AZAV8ER Report post Posted March 10, 2018 I was living in Utah and between a Colorado Elk hunt and an Arizona Course & Elk hunt. I asked boys Mom if I could take 8 year old son deer hunting for a day and she was all like, Get Him the F out of here for a day? Yes Yes Yes take him and leave me in peace. I told my 8 yr old that we would head out at 3:00 AM. He was all for it and I had truck all loaded and ready, but decided alarm at 3:30 was good enough. At 3:20 my son woke me up and said "Dad you told me 3:00 (WTF) so we headed out and drove 1:45 to trailhead. Only squack from boy was that he wanted to go in front of me down the trail. I got it, boy wanted me behind him going down forest trail at 0 dark thirty. It was another 1:50 hike into hunt spot. When we had enough light I started glassing as we slowly walked down the trail getting closer and closer to our area. Right when we got to the center of basin to hunt I glassed up a nice 4X4 buck. I ducked down in the oak brush and dumped my pack and told Quin I had to stalk a bit for my shot. He sat in the twilight quiet as a mouse as I worked my way closer to my Muley Buck. Finally the brush got so thick I had to stand up and take a 100 yard offhand shot. Buck Down and went to get Quin and gear. I told him I was impressed he stayed quiet in the semi light and he told me he knew he had to stay calm/quiet as I stalked closer (very proud Papa). Got deer broken down and lashed to pack frame and had my hands full with REM MOD 7 708 and 4X4 head. Looking at Quin I told him I need his help, needed him to cary lite day pack with our fleece coats 2 qrts water and also binocs and belt with knife and extra shells hung over his neck. He rucked up and helped out. It was a 400 yard hike up slope to trail and another mountain trail hike for 1:50 back to truck. He did mention how spectacular the fall colors looked but nothing more than that. When we got to trailhead and rig, I was like "man I am glad thats done" my boy said "me to". That was 20 years ago and one of our best enduring memories. 13 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted March 10, 2018 Thanks for sharing. Hopefully you two are still hunting together. Nice write-up. TJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoshi Report post Posted March 10, 2018 Congratulations!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goinhuntn Report post Posted March 10, 2018 Cool story!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZHunter1 Report post Posted March 11, 2018 Nice story. Congrats Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hoghntr Report post Posted March 12, 2018 All I have is the memories! My kiddo, 21 now, too cool for me I guess. I sure miss those days and pray the relationship is restored cuz he was best hunting partner. My paps and I hunted hard together when I was young but it was mostly shooting snakes that were attatched to my leg, finding me lost in Kaibab, or repairing the truck door I put 243 thru from inside out :/ etc etc.. No big bucks in,pics of he and I. That's a awesome buck! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZAV8ER Report post Posted August 20, 2018 Its been almost 21 years since events posted above. Quin has been out of the Army for couple years and now settled enough to go on our first AZ Coues hunt in 12 years. Here we are at a PRS match getting him checked out on the rifle he will hunt with. Praying I can keep up and hoping he gets a Coues buck to match the Muley buck we took way back when. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
