bowman
Super Moderator
With Trenton's success last weekend Allison was ready to hunt. Thursday afternoon September 24th was our first opportunity for her 2nd hunt of the year. She said that she was going to stay true to her plan to hold out for her first buck. Vman (Jason) wasn't available for this hunt so I was going to play the role of video man / Daddy / helper.
A week before the opener I was scouting this property with my two sons and saw a great buck that I thought would just touch the 150" as a perfect 10. We got a great look at him. The property is owned by a great friend and it is just minutes from my house so it was do-able after work / school.
Allison was home first and hit the shower. When I got home I hit the shower while she made our sandwiches. We were going to a timber point that had alfalfa and soy beans within shooting range . I set up the Double Bull and brushed it in while Allison got started on her homework. The night was extremely slow and we saw nothing until 20 minutes before dark. I looked up and saw a great set of antlers and immediately recognized the buck as the nice 10 we saw while scouting.
The excitment was overwealming and things were going fast. I was challenged to get the deer in the view finder and get Allison set up for a shot. I would get him in the view finder, start to help her move, then see he was out of the view finder and move the camera again. The buck was feeding quickly to our right and looking at the blind off and on. Allison put her shooting muffs on and could no longer hear my commands to shoot. The buck kept moving to the right and being right handed, Allison had to move from her chair to my lap to get him in her sights. At one point my phone started vibrating and the buck looked our way again. I was finally able to get her the signal to shoot when he was about 35-40 yards out and in the last possible spot that I could capture it on video. When she shot the smoke from the muzzleloader blocked our view. The next time we saw the buck he was dissapearing into the timber. We had no idea if she had hit him.
We had forgotten our boots and were wearing flip flops and crocks so Allison and I drove home to get our boots and the lantern. When we got back my buddy / landowner came with us to trail him. Rain was moving in and we had to get on the trail. The blood was good for the first 20 yards and then tapered to drops, but still fairly easy to follow. 80 yards into the trail we lost blood and the rain started. We could not tell where the hit was, only that he was only bleeding on the entry side. I feared a shoulder hit. The rain increased and we had to pull out.
It rained HARD all night. Allison had at test so I forced her to go to school on Friday. I took the day off and was searching by 8:00 am. With no possibility for a blood trail, I was searching for a dead deer. The area was so thick that I was jumping deer with 3 yards that I could not see. I scoured for hours and nothing. At 1:00 pm I cut through an area that I had walked through no less than 5 times and there he was! Infact, I had sat down and prayed no less than 15 yards from him approximately 2 hours before.
Because I couldn't move him without her tagging him first, I headed for the school. We returned together and she was thrilled at the sight of her first buck. She hides her excitment a little more than Trenton but it was obvious that she was overwelmed.
We videod the recovery and her tagging her first buck. I recruited some help to drag him out and she has been all smiles ever since.
Back home we took some pictures to ensure that the great memories will last forever. Although I haven't scored him, he should land somewhere in the mid 140's.
Allison's brothers were just about as excited as she was. Hayden (3) and Trenton (8) jumped in for some photos with Sissy.
I am so proud of my little girl!:way: She kept her composure and made a perfect shot, something that grown men are challenged to do when a mature buck walks out. She made up her mind to wait for a buck, had the patience to pass does, and in the end her persitance paid off with an amazing first buck. This one will be hard to top. Knowing that I name all of my deer, Allison told me that she wants to name this one "Big Prayer" because we prayed before the hunt, during the hunt, after the shot, and again after the rain started. She said that she prayed everytime she woke up during the night and mulitple times while sitting in school waiting to hear from me. "Big Prayer" seems like a fitting name. I love you girl!
Thanks for listening to my ramblings. There is something about my kids hunting success that gets me a little excited. I know I said it in the post about Trenton's deer but, If you get the chance, get a kid out there. There is nothing like it.
Special thanks to my buddy / landowner. Allison and Trenton both took their first deer there, Trenton took both of his turkeys there, and now Allison took her first buck there. I can't thank you enough buddy!:way:
Once again, Jason did a great job on the video. Click here http://www.midwestwhitetail.com/gallery/33/media/1315/mwia6-spoiling-them-young.html to watch Allison's hunt for "Big Prayer."
