Well, okay, so a four year old can't shoot anything, but she can tag along with Uncle Dan and her Dad!
She's been asking to go hunting with me ever since last fall which isn't a bad thing. The challenge is how to keep a youngster interested for more than five minutes and quiet in the bush at the same time.
"Nugget" and I had both drawn for Muley doe in an effort to take both our Daugthers out together in case one was caught off guard by the field dressing etc. We hadn't need to worry about that. What was against us was their ability to walk any amount of distance after their Mommies had dressed them with everything they could wear.
The first evening we went out had us in one great big stubble field and a howling wind coming from the west at about 70km/h. I couldn't believe the deer were out grazing but there they were. Naturally they were in the far back corner of the quarter so we carried the girls on one hip all the way down the path. With light fading we had no time to loose.
I was carrying a Swiss Vetterli, 1871 model in 41 Swiss that I had bought from Andy Pridham, loaded with 310gr Lyman's going about 1400fps. My Great Uncle used one of these in `32-`34 so I wanted to try one too. What better animal to use it with, the range would be modest and the animal easy enough to dispatch.
When the doe came out of the neighbors field at 60 yds I lined up for the heart shot. At the shot the does ran behind a small hill where she looked to have fallen over. But instead she came out the other side, obviously hit but now out of range for my old shooting iron. Dan brought in the serious artillery. One finely placed shot with his Grandad's 270 and it was a bang flop.
I let him tag it as he had precious little time to hunt this fall and we have very little access to areas with Mule Deer in them.
The next day found me up at my great Uncle Reuben's. His farm was his father's homestead in 1907.
We thought it would be nice to get a buck off the farm that year, especially while Reuben was still with us. He is 97 years old now and while doing well, he is starting to slip. I showed up late in the morning and had a real nice visit with him, talking hunting and about the history of the area. Then heading out to the field, it didn't take long and I jumped a couple bucks. I let them go and set up in a spot where I felt I could see fairly well in the thick poplars.
Later that afternoon a real good buck came walking by not 80yds from me but he offered no shot for the Vette. I tried to sneak after him but never had another opportunity. The next day I came out again, only to watch the siesmic goons tearing by on their quads. I stayed put hoping they would stir something up in my favor which they did but not what I wanted. A wee forkhorn near ran me over. He never realized I was there and the Vette had him at 20 yds but it refused to shoot the little runt. LOL
November 12th saw me back yet again. This time at sunrise I tried doing some rattling and at 8:20 this little fellow stepped out. I had brought the Vette again but in case of a tight shot my 9,3mm also came for the ride.
He was coming out where I wasn't sure of a good hit with the old gun so up came the modern rig and I prepared for the shot.
I was downhill a bit from him, the bullet blew out his heart and the went into the off sholder and passed thru. The first kill for this gun in my hands using the 250gr Accubond. It was a bang flop without him so much as twitching. I have filled alot of tags since that happened last, it was nice to see!
The buck was tagged and I went back for the truck. Reuben came with me to load it. He really enjoyed the trip even if it was only 20 minutes:
With the Whitetail out of the way it was time to play with Hannah some more.
This time I brought the kiddie carrier to haul her around.
We got within 40 yds of a forhorn and a doe the first evening out but the doe passed behind the buck, offering no shot at all. Off for home we go as I badly miscued what time to get there. We came back in the morning and she laughed at me while I carried her down to the river and then went straight back up the bank. It brought back memories of trying to keep pace with Davey's Dad for sheep! LOL
No luck there but we got permission on another patch of land where the deer were very reliable to show up. There was no romantic story to tell here but the tag got filled leaving us time to get Christy's moose finally. I got Hannah up to the fence, got her to cover her ears and lined up on the closet doe, quartering toward me.
At the shot she jumped straight up in the air and kicked like a saddle bronc. Bullet had gone through her heart. She then turned quartering away and the Vetterli ripped again, this one entering at the second last rib, destroying the liver and lungs then exiting out the inside of the off shoulder, not bad for a blunt nosed .431" Cast boolit!
The first one stopped under the hide at the last ribs so in essence my bullets made and X pattern through her vitals. She was weaving now and toppled over being dead on her feet. Start to finish it was perhaps 15 seconds.
Sorry for the crap pic, I was very dissappointed to see it so blurry when we got home today. The memories we have are priceless in my mind and hers too I imagine.
We thanked the landowners and made our way to Grandma's and Grandpa's.
On the way home she asked when we were heading out to get a moose.......
Crikey, I think she's hooked!
Thanks to all who helped Hannah on her first trip. George, Kevin and Otto, Bill, Ann, Steve and Sue. These folks were most helpful for making this a success. You guys are great!
