BPKHunter
Very Active Member
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I had a great hunt with my 12 year old son Cory Monday on the Antelope opener here in Idaho. We had scouted 3 times the past month and found a buck we really wanted, about 14" with great mass. We watched him the day before at first light and last light. First light on the opener, of course, he wasn't were he was supposed to be. When we did find him, we were planning a stalk up the mountain where he was, when another truck saw us glassing, looked up the hill, and literally whipped a u-turn and headed up. Well to make a long story short they screwed up, but managed to cut us off from stalks 2 other times and after we had to leave for an hour, with the help of a buddy spotting from down below and radio the Antelopes movement, they killed the buck we wanted. This is where it gets better. We were looking for our plan B buck, not as long, but real wide and alot of character. On our way to a good place to glass, we jumped a group with a nice buck, but not the "trophy" we originally thought we wanted. I ask my son if he wants to hunt this buck and he gives and emphatic "YES". We get busted twice, once by another small band we didn't expect. Eventually we guess where they are, plan a stalk, crawl 60 yards through stickers to the last real piece of sage to find out the band is 460 yards away. I think it's over, when my son says, dad I think I can make it. He tells me a detailed plan of crawling 200 yards through light grass to a sage bush the size of a cocker spaniel. You have to understand this is a boy who has always been light on the motivation, but since last year has been really coming on. We had hand-loaded our own bullets, and put almost 200 rounds through my old .243 practicing. Back to the hunt, I say, go for it and stayed back to attempt to video and watch. He crawled on his belly for 45 minutes, covered that distance, but unfortunately the last few minutes the buck got up and meandered away. I was watching as my son set up his shooting stix as we practiced, tried to range him. I watched as he waited as the buck walked away, then went behind a sage and some other lopes until it was broadside. As I'm thinking it's too far, BOOM!. It was a suprise as I had the camera and my 15x Swaro's down, I quickly pick up the herd and see them all just standing there. I figure he missed, then just as I acquire the buck, his back legs gave out and he dropped. Cory is looking at me at this time. He never saw it go down. I start yelling, he runs up to me, and says, "did I get it". Well I said "you did". He starts screaming and we head down. We found his buck with a hole low on his chest, my son couldn't hold the rangefinder steady enough to realize he was actually 350 yards, but he took out the heart. One shot at 350 yards for your first big game animal for an 80lb, 5' 0" 12 year old. Sure makes a dad proud....
Even though this buck taped 2" shorter(12") than "Mr Big", it was a great experience for both of us. The crazy thing is has (1) more antelope to kill, a superhunt Mule Deer tag to fill, and a late season cow elk, but what a great start.
Even though this buck taped 2" shorter(12") than "Mr Big", it was a great experience for both of us. The crazy thing is has (1) more antelope to kill, a superhunt Mule Deer tag to fill, and a late season cow elk, but what a great start.
