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11-19-2017, 08:14 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Central Kootenays BC
Posts: 432
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Daughter's First Deer
DSCF1676.jpgThis has been my youngest daughter's first season with her own tags(she did her CORE last winter). We had a slow start to our season with the smoke so thick through the whole youth season and the area being inundated with all the hunters who could not hunt the east Kootenays due to the fires. Just finding the time for her to get out in the mountains with me was challenging, she's 14 so factor in x-country, volleyball, homework, wanting to hang out with her friends, wanting a sleep in once in a while and you have a very busy girl. We still managed to get out every couple of weekends.
She had tags for mule deer and white tailed deer, unfortunately mule deer season ended without her seeing a legal 4-point. We did see a fair number of bucks just nothing she could shoot. So yesterday she had a free morning, she had to be home by noon so she could make it to a friends' birthday party but we still had at least 4 hours to hunt.
We headed up the mountain facing our house a bit too early but that just gave us a chance to finish our coffee/hot chocolate and chat. We left the truck behind about 7:15am with six inches of snow fresh from the day before so not too noisy and headed up a series of interconnecting game trails, dirt bike trails and open ridges. My girl did pretty good not a complaint, the snow got deeper very quickly as we gained elevation. We had just gotten onto the ridgeline I knew connected us to an open hillside where we could have a break and glass the sparse but large timber on the mountainside. The ridge we were following had a very steep western face and the hillside opposite us was thick but with openings quite regularly. One of these openings had just appeared when I noticed something that was just a bit more brown than the surrounding cedars, a white tailed buck. The wind was good and we were higher than him so the buck patiently waited while I helped my daughter get set up on my mono pod.
She's all set up and has him in her scope when she asks me; "He's facing us where do I aim?" Middle of the chest was my answer. She asks "Can I shoot?" and I barely get the words out as soon as you're on him and she squeezes the trigger. The buck instantly disappears from my binoculars but staggers out less than 10m over in the next opening and topples over. My girl was pretty emotional at first, it's the first big game animal she has killed and she was a little upset at first. Until she saw he was really dead and put her hands on his antlers. While I was cutting her tag I noticed she was talking to the deer and stroking his ears so I guess she's all good with it now. I showed her how to gut an animal then we skidded him mostly downhill to a landing where I could get the truck into. She is pretty happy that her deer will help feed us through the coming year. She's helping me butcher today and on Tuesday I'll take in the trimmings and get the smokies made by our local German metzger.
The rifle she was using is a Savage Axis Youth chambered in 7mm-08 shooting Hornady American Whitetail 139gr Interlock. She made a 75m shot, dead center of chest. Zero meat damage outside of a bit of brisket and a big hole in the ribs. Turned out he was not facing us square on and the bullet exited through the ribs. Was very proud of her shooting and how quickly she got onto him. No hesitation, she said it was better not to wait because she could feel the nerves coming on. She had the shakes pretty bad after but not while it counted. And that's her old dad dragging the deer out for her. I don't think except for my first deer have I ever been so pleased with how a hunt went. Still hunting in the mountains with my girl, fresh snow, November, not too cold, a nice 4x4 white tailed deer, it was perfect DSCF1673.jpg
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Last edited by JTRED; 11-19-2017 at 08:37 AM.
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11-19-2017, 08:25 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Southern Alberta
Posts: 393
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Congrats to your daughter on a very nice buck.Thanks for sharing the story and pics.Something she will always remember.
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11-19-2017, 08:28 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 5,160
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Brilliant! Congrats, that's just awesome 
Something interesting I've noticed, girls often get much more into it as they associate hunting with food they've eaten. The first is the hardest because that connection isn't formed yet, even if they grew up eating game. Watch what happens. I'll guess that hunting will move up the priority list in the future.
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“Nothing is more persistent than a liberal with a dumb idea” - Ebrand
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11-19-2017, 08:32 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: southern alberta
Posts: 2,246
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Congrats ...nice deer and good on you for taking her out
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11-19-2017, 08:39 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: West Central Alberta
Posts: 6,670
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Congrats to your daughter an a great first deer. Be memories for a lifetime for both of you.
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11-19-2017, 08:46 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 653
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I hope one day as well
Mine are young now but on their way to that age. I hope they will share in the experience with me. nothing would make me happier.
thanks for the story.
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11-19-2017, 09:01 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 809
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congratulations
__________________
If you consider an unsuccessful hunt to be a waste of time,
then the true meaning of the chase Eludes you all together
you only get a second
shoot where their
going not where they been,
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11-19-2017, 09:02 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: GP AB
Posts: 16,227
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Great story, thanks for taking the time to write and post, I enjoyed it. Congrats to you and your daughter! A great memory and time to bond for you both.
Also, that is a great cartridge & bullet combination, sure did the job.
__________________
'Once the monkeys learn they can vote themselves a banana, they'll never climb another tree.'. Robert Heinlein
'You can accomplish a lot more with a kind word and a gun, than with a kind word alone.' Al Capone
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11-19-2017, 09:43 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 153
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Great share Congrats young lady and a big way to go to pops for showing her all the right things.
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11-19-2017, 09:49 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 128
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Congrats to her! Good looking buck.
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11-19-2017, 10:15 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 11,343
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Congrats to your daughter on a beautiful buck.
__________________
“One of the sad signs of our times is that we have demonized those who produce, subsidized those who refuse to produce, and canonized those who complain.”
Thomas Sowell
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11-19-2017, 10:22 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 65
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Awesome! My daughter is on 1.5 but she sure loves being outside - one day she'll come out with me.
