Muledeer33,
My son Matthew was drawn for an arizona youth deer hunt and I had high hopes for him to kill a big mule deer buck because I know where they are usually.......well for some reason this year I couldn't find them, I searched high and low talked to many other people in the know and everybody was saying the same thing. "Can't find any racked deer"
Oh I was finding does all right, to the tune of 30-40 every day but with those odds you would figure I'd run into a buck but no it wasn't happening.
I finally gave in and asked Matthew would he be ok looking for a coues buck and he said yes so we searched for a coues buck but did not find a racked deer there either...frustration was starting to set in and I can tell it was starting to take a toll on my son.
Let's just say I pushed a 10 yr old kid with a prosthetic leg pretty darned hard to get him a chance on a buck.
I drug him up mountains to nearly 6000' and back down to around 3000' in one day and he was getting flat wore out. (To be honest so was I)
We had a few misshaps and one was he fell on his rifle full force scratching the crap out of my leupold scope ( :cry: ) and I was nervous he might have knocked it off a bit so I took a test shot at a white rock at 375 yds away and busted it so I knew we were still good.
We saw tons of bear scat (which made Matthew very nervous) lol and saw some of the most beautiful country there is also saw a dozen coatimundi which is also a first for me.
Matthew wanted to shoot one but it would probably have taken me a few hours to retrieve one if he did because of their location and the rugged terrain.
I convinced him that we were here for deer so let's concentrate on that.
Anyway second from last day of his hunt getting late into the evening I think I about pushed him to the brink after dragging him up a mountainside he said "dad, I can't go any farther"
I saw a rock pile a little higher up and wanted to glass the other side so I told him to wait there as I was going up for a few minutes for a looky doo.
I go up to the rock formation and put up my 15 power swaro's on my tripod and instantly find javalina and right above them I find 4 deer one of which is a small spike.
I looked back at Matthew and show him the antler sign...I could tell he got real excited and started coming toward me, I left my binos and everything there and ran back to meet him, helping him back to the rock formation, I showed him the little buck through the binos and he says dad I think I should shoot him.
I agreed because of our lack of buck sightings and the fact the next day would only be a half day hunt due to thanksgiving.
I ranged the deer and got 350 yds, got him set up with his rifle and was a bit hard but he finally located the buck, I kept telling him I want to make sure of which deer to shoot as there was a couple of doe and didn't want to shoot one of them, by the time he was finally ready to pull the trigger the little buck was now at 402 yds and I dialed the CDS on his scope and told him when he is ready and the buck was broadside let one fly.
Just a few seconds go by and he says dad here goes....
At the shot I heard the bullet hit him and the buck humped up (little far back) and walked off by himself and laid down, still alive I told Matthew to send another, when he did I again heard the bullet smack the buck and down the hill he rolled.
By the time it was so dark and the fact I left my headlamp back at the truck we had to leave him there overnight.
Matthew was pretty upset and started to get misty eyed because I stupidly made the comment that I hoped no lions or bears get to it overnight.
But I assured him everything will be allright.
Next morning we went back and found the little buck right where we left him untouched by any animal, and I have one very happy little hunter.
I'm very proud of him of what he had to endure with me as I know I pushed him pretty hard but made sure he had a good time doing it and didn't make him go too far and have a bad time.
Also very impressed with his 400 yd shooting ability smacking that buck twice in a row. Oh and btw the second shot was a great heart shot.
Here's the happy hunter.
Matthew deserved this deer and more in my opinion and I have to say he was proud because how hard he fought to get this deer.
Can't say enough how proud I am of him.
