My boys first season deer hunting. With school and football practice it was a challenge just getting him out there. We woke up late or should I say I woke up late Sunday morning. Ok the wife woke me up at 6am! And said aeeeeuuummm aren't you taking ERIC out? I jump up wake up my boy , grab some snacks and jump in the jeep. I went to a closer spot than I wanted to take him just because of the being late thing and the sun was rising fast. We glassed till about 8am. Nothing at all. Back to the jeep to go check out another spot. As I am driving away I see the white but of a deer out on a hill side. Put up the binds and confirm its a deer. At this point I am not even sure if it is a buck. Grab our packs and rifles and begin to hike towards the rim of the canyon. Half hr later we set up on the rim of the canyon , lay the packs down and I begin trying to relocate this deer.
After half hour of glassing every inch of this canyon I am starting to think this deer went out the drainage on the bottom and we just did not see because of the thick brush and all. I start to throw out some grunts and some rattling just for kicks. Nothing so I throw a few big rocks down the canyon to make some noise and possibly just get a look at this deer. It had a nice size body so I am thinking it has to be a buck. After a few rocks and nothing Back to the jeep. We load back up and begin to drive away , jeeps moving and I rubber neck and take one last look at that hill side and BAM!!! There it is standing on the hill side again. Throw up the binds and I can clearly see bone! Grab our packs and haul ass back to the same spot. As soon as we get to the rim again I throw a grunt to see if He is a player and hoping he is because I know my boy will need time to set up. This buck stands tall and gives us a stomp! We have a player.
We're set up now and I'm trying to guide my boy on getting him in the scope. " dad I don't see him" FML
5 minutes go by and we're still fumbling around with the pack and rifle lol. Finally I hear " ok dad I got him".
Then he realizes his finger is not even in the trigger guard , at this point the trigger guard is barried in the pack from all the fumbling around and he has to lift the rifle to get his finger in there!! " ok I am ready wait I don't see him now" fml. I give another grunt and the buck stands tall again and gives us another stomp even after all that. 10 minutes have gone by now and we're back to square one on getting him in the scope. Same routine and I hear " ok got him again , can I shoot?" SON!! when ever you feel your good squeeze and put it right behind his shoulder please. 3 seconds later BANG! Buck takes a leap forward and disappears into a big bush. I see through the binos the branches shaking so he is down in the brush! The haul out was hell but we did it.
That feeling I had years ago on my first buck all came back. We are Blessed!
