Kiabab juniors hunt

E

Elwood

Guest
My two sons who are 13&14 were fortunate to be drawn for the 12A antlerless youth hunt. They had put in for this hunt three times before and were skunked so we were happy to be drawn. We went up to scout on the ninth of October and we were pleased to see many deer but, their hunt was a month later and the deer had migrated. I had sent a PM to AZbowhntr and received invaluable information on where the deer are congregated.

THANK YOU AZbowhntr!

The boy's hunt started on the 10th so we traveled up to the Kiabab on the ninth. The Kiabab is 520 miles from our home. We live in Southern Arizona.
We saw lots of deer. My 14 year old was using a 270 win and my 13 year old was using a contender carbine in 7-30 Waters. We did a lot of glassing and plenty of stalking and a little missing before my eldest connected on a nice sized doe on Sunday morning.
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During our Saturday afternoon hunt we had trecked farther south and my eldest had stalked a herd of deer unsucessfully. He wanted to go back on Sunday, so come the crack of dawn we were stillhunting up a woodcutting road in a burn. The oak sappling thicket on our left exploded with maybe 25 deer jumping out of thier beds and trotting out. Three does headed up the mountain so we followed. By the time we got up the ridge these deer were gone but we glassed the valley and immediatly spotted about ten deer. We cautiously moved down the ridge into some dead trees that the boys could use as rifle rests as well as cover. I wanted my eldest to shoot but he had become cautious. I had buckfever so bad at times I couldn't keep the deer in my binoculars. After a half hour of watching the deer we had all calmed down and he shot. With so many deer it is hard to keep track of one. After waiting twenty minutes we went in search of the doe. We walked right up to her as we rounded a bend. She ran before they could shoot. We waited another hour before tracking her again. We found very little blood but eventually found her. I had two very happy boys.
That evening we were heading back to the same general area when deer crossed the road 75 yards in front of us. I pulled over and my 13 year old got out. The deer were meandering through the trees as he squatted and shot. It was a classical behind the shoulder shot and the deer never went 15 yards. She wasnt very big but it was his first deer and he couldnt be happier if it was a trophy buck.
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We deboned the deer and broke camp on Monday went to Fredonia to have a tire repaired and headed home. We arived home 1:30 on Tuesday morning tired and satisfied. I told the boys that we would hunt there again but not next year as it is so far away. I call the boys "the lady killers" now.
Elwood
 
Great story and pictures, looks like you guys had some fun and a good hunt, I like the name you hung on them too, "Ladykillers" is a pretty good handle. Good luck on your next year hunts.
 
Its nice to see your getting your kids into hunting, but I dont think its a good idea to be letting them think its OK to be shooting doe. AZGFD is very good @ giving tags that will hurt units. It is up to the older hunters to decide whether or not to take animals. I personalll signed over a BULL 6a MUZZ tag to my 15 year old and passed on several spikes to come home emty handed. Not only did my son have a great Hunt, He also left Inmature Bulls to grow for the next hunt
 
That is kind of like you standing on the freeway with a sign that says "Drive 45, it's safer". If you don't agree with a particular law, game management theory, or tag quota - you should attempt to change it (Lobby, get a job @ AZFG). Don't berate those that don't have your views and follow the laws.

Elwood - fine work, 2 dead does will probably cause thousands of $ to be spent on hunting in the future. Your future daughters-in-law will hate you.......
 
Wapatisme, yours has to be one of the stupidist posts I have yet seen on any internet site. If you want to raise your kids to only shoot MONSTER specimens good for you. WE will probably see their names in the record books. But if someone else lets there kids shoot does or spikes good for them. At least the kids are excited and getting into the sport. Never mind this isn't worth the time.
 
Elwood,
Congrats to both you and your boys.
Thanks for sharing with us.

Chef
"I Love Animals...They're Delicious!"
 
That's awesome! Congrats to you guys on a great hunt. There's more to hunting than antlers!
 
Good job, those are some great photo's and the memories will last you forever. Thank's for sharing.
 
Congrats to the hunters and to you Elwood. Nice to see they had a great time and that you are spending some time with them in the field. I'm sure they will always look back on this hunt with fond memories. congrats again and enjoy!
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-27-06 AT 08:48AM (MST)[p]Wapitisme, These kids and their father did absolutely nothing wrong. Have you given any thought to your post having a negative impact on these kids? Just because you may be a trophy hunter we need the junior hunt programs to get kids interested in hunting. They are huntings future! Not all animals are "book trophies" but their harvest is an essential part of wildlife management. There is a valuable lesson to be learned in that regard as well.
 
Great job! Tell your boys congratulations and kudos to you for taking them out and getting them excited about hunting.

NvrEnuf
 
Elwood, congratulations to your boys. That is great. I am glad that I was able to help you out. It makes a big difference being in the right area and seeing game. Especially when the youth are involved. They can get discouraged quickly.
 
Thanks guys for the encouragement. My sons are still pumped!
By the way, this was a antlerless ONLY hunt.
Elwood
 
Fantastic job to you and your sons.........I am glad it all worked out and both boys got a deer. Let the politicians/conservation groups haggle out the "management theory" and let the kids get involved in hunting. Hope both boys grow into outdoorsmen like their dad....... Thanks, Allen Taylor......
 

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