Pines_N_Tines
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The unit we hunt was a zoo on the archery hunt. My oldest son had a tag and we went down for the opener. He sent an arrow right over the back of a really big buck. It sure would have made for a nice buck on the wall, but it didn't happen. Later in the hunt he thought about drawing back on a smaller buck but decided not to take him. Another hunting buddy who is a Utah dedicated hunter had seen the smaller buck and drew back on him but decided to let him go. Fast forward to the muzzle loader season and my youngest son is happy they didn't take the smaller buck.
My youngest is now 15 years old. At thirteen he missed a 3 point and a 4 point on his first muzzleloader hunt. Story Here https://www.monstermuleys.info/xf/threads/2020-muzzy-hunt-with-my-sons.184732/#post-1890743
Horn Hunter commented on that story that because my son was holding out and not shooting 2 points, he'd probably get a monster.
This was a fun hunt. Because of football and biology tests, we didn't make it down for the opener or the second or third day of the hunt. We knew we'd be hunting pressured deer but we were still optimistic.
I love the fall. The weather, the colors, hunting season, all of it. It was fun to see my son feel the same deep feelings about fall as I have. Here's a posed picture of the colors we were in.
This next picture I took right after my son was telling me what I already knew. He was telling me how amazing this place is.
On our first day of hunting we hiked a lot. We were sitting on the log in the picture above when 156 yards below us we heard a shot. It was from a hunter that we didn't know was in the same area as us. Six deer came running up towards us. I could see a 20" heavy massed 2 point with two does and two fawns. I told my son that is not your typical 2 point and if you like him you can shoot him. It was at 60 yards. It was almost like my son was ignoring me. Then the deer ran off. I asked him was that buck not good enough? He said "No it was a great buck but I didn't know if I should shoot the buck without knowing if the other hunter had hit it. Come to find out my son had his cross hairs on an entirely different buck that I couldn't see. It was a nice 3x4. When the other hunter came up to see if he could find blood we offered to help and circled for a little bit. It appears his shot was a clean miss.
We we're a little discouraged that the other hunters in the valley seemed to be exactly on top of us, but such is hunting on public land during general seasons. We moved on and later jumped a 3 point with no shot opportunity. We saw three other small bucks on the evening hunt.
The next morning we decided to see if the bucks would filter back in but approached from a different way. We were pinned for 25 minutes by two 2-points. We kept hoping their big brother would step out but no dice. As we moved on we got pinned by 2 does. We were trying to get to a specific spot we've seen many deer in the past. Once we got past the does I spotted a buck deep in the aspens and ranged him at 182 yards. Then I saw 2, then 3 then 4 bucks. I tried to get my son in position to see the bucks. Once he could, there were several does in the way of any shot and the group left before we could get a shot off. I was a little bummed because I know how steep the canyon is in the direction they left. We hiked up a ways and weren't being quite as we formulated a plan then I spotted the iconic white buck face peeking out between two aspens at 97 yards. I got my son set up on a monopod and said if he moves out from behind the aspen drop him.
In his scope he could see three white faced bucks with antlers peeking out behind aspens. I had to adjust him to the middle buck which was the biggest of the three. It took 5 minutes for the buck to move. I was worried he'd run at first step but instead he took a step out to get a better view of us. Boom!
As the smoke of the muzzle loader cleared there was pandemonium. Deer running everywhere. Then my son said yes dad look at him thrashing around up there. We quickly reloaded. My son regained composure as the emotions from missing two years earlier and the adrenaline from shooting an hitting your mark overwhelmed him. As we approached I told him to be ready in case he jumped up. At fifty yards we could see the buck trying to get up. I said take your time and put a second shot right at the arm pit. Boom!!!. Now the high fives and hugs. It was an amazing hunt with my son.
