My Step Son Robert's First Deer * Willy Tag Filled

BlacktailBowhunter · 11-10-2008, 10:23 AM

Well after many miles of boot leather over several days, yesterday, Nov. 9th, was the day.

We hunted the timber early in the morning until around 9:30, and then I decided to go check out a massive clear cut that is a 1 1/4 miles behind a locked gate. It had been showering off and on but not hard and it just felt like a day to find a blacktail in a cut.

We got to the cut and set up on the first ridge and cracked the rattle bag followed by doe bleats and nothing popped up that I could see. We sat for about 10 minutes and then decided to walk down and then back up to the next ridge for a different angle hoping to maybe kick something up.

Not seeing anything, we topped the next ridge and were able to look down into a bottom bench area just up from a creek. We stepped down off of the ridge to get a clear vantage point bowl like terrain, so we had good angles. We found a fresh rub and decided to try and do some more calling.

We were just getting settle in when 2 deer erupted from behind this yellow round tree 75 yards below where Robert is standing. Is that vine maple?

I immediately hit my grunt tube and both deer stopped. The closest one was right at a 100 yards and the other crossed the creek and stood on the other side.

I grunted and Robert took a shot and missed. I looked up and he was trying to shoot off hand, the deer stood there and I told Robert to use the tree as a rest, so he grabbed the tree and the stock of his rifle in his hand, I continued to grunt, and told him to take his time and relax, he did.

Shot number 2 was solid. We watched the doe jump and hump, walk a few yards, and then disappear into the creek bottom. It went behind the front shoulder and exited the gut, yuck, but it worked.

I was confident she was done when she didn't make it up the other side. The other doe stood there for quite some time before taking off. We High Fived and Robert was a very happy kid.

We waited 15 minutes before starting down what I now refer to as the "Elevator Shaft". It is not a long ways down maybe a hundred yards, but it is steep and tangly.

Time line:

11:52 doe was shot.
12:30 recover doe, field photos, field dress. Robert kept saying this is awesome, and I am thinking. God this is going to be a lot of work.
1:10 head back for the car with quick break at the top of the first ridge for the above photo from where Rob shot.
2:30 Back at the car. Yeah it is only a mile and a quarter, but it is up hill a good portion of it, and we were already whipped.
2:40 got in cell range called the gent (Mike) that gave us permission to hunt to see if he could open the gate, but got voice mail, Crap.
3:00 Back home calling friends to help praying Mike calls and can open gate.
3:10 Mike calls and is going to unlock the gate, so we can drive right up to the cut, YES, thank you, thank you, thank you.
3:20 Everything loaded and out the door. Neither of my 2 friends can help, so it is me and Rob. Oh well, we got all night.
3:30 Hit Bi-Mart for head lamp baterries, a large mag light, and ENERGY DRINKS, they worked.
4:10 Back at the cut, packs on, game bags check, lights check, knives (Alaskan Blade Trader) check, latex gloves check, tarp check, water check, plastic bags check, knife sharpener check, tag check.
4:20 start down
4:40 Arrive at the deer and start skinning and qartering
6:15 Quartered and loaded heading out
6:45 back at the car

We were on our hands and knees climbing out of the Elavator Shaft. We went slow and easy. I kept telling Robert to keep your center of gravity forward. If the pack weight took you backward, it would be an ugly fall.

In several spots, it was like climbing a ladder with a pack on, but it was a lot easier than what I thought it was going to be. It was actually very fun. You know how you build something up to be very hard, but once it is done it was much easier and funner than you expected?

The Mag light was extremely helpfull. We normally only carry light weight flashlights and head lamps, but in this kind of terrain at night, I wanted to make sure we could see.

This hunt for Robert and myself was the full spectrum of a hunt. We tried several methods and in the end, we basically ended up bumping these deer, and Robert got the shot. I just had a feeling there were deer in this spot. A buck would have been nice, but Robert is tickled with his doe and now a big game hunter.

CombinationLicense · 11-10-2008, 10:45 AM

Congratulations guys! I'm glad that all the hard work finally paid off - Kudos

"CL"

oregonmuley · 11-10-2008, 10:47 AM

Hey nice job - you guys did better than me

I'm still working on my Willy tag but there is still plenty of time right

Congrats to the hunter and "guide".

loper · 11-10-2008, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlacktailBowhunter

I looked up and he was trying to shoot off hand, the deer stood there and I told Robert to use the tree as a rest, so he grabbed the tree and the stock of his rifle in his hand, I continued to grunt, and told him to take his time and relax, he did.

Way to keep things calm; always helps.

And a vertical packing story just adds flavor to the backstrap. Cuz everything tastes better when you have to work for it.

Good job!!

beardbuster · 11-10-2008, 10:58 AM

Nice work you too!! That's pretty cool.

Way to go Robert!

And Paul it's great that you are really taking the time to teach him some good ethics and help him become a great hunter some day.

Don Becker · 11-10-2008, 10:59 AM

Don

Smoked Salmon · 11-10-2008, 11:02 AM

Congrats! A lifetime of hunting awaits.

ORsouthpaw · 11-10-2008, 11:06 AM

Way to go BTBH, your hunt sounds very similar to our's this year. Congratulations to Rob and to you for getting it done!

Blktalhunter · 11-10-2008, 11:20 AM

Congrats on your first deer Robert.

MJ13 · 11-10-2008, 11:32 AM

That is awesome! You're son will never forget that moment

Oregonhunter · 11-10-2008, 11:39 AM

Looks like some good eating there...tell him congrats!

oh

Dave Smith · 11-10-2008, 11:47 AM

ALRIGHT!!!

Nice work!!!!

micah · 11-10-2008, 02:41 PM

Congratulations on your first deer Rob!!

Catch 22 · 11-10-2008, 02:52 PM

The best trophy is the smile on that young mans face. Congrats!!

Nw dukn · 11-10-2008, 02:59 PM

Way to go congrats..

RidgeRunner · 11-10-2008, 03:03 PM

Congratulations to your son. I know the feeling. My did it last year. Looks like you had to work to hard, but that is why we hunt.

HOGGEMIN · 11-10-2008, 03:33 PM

Congratulations Robert and great job Paul taking your son hunting and all the work with the other kids you have helped out..........

Santiam338 · 11-10-2008, 03:40 PM

Great job Robert.

.. It never hurts to look for a tree to steady the shot...Valuable lesson learned...

blacktail519 · 11-10-2008, 06:01 PM

Congrats Robert on a great first deer that you most certainly will remember a lifetime

And cangrats Paul for the hard work and persistence in making the hunt a success for your step son

Awesome

KingSlew · 11-10-2008, 06:48 PM

Congrats Robert! That's a very good doe!

Limbhanger · 11-10-2008, 07:00 PM

Good Job Robert ! You've got it down !!!!!!

I am glad to see you scored after putting your time in this year.

The Fish Box · 11-10-2008, 08:44 PM

good job

BlacktailBowhunter · 11-11-2008, 09:11 AM

Thanks for the nice comments guys. I will show Robert this thread.

He did work his tail off for this deer.

I think most kids would have been discouraged, but Robert hung in there and was as enthusiastic on the day he harvested as the day we started this mission last November.

I think we had a solid 30 days of hunting to get this deer and probably a 100 miles or more of walking.

We saw lots of deer over the course of that time, it was just a matter of not being able to get in the right position in time to make a an ethical shot.

He is hooked.

BTBH