My little man got it done last weekend in Nebraska. We were hunting our favorite piece of public ground, where he got his first turkey this spring. Saturday morning, on opening day, we had sat up a double bull blind, looking over this really well used travel corridor. I had been getting alot of bucks on trail cam, some pretty nice ones too. Our hopes were really high as we hiked in Sat. morning, with everything we needed to sit all day. I had picked this spot because I thought it was far enough from any road or trail that I didnt think we'd see alot of people, but its a major travel corridor between the main river bottom and ag fields up higher off the public ground. Well, we were quite surprised by the human traffic! We sat dark to dark, and saw 20 people from the blind!!! We did see 5 deer, including a nice buck. My little boy did miss a doe that evening, which really had him bummed.
Sunday, I had another area picked out, which was also very out of the way. The public boundary followed a small ravine, creating just a "finger" of land surrounded by private. It was quite the walk in to get to it, and I had really high hopes this spot would pay off. About an hour after day break, we saw 2 does running from the private ground, down to the ravine. Unfortunately, they were out of range, and moving too fast. About 30 minutes later, a little buck followed, "bird dogging" the does, his nose to the ground. Again, he moved into the ravine, but never in range or offered a shot.
About 2 or 3 hours later, I look out the back of the blind, and see a hunter silhouetted behind us, glassing down into the ravine. He starts working towards it, and I'm thinking, he is either going to push the deer to us, or blow them out all together.
I tell my son to get ready, get the gun up and be ready. 10 minutes goes by, and the 2 does come out, and start heading down the ravine towards out position. I whisper to my son, "Here comes the 2 does! Get ready, get on them!" I watch him as he finds them in the scope, and follows the lead doe. I let out a soft bleat as the doe is 35 yards in front of us. She stops and I am waiting for the BANG! No shot happens. The doe starts moving again, and my little man is scrambling to move to the next window and get back on her. He does, and again I am waiting for the BANG! But nothing. The 2 does walk past and further down the ravine. I then see the hunter pop out into the ravine. He finally realizes that blob on the hillside is a popup blind. I wave to him and he moves on.
I asked my little boy what happened, and realized, he was squeezing the trigger all along, but never took the gun off safety! I told him that the little buck never came out with the 2 does. Its possible he is either still in there, or he ran the opposite direction.
We settle back in and wait. About 30 minutes passes, and the small buck materializes, 100 yards out in front of us, and heading down the same trail the does were on. My little boy sees him, gets the gun up slowly and gets on him. I motion to him to remember to take the safety off this time! I blew the grunt tube softly when the buck was at about 60-70 yards and broadside. BOOM! Nailed him! The buck turns to run, takes several leaps and stops at my loud grunts. BOOM! My son drops the deer with the follow up shot at about 90 yards. First deer down!
As a father, I am so proud of him this year. We progressed from his first kill of rabbits in CO in Feb. to his first turkey in Nebraska in April, and now to his first deer!
Sunday, I had another area picked out, which was also very out of the way. The public boundary followed a small ravine, creating just a "finger" of land surrounded by private. It was quite the walk in to get to it, and I had really high hopes this spot would pay off. About an hour after day break, we saw 2 does running from the private ground, down to the ravine. Unfortunately, they were out of range, and moving too fast. About 30 minutes later, a little buck followed, "bird dogging" the does, his nose to the ground. Again, he moved into the ravine, but never in range or offered a shot.
About 2 or 3 hours later, I look out the back of the blind, and see a hunter silhouetted behind us, glassing down into the ravine. He starts working towards it, and I'm thinking, he is either going to push the deer to us, or blow them out all together.
I tell my son to get ready, get the gun up and be ready. 10 minutes goes by, and the 2 does come out, and start heading down the ravine towards out position. I whisper to my son, "Here comes the 2 does! Get ready, get on them!" I watch him as he finds them in the scope, and follows the lead doe. I let out a soft bleat as the doe is 35 yards in front of us. She stops and I am waiting for the BANG! No shot happens. The doe starts moving again, and my little man is scrambling to move to the next window and get back on her. He does, and again I am waiting for the BANG! But nothing. The 2 does walk past and further down the ravine. I then see the hunter pop out into the ravine. He finally realizes that blob on the hillside is a popup blind. I wave to him and he moves on.
I asked my little boy what happened, and realized, he was squeezing the trigger all along, but never took the gun off safety! I told him that the little buck never came out with the 2 does. Its possible he is either still in there, or he ran the opposite direction.
We settle back in and wait. About 30 minutes passes, and the small buck materializes, 100 yards out in front of us, and heading down the same trail the does were on. My little boy sees him, gets the gun up slowly and gets on him. I motion to him to remember to take the safety off this time! I blew the grunt tube softly when the buck was at about 60-70 yards and broadside. BOOM! Nailed him! The buck turns to run, takes several leaps and stops at my loud grunts. BOOM! My son drops the deer with the follow up shot at about 90 yards. First deer down!
As a father, I am so proud of him this year. We progressed from his first kill of rabbits in CO in Feb. to his first turkey in Nebraska in April, and now to his first deer!
