This past weekend was the Oklahoma youth rifle season. The state of Oklahoma has a three day season that allows youth to get into the field prior to any muzzleloader or rifle season.

My oldest son, Case, who is 9 years old now was dead set he wanted to kill a deer this year. Doing a little research into the youth season and checking my calendar, we made a plan to make it back to Oklahoma to hunt the first two days on our family place. In addition to hunting deer, the State allows youth to take a turkey with a rifle, if they have the appropriate fall turkey tag. The county we hunt allows the turkey to be either sex.

The opening morning found us sitting in a ground blind on a small wheat field that was a couple hundred yards long and a little over 100 yards wide. The field is surrounded by trees on the east and south, backs up to a creek on the west and on the north there is a rural blacktop road. On the west side of the creek is a large soybean field, which the deer cross the creek just behind the ground blind.

Just after daylight, we had a doe and fawn step out to the north of our blind. The doe hit our scent trail from the walk in that morning and flipped her lid taking both of them back into the timber. During this time, we could hear the turkeys talking and the thoughts they were coming closer.

Eventually, the turkeys finally made their way to the field. There were two turkeys with beards, so we were targeting one of those two. Case made a gave them a few warning shots and couldn't seem to connect. The turkeys made their way out of the field and about 20 mins came back. This time was great because it gave him a few minutes to compose himself. During that time, we discussed the mechanics again of making a good shot. When they came back into the field he was ready. He got lined up and made a great 107 yard shot connecting on one of the turkeys. When we made it over to the downed bird, I realized he had something special. He had taken one of the turkeys with a beard, which wasn't a gobbler, but a bearded hen. He was extremely excited getting a turkey and it being his first animal ever taken.



That evening we made it back to our blind, and watched the turkeys again for the vast majority of the evening. At sunset we had a very nice buck make it to the edge of the field to our right. I could see him from where I was sitting, but Case could not see him. The buck needed to step forward about 101-5 yards to give him a perfect broadside shot at about 40 yards. Unfortunately, a car came by about that time time and the buck turned around back into the timber and walked behind our blind about 10 yards headed to the soybeans across the creek. At last shooting light, two small fawns made their way to the field, but the failing light and the nerves got the better of Case again and put an end to our evening.

The following morning found us back in our blind. About 30 minutes after sunrise, a doe and fawn jumped into the field. Once again the doe came in from our north and caught our scent sending her bounding into the field. This time, she stopped on the opposite treeline. Case was able to get on her and dropped her in her tracks with a single shot from his 223 Rem. shooting CEB Raptors. The shot was 101 yards and she never knew what hit her. The shot was a bit high, but was a double lung passing completely through the deer. He was all smiles and super excited about his first deer.



Four-way selfie time!!!!



We never scored on a buck, which Case was a bit disappointed, but the weekend was extremely fun and successful. He'll be back in the blind during the regular rifle season in a few weeks trying to score his first buck. His younger brother, Cole, has already started asking about going with us to the range the next time we head that way, so he can start practicing for his chance to take his own deer in the future.

That is not just a turkey. That is a fine tom. My hat is off to him. You gentleman with younger children keep it up.

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
That is not just a turkey. That is a fine tom. My hat is off to him. You gentleman with younger children keep it up.

That is a bearded hen. Her beard is about 6 3/8" long!!!

Great hunt! Congratulations to the young man. I helped a friends son this weekend and ended up having to help drag a buck and a doe up a bluff!

That's awesome! Congrats to the young man on two fine trophies!

Greybird: He has my wow. That is a huge beard for a bearded hen. I have never saw a bearded hen that big with that much beard. I am sure this will become more special to him as the years come.

Nothing like getting them started young you have made a hunter for life.

Outstanding! Great job Dad and Son!

Really great report, Congratulations to all involved.

Memories to last a lifetime.
Congrats!

Another successful young hunter.
Congratulations .
Some times shared to be remembered with each venison meal.

Mighty fine stuff getting a kid started that young.

Good for all of you.

George

Big Congrats

Is Case going to be with you during the Oklahoma rifle season?

Looking forward to having your boys around for many more hunts, especially when they're big enough to pack out for us old guys!

quote:

Originally posted by ted thorn:
Big Congrats

Is Case going to be with you during the Oklahoma rifle season?

Yup, his license is good for another two does and a buck. He's itching to get that buck.

quote:

Originally posted by taylorce1:
Looking forward to having your boys around for many more hunts, especially when they're big enough to pack out for us old guys!

We're almost there between Case and Cole, Aric and Cody and Hannah.

The best!