Little Bighorn once commented on my other sons bighorn sheep hunt that time spent hunting with your son doesn't count against your life because you're already in Heaven. I couldn't agree more. It's not the monster Horn Hunter thought he'd get but it's a great first buck. It just so happened to be the buck that my oldest son didn't draw on during the archery, that my buddy passed during the archery, and that the guy below us had missed the day before. Congrats to my son on his first big game animal.
Here it is.
My youngest is now 15 years old. At thirteen he missed a 3 point and a 4 point on his first muzzleloader hunt. Story Here https://www.monstermuleys.info/xf/threads/2020-muzzy-hunt-with-my-sons.184732/#post-1890743
Horn Hunter commented on that story that because my son was holding out and not shooting 2 points, he'd probably get a monster.
This was a fun hunt. Because of football and biology tests, we didn't make it down for the opener or the second or third day of the hunt. We knew we'd be hunting pressured deer but we were still optimistic.
I love the fall. The weather, the colors, hunting season, all of it. It was fun to see my son feel the same deep feelings about fall as I have. Here's a posed picture of the colors we were in.
This next picture I took right after my son was telling me what I already knew. He was telling me how amazing this place is.
On our first day of hunting we hiked a lot. We were sitting on the log in the picture above when 156 yards below us we heard a shot. It was from a hunter that we didn't know was in the same area as us. Six deer came running up towards us. I could see a 20" heavy massed 2 point with two does and two fawns. I told my son that is not your typical 2 point and if you like him you can shoot him. It was at 60 yards. It was almost like my son was ignoring me. Then the deer ran off. I asked him was that buck not good enough? He said "No it was a great buck but I didn't know if I should shoot the buck without knowing if the other hunter had hit it. Come to find out my son had his cross hairs on an entirely different buck that I couldn't see. It was a nice 3x4. When the other hunter came up to see if he could find blood we offered to help and circled for a little bit. It appears his shot was a clean miss.
We we're a little discouraged that the other hunters in the valley seemed to be exactly on top of us, but such is hunting on public land during general seasons. We moved on and later jumped a 3 point with no shot opportunity. We saw three other small bucks on the evening hunt.
The next morning we decided to see if the bucks would filter back in but approached from a different way. We were pinned for 25 minutes by two 2-points. We kept hoping their big brother would step out but no dice. As we moved on we got pinned by 2 does. We were trying to get to a specific spot we've seen many deer in the past. Once we got past the does I spotted a buck deep in the aspens and ranged him at 182 yards. Then I saw 2, then 3 then 4 bucks. I tried to get my son in position to see the bucks. Once he could, there were several does in the way of any shot and the group left before we could get a shot off. I was a little bummed because I know how steep the canyon is in the direction they left. We hiked up a ways and weren't being quite as we formulated a plan then I spotted the iconic white buck face peeking out between two aspens at 97 yards. I got my son set up on a monopod and said if he moves out from behind the aspen drop him.
In his scope he could see three white faced bucks with antlers peeking out behind aspens. I had to adjust him to the middle buck which was the biggest of the three. It took 5 minutes for the buck to move. I was worried he'd run at first step but instead he took a step out to get a better view of us. Boom!
As the smoke of the muzzle loader cleared there was pandemonium. Deer running everywhere. Then my son said yes dad look at him thrashing around up there. We quickly reloaded. My son regained composure as the emotions from missing two years earlier and the adrenaline from shooting an hitting your mark overwhelmed him. As we approached I told him to be ready in case he jumped up. At fifty yards we could see the buck trying to get up. I said take your time and put a second shot right at the arm pit. Boom!!!. Now the high fives and hugs. It was an amazing hunt with my son.
Little Bighorn once commented on my other sons bighorn sheep hunt that time spent hunting with your son doesn't count against your life because you're already in Heaven. I couldn't agree more. It's not the monster Horn Hunter thought he'd get but it's a great first buck. It just so happened to be the buck that my oldest son didn't draw on during the archery, that my buddy passed during the archery, and that the guy below us had missed the day before. Congrats to my son on his first big game animal.
Here it is.
