet from our blind! At lunch time we walked to the North and find the trail the Doe and Buck had used in crossing the power line opening twice. It looks to be a pretty well traveled trail and decide to leave our blind in place knowing we are setup in good spot for Sunday. On the way home that night we come up with a strategy for Anthony to get his homework done since we’re going to have to hunt on Sunday too. He’s not too happy about how the day unfolded but understands that’s how it can go when you’re hunting. We also discuss where he should aim on a walking deer so he doesn’t miss out on a shot opportunity next time. I make sure he gets to bed early Saturday night so he can get a good night’s sleep, 3:15 am wake up times come early after a long day in the woods!

Viking1204:
Day 2 (Sunday)On our way to our hunting location Anthony is of course worried about getting his homework done, he really wants to shoot a deer early in the morning and then get home early so he’s not up all night doing homework. I assure him there’s a good chance that will happen, we saw 4 deer between 7 am and 9 am the day before. Day 2 is cold and boy do we appreciate being in a ground blind and not up in a tree stand! It’s a balmy 29 degrees (In Florida) in the blind with a cold North wind outside, it’s amazing how well a ground blind blocks that wind.
 
By 7 am the temp has climbed to 30 degrees and we’re nice and warm in our blind, we’ve dressed for the part and neither of us are cold. A 5 hour energy drink Anthony shared with me has him a little more alive than the day before. At 7:30 am Anthony says “DEER” again but this time immediately grabs his rifle and props it up on the shooting stick. He whispers it’s a Buck and to get my grunt and get him to stop and as I reach for my grunt BOOM! Anthony has just taken a shot at the Buck because he was about to step into the woods 42 yards away from us, the Buck goes down and Anthony immediately yells “I JUST GOT MY FIRST DEER”! Sure enough the Buck is down but still moving so we quickly get out of the blind and put a shot through his heart to end his suffering. It was then I got the biggest hug Anthony has ever given me! I couldn’t have been a more proud as a father! After almost 4 years of trying and a couple of misses along the way Anthony never gave up and has his first deer at the age of 14, congrats Anthony! The Buck ends up being a 3 point because he had broken off his other antler.

It was just before 8 am and still only 30 degrees outside, the temp wasn’t budging much so we decide to pull his Buck over to the trail my truck is on and sit in the blind for a while longer until it warms up a bit. He’s allowed two deer on this hunt so we decide to stay until 10 am or so. That will give us time to clean the Buck and get home early enough for Anthony to not be rushed with his homework. Not 30 minutes after getting back into the blind Anthony says “DEER” again and sure enough about 125 yards out there is a Doe standing there looking at the blind. I told him he was allowed to take a Doe so if he could get a shot to take it. The Doe decides to walk towards the blind and then starts to turn into the woods quartering away from us and BOOM! Anthony shoots again and from what I could tell it’s a good hit but the Doe takes off into the woods at a pretty good clip and disappears. We decide to check the area where Anthony thinks the Doe was standing when he shot and find some blood and bloody crap. That’s not a good sign. I’m thinking the shot was low. I can’t seem to find anymore blood but I’ve always been a little color blind according to the Air Force.

After a bit of looking Anthony spots more blood and before you know it we’re hot on the blood trail with Anthony and his contact improved eyes spotting blood right and left. Several times I think we’ve lost the trail and Anthony spots more blood. Soon were going through thick stuff but Anthony stays on the trail. It appears the Doe turned back and sure enough the trail goes about 20 yards behind where I parked my truck almost 200 yards away. We continue to follow the blood and the trail starts to go down into the ravine where the creek head is. Soon we come across a pile of intestines and I’m thinking where is this Doe, it can’t still be walking??? Believe it or not it had made it another 50 yards after dropping its intestines.

At the bottom of the ravine we find the Doe that turns out to be a button Buck and confirm the shot was low. None the less after a 300 yard trailing clinic by Anthony he has the second deer of his hunting career! Anthony is a little sad that he killed such a young Buck but I tell him don’t worry about it, blank happens! We both thought it was a Doe from 125 yards away and with it walking neither one of us had a chance to study it and determine that it had nubs that didn’t pop through the skin yet.

All in all it was an awesome day and weekend! By 9:15 am we had trailed and found the second Buck and Anthony had now killed his first and second deer on the same day! I couldn’t be more proud and tell this story in such detail because it was one of the greatest experiences of my life! Again Congrats Anthony, so glad I have you as my hunting partner! 

Viking1204:
The Pictures - Anthony and his first Deer, Close Up of Rack, Anthony and His First Two Deer, Intestines Left by Second Deer that Still Managed to go Another 50 Yards, talk about amazing animals.

BeaglePup:
Congrats to him.  That was an awesome weekend for both of you!!

Split toe:
Awesome story...congrats to Anthony on harvesting two deer. I know your a proud Dad after working so long to get him his first deer just an awesome feeling. I still remember my son's first deer. Your building memories that you'll both cherish forever.

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