I have taken my 10yo daughter hunting with me since before she could sit still, but it took a while to get her ready to hunt for herself. I had her practice with a .22 for a while, but she hated recoil. I bought an AR and developed some hunting loads for it, but she never really liked it, and even missed her first shot on a deer with it last season.
This year I put a youth stock on my .270 and developed some 110gr youth loads. She loves it!!!
Yesterday am we had a buck cross the powerline in front of us at 200yd, and then later a few does came out and she rushed the shot and put a bad hit on one, leaving very little blood and no recovered deer. I am confident that doe is still alive and will heal.
Yesterday afternoon we got out to the field a little early, took off our socks and shoes, rolled up our sleeves, and baked in the sun. About an hour before dark I saw deer at over 200yd away that were feeding towards us. I made her wait for the shot until I told her it was ok. Just before they got within 150yd I looked to our right and saw 2 deer watching us at under 100yd, but I told her to stay on the further deer because she was already settled in and would likely spook the others if she were to move. I coached her to take her time, pick the right spot, and squeeze. When she did, the largest doe dropped in her tracks! "Run it!" I told her, and she racked another round in while all of the other deer milled around trying to figure out what had just happened. I told her to swing around and shoot one of the closer deer, and she made a perfect 100yd shot on that one, as well.
We were both excited, to say the least, but had a lot of work ahead. We dressed them, took them to the boat, and watched a shooting star go overhead as we rode upriver. I told her that was a nice sign at the end of a perfect day, and a reminder of how good God is to us. She did a great job on 2 public land deer, but God is the giver of all good and perfect gifts!!
This year I put a youth stock on my .270 and developed some 110gr youth loads. She loves it!!!
Yesterday am we had a buck cross the powerline in front of us at 200yd, and then later a few does came out and she rushed the shot and put a bad hit on one, leaving very little blood and no recovered deer. I am confident that doe is still alive and will heal.
Yesterday afternoon we got out to the field a little early, took off our socks and shoes, rolled up our sleeves, and baked in the sun. About an hour before dark I saw deer at over 200yd away that were feeding towards us. I made her wait for the shot until I told her it was ok. Just before they got within 150yd I looked to our right and saw 2 deer watching us at under 100yd, but I told her to stay on the further deer because she was already settled in and would likely spook the others if she were to move. I coached her to take her time, pick the right spot, and squeeze. When she did, the largest doe dropped in her tracks! "Run it!" I told her, and she racked another round in while all of the other deer milled around trying to figure out what had just happened. I told her to swing around and shoot one of the closer deer, and she made a perfect 100yd shot on that one, as well.
We were both excited, to say the least, but had a lot of work ahead. We dressed them, took them to the boat, and watched a shooting star go overhead as we rode upriver. I told her that was a nice sign at the end of a perfect day, and a reminder of how good God is to us. She did a great job on 2 public land deer, but God is the giver of all good and perfect gifts!!
