My son just got his first deer. He almost got his first two! Early this morning I spotted a deer feeding under our feeder about 75 yards to our right. At first I thought it was a doe behind the brush, but when I put my binocs on it what appeared was a real nice 8 pointer! Oh my goodness, it was bigger than anything I put my own scope on.

I told my son "don't move!" I waited until the buck dropped his head to feed and gave my binocs to him so he could located where he was in the brush. After he located him, my son worked himself into position and I eased the rifle up through the opening for him.

He had a real hard time getting the scope steady. I could see why. He was shaking so hard I thought he would drop the gun out of the blind. I tried holding one leg then both to steady him. Didn't work. I reached up and held his shoulder and arm steady while I had my legs wrapped around his legs. He was shaking so bad, I thought my teeth would start rattling.

He finally took the shot. I couldn't tell if he hit it or not. My son wanted to go see and I said we had to wait a few minutes to let the deer lay down and not run away from us. Just as we sat back and were discussing what to do next, I spotted two does walking towards the feeder where we just shot! Go figure.

I told my son to take the one in the back. They worked their way through the trees. My son had the scope on the doe the whole way. She finally stopped and quartered towards us. As the doe was looking right at us, I was about to tell him to shoot when "bang!"

The doe turned back toward us the other way and ran. I could see the exit wound in the perfect spot. We waited a few more minutes and left the stand. There on the ground was the start of about the best blood trail you could imagine. Unfortunately, there wasn't one for the buck. My son shot too high and I could see where the bullet hit the tree.

We followed the blood trail just a little ways before I saw the doe piled up on the other side of a cedar. High fives all the way around. Two huge smiles that you couldn't wipe off with a wire brush! Here are the pictures. For the inquiring minds like mine. 70 yards, through the heart with a Winchester Compact Classic Model 70 7-08, 140 gr. Nosler Partition, 40 gr. H4895, 2700 fps.



Here is the entrance wound


This is the exit wound


This is the heart. Entrance on the left side and completely blew apart the other side. A perfect heart shot! Pappa is very proud (if you couldn't tell )

congrats longbob... you must be proud. Those shakes are somethin else. I remeber when I would get "buck fever" from draw'n a bead on rabbit.

I'm sure that taking that doe went a long way in him not obsessing on missing the buck. Congrats to him.

Congrats Longbob and Son!

Give a hearty pat on the back to your son from all of us at AR, Longbob. Perfect shot on the doe. He probably wouldn't have missed the buck if you hadn't psyched him out with the binocs. Next time show him all the horns AFTER he drops it.

Obviously he is learning the lessons well.

Just hope Buell doesn't see these pictures with all the blood. You know how he is!

Congrats to your son and you too dad!!!!

Great shot and thanks for sharing with us!

Regards,
JAG

Hey Longbob and Son, HOOOooooRAAAaaaa!!!

A big ole CONGRATULATIONS on a fine first Deer.

Great shot placement on the Doe with an outstanding caliber and bullet.

Thanks for the terriffic pictures. That will help the Rookies who see this Thread know how to place a bullet so it will ensure a good blood trail.

Darn shame about the 8-pointer, but he will probably be a 10-pointer next year and be right back in the same general area.

Thanks for putting a smile on our faces!

Thank you for all of the kind words of encouragement. My son has read all of your posts and it tickled him to no end. I asked him when he wanted to go back and he said tomorrow morning. We are getting ready and will try another spot. Maybe we can pin down ole' Big Antlers.

One thing that I didn't mention. My son was shaking so bad on that buck he pulled away and told me to shoot the buck. It wouldn't have been any trouble to take, but I had two problems. One was that it is the Special Youth Weekend (it would have been illegal for me to shoot it) and most importantly it was his hunt. Eventhough this would have been the biggest deer I have ever taken, I would have (and did) felt better for him to take the shot and miss than for me to have taken the buck. It would have eaten on me for the rest of my life not giving him the opportunity.

Looking back on it (all legalities aside) I am glad he took the shot. I would have changed a thing other than his rest.

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!It is important that he understands that every animal is a "trophy". You did an excellent job.

Congratulations to you both! Nice to see a young hunter get off to a good start on all accounts.

congratulations to both.

Congratulations! Well done. This is just the beginning.

Outstanding. (I forgot today was the Youth Weekend.) I am sure you are proud.

Do you have hogs on your place? If not, one day you should come out and shoot some of mine. I have plenty!

I pass through your town on the way out there. Let me know.

Congratulations to your boy. Good luck tomorrow.

Wendell,

No we don't have any hogs. Which is surprising. They are everywhere around us in Montague County, but our place. We must smell too bad for them. I'm dying to get a hog or two. I'll take you up on it.

Longbob,
Congratulate your son for me! Congratulations to you for being there with him!

Congrats, I can remember when I was in his place, what a great shot and a nice looking doe. Maybe next time you will get the biggun good luck and strait shooting to you both.

That's just fantastic. Looks like you taught the boy just right too. Nice to see a youngster with a proper rifle rather than some ill fitting hand me down junk. Most don't understand that if the rifle dose not fit, the shooter will not be able shoot well and the recoil with hurt. Thus the new kids to the sport loose interest. The other thing is starting off with to big a cartridge. Its a very proud and life changing event for your son. No matter what he may do from now on, he will never be the same as he was before that day in the field. He is is different now, just like I was different after I took my first deer back in 1960.

[ 10-27-2002, 07:59: Message edited by: George Semel ]

FANTASTIC

Congratulations Longbob to you and your son. Great pictures and what a start for a new hunter!

This make me look forward to when I can let my son hunt his first animal. He is only six years, so it will take a couple of years more. How old are your son?

I just showed my son the pictures and the only thing he did was smiling and dreaming!

Good on both of you, LongBob, and congratulations. - Dan

Thank you again everyone. My son just turn 11 this month. We went out again this morning without seeing anything. Kinda surprised me. The conditions looked favorable. We both agreed that a bad day of hunting was better than a good day at the house. After seeing the pictures, my twin 7 year old girls are bugging me to take them out. They know they cannot shoot a deer yet, but they just want to go. Am I not the luckiest dad alive or what!

Congrats to you and your son!!

I am glad to see that you haven't taught him how to work that deadly worm-hole machine (of mass destruction)yet!!

Nice deer, great photos and story. Congrats to you and your son.
Greg

Dang it Wendell! I hate it when you get one up on me! Now to get things back upright.....

We're all screwed...

Humm.... This maybe the reason my CD's haven't arrived.

LONGBOB!!!! You better watch out for a person with a bumble bee costume trick-or-treating!!

While you give the hologram version of myself treats, I will send my Super Ninja Munchins (patented of course) to fiddle with your machine and draw on your face when you sleep!!! Thereby turning your own weapon against you and making you look funny as well!

MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

P.S.

Please do not close your back door as these munchins, although extremely deadly, can not reach the door knob and also can't climb very high windows.

Great shooting and a memorable hunt that will never be forgotten. Well done to you and your son! I noticed you outfitted him with arguably the best caliber and bullet combo for deer hunting .....the 7mm-08 with a 140 Partition. That is deer medicine that simply works!