My boy's and their deer

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:03 pm

Here are the pics of my 2 boys archery kills.

This is my 13 yr old son Derek's 2nd deer, his first with a bow. This was the first deer he ever drew his bow back on and he made a perfect double lung shot at 31 yards. After the shot he turned white as a ghost! I was right there when he made the shot.

He practiced every day and it payed off. I had limited him to a 30 yards and under range as that was the only range he was able to get a solid group. I moved the rest of the pins down on his Spot Hogg so he wouldn't be tempted if I wasn't there to coach him. I stretched his range to 31 for obvious reasons!

My 18 yr old son has 4 deer under his belt but this is his first archery kill. This was also the first deer he ever had the opportunity to shoot an arrow at after 3 years of frustration. He made some incredible sneaks on some nice bucks this year but at the last minute something always went wrong.

He got to within 50 yards of a nice heavy 3X3 that we spotted from several hundred yards across a canyon. A doe got a little nervous and slipped out taking the 3X3 with her.

He had another sneak on a bedded 2X2 and was just inside of 29. His plan was to draw back as the buck got up to feed but the wind shifted. No luck there! On his way there he had a cow elk feed to within 15 yards of him. She fed right past him and never knew he was there.

So when this opportunity presented itself he was ready for the kill. We spotted this buck with a bigger one bedded 140 yards ahead of us. We were able to sneak to within 70 yards when we ran out of cover. We decided to wait them out. After about an hour the smaller of the 2 got up and fed straight to us. It took him about 15 minutes to feed within range. Josh was a wreck by the time he got close enough for the shot (37 yards). He held up longh enough to make the shot and I was sitting right next to him when he made the shot.

I couldn't be more proud of my boys. To actually watch them both make their first archery kill was better than doing it myself. Enjoy the pics...

AGCHAWK · Post by **AGCHAWK** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:08 pm

Mark, that is just plain AWESOME! CONGRATS to the two lucky young men and I hope them future success in the field.

I believe you're the first MM member to post pics this season too! What an absolutely great way to start off the new season.

Thanks for posting the pics and story to go along with same.

Ron G. · Post by **Ron G.** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:11 pm

Outstanding! Congratulations to both of your sons! That is a great accomplishment!

NONYA · Post by **NONYA** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:13 pm

Congrats to you and your boys Mark!Looks like you had a great hunt.

Post by **a_bow_nut** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:28 pm

Good story and great pictures.

Looks like a great time was had by all.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:13 pm

a_bow_nut wrote:Good story and great pictures.

Looks like a great time was had by all.

We did have an excellent hunt. But I still need to fill my tag. I'm going back for certain Labor Day weekend. There are still 2 really nice deer up there that I want another chance at.

I spent a lot of time helping my boys get their deer so I didn't have much time for my own hunting. I did manage a 4hr sneak on a nice 180"+ 4X4 and closed the gap to 34 yards. I couldn't get a shot and ran out of daylight. That was Monday night. I spent most of Tuesday looking for that buck and never did find him again.

He wasn't really wide (24"-26"), but he was all of 30" tall, maybe more. He was heavy horned and an absolute perfect 4X4 with 4" long eye guards. I couldn't find an inch of deductions on that buck and I sat 55 yards away from him for almost 2 hours. He was with a 5X3 that was wide, but I didn't like the lopsided look. However, I may have changed my mind if he gave me a shot!

I also stalked a small 3X3 and got to 31 yards of him on the first day. All I was able to see was the tips of his antlers as he was bedded. When he stood up I drew back but I passed on the shot when I saw how small he was. Don't get me wrong, I'm not always a "trophy hunter" but after seeing some really nice deer I wasn't ready to shoot a smaller buck (yet). I had plenty of time. I had a small forkie at 29 yards that day too, broadside and looking the opposite way from me. He has no idea just how lucky he was.

But the deer that got closer than any of them was on the last day of my hunt. And trust me, by this time I was ready to shoot anything! I became a meat hunter Thursday night!

I spotted this "unique" 2 point Thursday night. By unique I mean he had a huge antler growing out of one side of his head. It was well past his ears and was at least 24" tall and pretty heavy. And on the opposite side he had a huge knot of antler on his head with a 1" spike growing out of it. He would have made a nice mount.

I played cat and mouse with him for about 5 hours as he bed and fed all morning. Finally I was able to get paralell to him at 75 yards. He got up and fed right to me. When he got to the rockslide I was on the opposite side of he had what I figured to be 2 choices; feed down below me and give me a 30 yard shot, or feed up from me and give me a 20 yard shot.

As he's approaching I hunkered down behind the bush where I set up and prepared to shift whichever direction I need to to make the shot. And what does the deer do? He literally turns and RUNS up the rockslide stopping 6 FEET in front of me and stares right at me!!! You can probably imagine how the rest of that went. I've never seen a deer jump so far sideways in one lunge after a 30 second stare down! Had I thought he might do what he did I would have drawn back and waited for him to step up.

That was it for me. I don't regret not taking any of those deer that I had a shot at. However, I do wish I would have been able to close the deal on the 4X4. He was one of the nicest bucks I had the pleasure to stalk.

The beauty of going back is that I know he's still up there, and I saw one even bigger than him on the first day and I saw that buck again on the last day.

I have options... several options...

Post by **killerbee** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 8:01 pm

sounds like it was a great hunt!

double thumbs up for taking your kids hunting with you, that is awsome! sounds like you got some trophies of a lifetime just seeing your kids get their first archery kills! congrats and good luck getting those big bucks when you get back!!

Post by **MuleyMadness** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 8:40 pm

Mark,

I'm VERY impressed!

You have really spent quality, valuable, time with your sons and it's payed off big time.

The first bow bucks for the both of them is awesome. I hope you seal the deal on a good buck over Labor Day!

Thanks for the stories and photos. Looks and sounds like a blast.

southwind · Post by **southwind** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:44 pm

Congrats to you and your sons. There is nothing better than being a part of that.

Torch · Post by **Torch** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:40 pm

That's awesome! Congrats to you and your boys.