I had a phone call thursday, with no school and no hockey yesterday he was hoping I could take him hunting. With his Dad working he was stuck for a hunting partner, so i explained to him that I had to go back and finish installing a hydraulic pump in a tractor for a customer, then we'd go hunting. He was a big help with the pump job and things went smooth, so we got out earlier then I had expected but late enough in the day that deer are all bedded. We done a little scout of the 1/2 section we planned on hunting and found several scrapes and rubs, we had a idea there was a decent buck in the area. On our first push I set him up on a nice knowl with a good vantage point, I went back around and done a push. I here Boom Boom, second one had a smack to it, as I came out of the bush he had a big grin, his first ever Yote. I had to chuckle and give my head a shake and I asked him " you do realize we are looking for deer?" He laughed and said he couldn't resist apparently to yotes came out right after I dropped him off and played peek a boo with him, so from his vantage he could see me comin thru and after I was about 2/3 of the way thru he figured no deer, so he fed the yote his 100 gr pt. KIDS! ( I'd have likley done the same at age 13. LOL)
Second push turned up notta, but third times a charm. As we were looking over the last bush on the southend of the last 1/4 I spotted a muley butt, with the binos I picked out a pair. The bush was L shaped and to push it properly we should have 3 people in the bush and two on stand, with just 2 of us I picked the most likely escape route and set him up. I got him down into prone with his pack as a rest, told him the 2 likley areas to cover and told him to be ready. I made a wide loop around the bush and decided on a passive push. I let the wind carry my scent but I made more of a silent stalk approach then a noisy push. I figured this would let them leave on there own terms and not rocket out and maybe provide him with a good shot oppurtunity . It worked sorta, the main herd of 7 does went up the second escape route and he could see them but never had a chance at a shot, then a nice ol mule buck came out where I had expected , he calmly walked up to about 30 yrds and stuck his tongue out. You see deer know if you have a tag or not, it gave my nephew a good lesson of life to say the least. lol. Then a lone doe walked out shortly after the buck but was taking a different path to get with the main herd, he gave a soft grunt and at 55 yrds or so placed 100 gr pt perfectly behind the shoulder, she made it back to the bush bout 35 yrds and piled up. He was ecstatic and I was pretty proud of his shot placement. I then got the play by play some hi fives and then we went to work I let bhim do most of the work of gutting only giving pointers and holding back legs. It was a great day with a great kid. I will get a pic of him and his muley doe up in the hunting pics left camera in the truck overnight. S7.
Second push turned up notta, but third times a charm. As we were looking over the last bush on the southend of the last 1/4 I spotted a muley butt, with the binos I picked out a pair. The bush was L shaped and to push it properly we should have 3 people in the bush and two on stand, with just 2 of us I picked the most likely escape route and set him up. I got him down into prone with his pack as a rest, told him the 2 likley areas to cover and told him to be ready. I made a wide loop around the bush and decided on a passive push. I let the wind carry my scent but I made more of a silent stalk approach then a noisy push. I figured this would let them leave on there own terms and not rocket out and maybe provide him with a good shot oppurtunity . It worked sorta, the main herd of 7 does went up the second escape route and he could see them but never had a chance at a shot, then a nice ol mule buck came out where I had expected , he calmly walked up to about 30 yrds and stuck his tongue out. You see deer know if you have a tag or not, it gave my nephew a good lesson of life to say the least. lol. Then a lone doe walked out shortly after the buck but was taking a different path to get with the main herd, he gave a soft grunt and at 55 yrds or so placed 100 gr pt perfectly behind the shoulder, she made it back to the bush bout 35 yrds and piled up. He was ecstatic and I was pretty proud of his shot placement. I then got the play by play some hi fives and then we went to work I let bhim do most of the work of gutting only giving pointers and holding back legs. It was a great day with a great kid. I will get a pic of him and his muley doe up in the hunting pics left camera in the truck overnight. S7.