She's been asking to go hunting with me ever since last fall which isn't a bad thing. The challenge is how to keep a youngster interested for more than five minutes and quiet in the bush at the same time. "Nugget" and I had both drawn for Muley doe in an effort to take both our Daugthers out together in case one was caught off guard by the field dressing etc. We hadn't need to worry about that. What was against us was their ability to walk any amount of distance after their Mommies had dressed them with everything they could wear.
The first evening we went out had us in one great big stubble field and a howling wind coming from the west at about 70km/h. I couldn't believe the deer were out grazing but there they were. Naturally they were in the far back corner of the quarter so we carried the girls on one hip all the way down the path. With light fading we had no time to loose.
I was carrying a Swiss Vetterli, 1871 model in 41 Swiss that I had bought from Andy Pridham, loaded with 310gr Lyman's going about 1400fps. My Great Uncle used one of these in `32-`34 so I wanted to try one too.
What better animal to use it with, the range would be modest and the animal easy enough to dispatch. When the doe came out of the neighbors field at 60 yds I lined up for the heart shot. At the shot the does ran behind a small hill where she looked to have fallen over. But instead she came out the other side, obviously hit but now out of range for my old shooting iron. Dan brought in the serious artillery. One finely placed shot with his Grandad's 270 and it was a bang flop.
I let him tag it as he had precious little time to hunt this fall and we have very little access to areas with Mule Deer in them.
The next day found me up at my great Uncle Reuben's. His farm was his father's homestead in 1907.
We thought it would be nice to get a buck off the farm that year, especially while Reuben was still with us. He is 97 years old now and while doing well, he is starting to slip. I showed up late in the morning and had a real nice visit with him, talking hunting and about the history of the area. Then heading out to the field, it didn't take long and I jumped a couple bucks. I let them go and set up in a spot where I felt I could see fairly well in the thick poplars.
Later that afternoon a real good buck came walking by not 80yds from me but he offered no shot for the Vette. I tried to sneak after him but never had another opportunity. The next day I came out again, only to watch the siesmic goons tearing by on their quads.
I stayed put hoping they would stir something up in my favor which they did but not what I wanted. A wee forkhorn near ran me over. He never realized I was there and the Vette had him at 20 yds but it refused to shoot the little runt. LOLNovember 12th saw me back yet again. This time at sunrise I tried doing some rattling and at 8:20 this little fellow stepped out. I had brought the Vette again but in case of a tight shot my 9,3mm also came for the ride.
He was coming out where I wasn't sure of a good hit with the old gun so up came the modern rig and I prepared for the shot.
I was downhill a bit from him, the bullet blew out his heart and the went into the off sholder and passed thru. The first kill for this gun in my hands using the 250gr Accubond. It was a bang flop without him so much as twitching. I have filled alot of tags since that happened last, it was nice to see!
The buck was tagged and I went back for the truck. Reuben came with me to load it. He really enjoyed the trip even if it was only 20 minutes:
With the Whitetail out of the way it was time to play with Hannah some more.
This time I brought the kiddie carrier to haul her around.
We got within 40 yds of a forhorn and a doe the first evening out but the doe passed behind the buck, offering no shot at all. Off for home we go as I badly miscued what time to get there. We came back in the morning and she laughed at me while I carried her down to the river and then went straight back up the bank. It brought back memories of trying to keep pace with Davey's Dad for sheep! LOL
No luck there but we got permission on another patch of land where the deer were very reliable to show up. There was no romantic story to tell here but the tag got filled leaving us time to get Christy's moose finally. I got Hannah up to the fence, got her to cover her ears and lined up on the closet doe, quartering toward me.
At the shot she jumped straight up in the air and kicked like a saddle bronc. Bullet had gone through her heart. She then turned quartering away and the Vetterli ripped again, this one entering at the second last rib, destroying the liver and lungs then exiting out the inside of the off shoulder, not bad for a blunt nosed .431" Cast boolit!
The first one stopped under the hide at the last ribs so in essence my bullets made and X pattern through her vitals. She was weaving now and toppled over being dead on her feet. Start to finish it was perhaps 15 seconds.
Sorry for the crap pic, I was very dissappointed to see it so blurry when we got home today.
The memories we have are priceless in my mind and hers too I imagine.
We thanked the landowners and made our way to Grandma's and Grandpa's.
On the way home she asked when we were heading out to get a moose.......
Crikey, I think she's hooked!
Thanks to all who helped Hannah on her first trip. George, Kevin and Otto, Bill, Ann, Steve and Sue. These folks were most helpful for making this a success. You guys are great!