Congrats on the first deer!
__________________
As the saying goes - a picture is worth a thousand words; however, nothing equates to the experience - for this no price can be added.
I promote environmental conservation.
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11-19-2017, 10:24 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 7,509
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Congrats! I really enjoy the pictures and stories in the hunting section at this time of year.
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11-19-2017, 12:39 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 24,557
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Very nice to see the two of you enjoying the hunt, congrats on the buck toothed young lady.
__________________
Be careful when you follow the masses, sometimes the "M" is silent... 
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11-19-2017, 07:51 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Central Kootenays BC
Posts: 432
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Also, that is a great cartridge & bullet combination, sure did the job.[/QUOTE]
It's a great little gun, it shoots a number of different bulletweights/manufacturers pretty consistently to the same vertical line with not enough difference to bother adjusting for. For example Hornady Reduced recoil 120grSST shoots 1/2 inch high at 100yds while the 139gr Hornady GMX hit 2" high at 100yds all on the same vertical line. I didn't tell my daughter she was actually shooting Hornady American Whitetail 139gr Interlocks in place of her Reduced recoil SST's. The Interlocks are cheaper to shoot, slightly more accurate and seem to be a better weight for this caliber. I asked her afterwards if she had noticed any more recoil but of course who remembers the recoil when you're shooting at an animal.
I've packed the 7mm-08 on a number of backpack trips just to see how it stands up. So far no issues and as an added bonus it comes in 3.5" shorter than my other hunting rifles. 20" barrel, shortened LOP, and a short action making it a very handy gun to pack on a backpack trip. It's a little short for me at the range but not with any effect on my shooting and being such a mild mannered cartridge little danger of being scoped.
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11-19-2017, 07:55 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Alberta
Posts: 4,279
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Nice job. Congratulations to your daughter.
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11-19-2017, 08:56 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: onoway, Ab
Posts: 6,977
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A job well done.
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11-19-2017, 10:10 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,758
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congrats to your daughter 
__________________
 jpg images
LIFE IS TO SHORT TO HAVE AN UGLY LOOKIN DOG .....GET A LAB
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11-19-2017, 10:26 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: central Alberta
Posts: 12,628
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And she becomes a great huntress from this point forward. Congrats.
Thanks for sharing the story in detail. Every time I read a good accounting of someones hunt I want to make popcorn and read it again. 
__________________
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This country was started by voyagers whose young lives were swept away by the currents of the rivers for ten cents a day... just for the vanity of the European's beaver hats. ~ Red Bullets
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It is when you walk alone in nature that you discover your strengths and weaknesses. ~ Red Bullets
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11-20-2017, 12:55 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,652
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Awesome!
Congrats to your daughter!!
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11-20-2017, 01:00 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Location
Posts: 4,961
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott N
Congrats! I really enjoy the pictures and stories in the hunting section at this time of year.
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Me too
Congrats Op
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11-20-2017, 01:31 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Communist Capital of Alberta
Posts: 3,759
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Congrats to the young lady! Well done.
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11-20-2017, 09:14 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 1,387
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Wish I had the opportunity to have taken my girls out.
You are a lucky man to have made such memories.
Congrats to the both of you.
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11-21-2017, 12:22 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 37
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That is just awesome! I have a 15 month old daughter at home and I'm already day dreaming about the days I hope we will get to spend in the field. In somewhat the same vein, I rattled in a nice mature buck for my brother this last weekend, and got to enjoy him taking his first deer ever. Nothing better than hunting with family. Congrats to both you and your daughter!
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11-21-2017, 02:14 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: A bit North o' Center...
Posts: 11,149
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That is so awesome. What a great experience for you both! Congratulations!
My daughter is currently working on her course - my hope is that we can do the same next year!
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11-21-2017, 04:30 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: GP AB
Posts: 16,227
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JTRED
It's a great little gun, it shoots a number of different bulletweights/manufacturers pretty consistently to the same vertical line with not enough difference to bother adjusting for. For example Hornady Reduced recoil 120grSST shoots 1/2 inch high at 100yds while the 139gr Hornady GMX hit 2" high at 100yds all on the same vertical line. I didn't tell my daughter she was actually shooting Hornady American Whitetail 139gr Interlocks in place of her Reduced recoil SST's. The Interlocks are cheaper to shoot, slightly more accurate and seem to be a better weight for this caliber. I asked her afterwards if she had noticed any more recoil but of course who remembers the recoil when you're shooting at an animal.
I've packed the 7mm-08 on a number of backpack trips just to see how it stands up. So far no issues and as an added bonus it comes in 3.5" shorter than my other hunting rifles. 20" barrel, shortened LOP, and a short action making it a very handy gun to pack on a backpack trip. It's a little short for me at the range but not with any effect on my shooting and being such a mild mannered cartridge little danger of being scoped.
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I've gotten to the place where my 7mm08 goes out with me all the time now, I rarely even touch my .300 WM or 7mm RM. I shoot 140 gr partitions, or TSX, and nothing has argued back with me yet.
__________________
'Once the monkeys learn they can vote themselves a banana, they'll never climb another tree.'. Robert Heinlein
'You can accomplish a lot more with a kind word and a gun, than with a kind word alone.' Al Capone
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11-21-2017, 04:44 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 9,670
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A big congrats to the huntress and you dad. Nice deer.
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11-21-2017, 04:49 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 24
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nice work
nice work
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11-21-2017, 04:54 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Rycroft
Posts: 21,548
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hayseed
Awesome!
Congrats to your daughter!! |
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