I took a friend's son out and got his first buck tonight. It was on an early youth season hunt and he was down to the last night. They asked me last night but I was already committed to helping judge and participating in a family rodeo for the Cowboy Church so I couldn't take him. Tonight I was free though so I picked him up early and took him to shoot before we went. I had him shoot my pet rifle, my 264WM custom gun. He was planning to use his AR-15 he shoots coyotes with but all he has was 55gr V max loads and I wasn't confident in them. My 264 is set up for a pretty light recoiling load, has some weight to it, and has a limbsaver pad. I didn't think he would be bothered by the recoil and I have faith in it shutting a deer down fast. I wanted the deer to go down fast because the neighboring property is real thick and nasty, plus a storm was heading our way and blood trails would be short lived. I picked him up early and took him out to shoot a couple jugs full of water with my rifle from the position and at the range I expected to encounter. The trigger on my rifle is set at 2lbs and I wanted him to experience that also. He used my Rapid Pivot bipod sitting in a folding canvas chair where he could rest his elbow on the armrest in a makeshift blind I had created. Anyway, a nice 8pt buck I had been getting pics of came out right at 7pm and he made a great shot. I was sitting right behind him whispering instructions as the buck came out. Telling him to be still and then as the buck turned to look away to get into position and ease on the trigger. The 140gr Berger hit right behind the shoulder at 212yds. The buck jumped the fence and I couldn't see a visible reaction to the hit or really hear it. I made him wait a tense 15 minutes before we went in and we found him at the end of a 40yd blood trail. I hated to rush it that much, but we had the sun and a storm to beat. Then he was all smiles. I hated to set his bar this high on his first deer I'd have rather he got something smaller and work his way up. Then he can be excited every time he gets one a little bigger and not have this one to beat every hunt in the future. I sure wasn't going to hold him back though, this was the first deer out and the only one that came out the previous night. If I'd have made him wait and then not seen another deer it wouldn't have been good. It all turned out great. His folks are getting the buck mounted for him so he learned to cape and quarter one tonight also with help. The buck was 18 2/8" inside spread, and gross scored 141 6/8". Great night, and fun had by all.
http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad331/mcseal2/DSC00014_zps1248cf38.jpg
http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad331/mcseal2/DSC00014_zps1248cf38.jpg