A week before the opener I was scouting this property with my two sons and saw a great buck that I thought would just touch the 150" as a perfect 10. We got a great look at him. The property is owned by a great friend and it is just minutes from my house so it was do-able after work / school.
Allison was home first and hit the shower. When I got home I hit the shower while she made our sandwiches. We were going to a timber point that had alfalfa and soy beans within shooting range . I set up the Double Bull and brushed it in while Allison got started on her homework. The night was extremely slow and we saw nothing until 20 minutes before dark. I looked up and saw a great set of antlers and immediately recognized the buck as the nice 10 we saw while scouting.
The excitment was overwealming and things were going fast. I was challenged to get the deer in the view finder and get Allison set up for a shot. I would get him in the view finder, start to help her move, then see he was out of the view finder and move the camera again. The buck was feeding quickly to our right and looking at the blind off and on. Allison put her shooting muffs on and could no longer hear my commands to shoot. The buck kept moving to the right and being right handed, Allison had to move from her chair to my lap to get him in her sights. At one point my phone started vibrating and the buck looked our way again. I was finally able to get her the signal to shoot when he was about 35-40 yards out and in the last possible spot that I could capture it on video. When she shot the smoke from the muzzleloader blocked our view. The next time we saw the buck he was dissapearing into the timber. We had no idea if she had hit him.
We had forgotten our boots and were wearing flip flops and crocks so Allison and I drove home to get our boots and the lantern. When we got back my buddy / landowner came with us to trail him. Rain was moving in and we had to get on the trail. The blood was good for the first 20 yards and then tapered to drops, but still fairly easy to follow. 80 yards into the trail we lost blood and the rain started. We could not tell where the hit was, only that he was only bleeding on the entry side. I feared a shoulder hit. The rain increased and we had to pull out.
It rained HARD all night. Allison had at test so I forced her to go to school on Friday. I took the day off and was searching by 8:00 am. With no possibility for a blood trail, I was searching for a dead deer. The area was so thick that I was jumping deer with 3 yards that I could not see. I scoured for hours and nothing. At 1:00 pm I cut through an area that I had walked through no less than 5 times and there he was! Infact, I had sat down and prayed no less than 15 yards from him approximately 2 hours before.
Because I couldn't move him without her tagging him first, I headed for the school. We returned together and she was thrilled at the sight of her first buck. She hides her excitment a little more than Trenton
but it was obvious that she was overwelmed.
We videod the recovery and her tagging her first buck. I recruited some help to drag him out and she has been all smiles ever since.
Back home we took some pictures to ensure that the great memories will last forever. Although I haven't scored him, he should land somewhere in the mid 140's.
Allison's brothers were just about as excited as she was. Hayden (3) and Trenton (8) jumped in for some photos with Sissy.
I am so proud of my little girl!:way: She kept her composure and made a perfect shot, something that grown men are challenged to do when a mature buck walks out. She made up her mind to wait for a buck, had the patience to pass does, and in the end her persitance paid off with an amazing first buck. This one will be hard to top. Knowing that I name all of my deer, Allison told me that she wants to name this one "Big Prayer" because we prayed before the hunt, during the hunt, after the shot, and again after the rain started. She said that she prayed everytime she woke up during the night and mulitple times while sitting in school waiting to hear from me. "Big Prayer" seems like a fitting name.
I love you girl! Thanks for listening to my ramblings. There is something about my kids hunting success that gets me a little excited.
I know I said it in the post about Trenton's deer but, If you get the chance, get a kid out there. There is nothing like it.Special thanks to my buddy / landowner. Allison and Trenton both took their first deer there, Trenton took both of his turkeys there, and now Allison took her first buck there. I can't thank you enough buddy!:way:
Once again, Jason did a great job on the video. Click here http://www.midwestwhitetail.com/gallery/33/media/1315/mwia6-spoiling-them-young.html to watch Allison's hunt for "Big Prayer."
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