Ohio Youth Season Son Doubled with Cast Bullets!

[Wolfgang]

Today was day one of the Ohio Youth Gun Season. My ten year old son has been practicing with the Ruger 77/357 and my NOE 180 grain bullets and today it all came together...twice! At 8:06 this morning we had a field full of deer in front of us and when one of the big does stopped broadside at what I judged at about 80 yards I asked him if he was on her and he told me he was. I was watching him and the muzzle of the rifle was rock steady. I told him if he thought he could make the shot to go ahead and take it and the rifle cracked and the deer went down but got back to her feet. Avery cycled the bolt like an old pro and the little rifle barked again and this time it was for good. Checked the distance and the shot was actually just over 90 yards! Happy Dad was an understatement as this was his very first deer and he handled the whole thing like it was second nature.

The story continues after dressing the deer and taking her to the butcher shop, I asked Avery if he wanted to go get another tag as I had only purchased one when we got his license. He said he did so we ran to the store and picked up another tag. In our county we are allowed three deer. Well, it started to rain and get cold so I asked him if he wanted to go back to hunt or call it a day and go out tomorrow and he told me he still wanted to go so as soon as we pulled into the field to park the truck we jumped out and got our orange garb on. Now it's raining pretty good and we hadn't stepped away from the truck and seven deer came out of the woods and into the CRP ground. We waited until they had moved on and slowly made our way to the blind and we had literally just climbed up into it when another small doe came out and across the waterway at about 45 yards. I hadn't even had time to pull my chair back and sit down! I was looking the deer which was smaller and asked him if he wanted to take her or not and his answer came in the form of the little 357 barking again and the deer dropped so fast that I thought she had disappeared. Off to the processor again! He is two for two on his very first deer hunt and I couldn't be more proud of him! To add to that pride I asked him if he wanted another tag he told me that he didn't want to be greedy and two were enough. He said a small prayer over both deer and thanked God for allowing him to harvest his creatures and telling him that he felt bad for taking their lives but he would enjoy them at the table. This was all without any prompting from me.

At any rate, cast bullets, a day in the outdoors with your child, and his first deer harvest done with style and more importantly, with respect for god and the animal that he was hunting...what could be better!

[tdoyka]

way to go!!!!

[nagantguy]

Can't stop smiling, such a great story! Good for you and him! A pistol cartridge carbine is a great "first" deer rifle!!!!!

[6pt-sika]

Congrats !

[pls1911]

Fabulous.... simply a great story, and memories to last you both .a life time

[Friends call me Pac]

Outstanding. Good for the both of you.

[ChristopherO]

There needs to be a "Like" button on here!
Great for Avery, great for Dad.

Years ago my son doubled during Ohio youth season and we received a visit from the game warden. At that time only two deer could be taken in those two days. An oversight on my part. He was a good guy and asked us not to do it again.
Hopefully that rule has been relaxed since then.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Good shooting! Not quite there yet, but I can't wait to get my boys in the stand with me. What type groups do you get out the Ruger? Do you have to seat the 180's deep to feed well?

[petroid]

What a great story and a great day for you both! Congrats!

[Wolfgang]

Thank you to all. He came home and passed out on the couch! He's exhausted. Dad isn't too far from bed either. Been a long but very satisfying day! Everything is cleaned up and put away so after a bit of watching the tube I'm hitting the hay as well.

[Wolfgang]

Good shooting! Not quite there yet, but I can't wait to get my boys in the stand with me. What type groups do you get out the Ruger? Do you have to seat the 180's deep to feed well?

Farmer,

The bullets are seated to the crimp groove and the little rifle will group into an inch at fifty yards all day long. Back at a hundred off of the bench and me on the trigger, I can eak 1 3/4 to two inch groups out of it if I'm really careful. Those are five shot groups by the way. It shoots the Thompson 160 grain SWC gas checked bullets extremely well too, a little better than the 180's in fact. The 180's are checked as well. Somewhere on the Hunting with Cast Bullets section I have another thread on this great little rifle. I also have one of the 77'44's with the walnut stock and blued steel. It shoots well too but I haven't hit the sweet spot on that one yet.

[Boyscout]

Congratulations. My sons are in their late-20's now but I remember the early years of hunting with them like it was yesterday. I wasn't in to cast bullets yet so most of our experiences were with rifled slugs. I wouldn't trade those memories for anything.

[richhodg66]

Congratulations! Looks like he is off to a good start.

[birddog]

There is much gratification in watching your children succeed on their first hunt. I hope to have the chance to take my grandson on one of his first hunts.
Charlie

[castalott]

Very Well Done! How can you not be proud of a son like that? ( And a son proud of a dad too!)

I still remember hunting and fishing with my dad like it is yesterday and it's been 50 years....

Dale

[mark2935]

Outstanding!! Now, petition O.D.N.R. to use your the photos in their regs. book for next year. I'll be watching.

Mark2935

[castalott]

He said a small prayer over both deer and thanked God for allowing him to harvest his creatures and telling him that he felt bad for taking their lives but he would enjoy them at the table. This was all without any prompting from me.

This is how I understand the native Americans were....

[EMC45]

Way to go!

[Wolfgang]

This is how I understand the native Americans were....

It's funny you should say that castalott, for several years he has had a fascination with the native americans. He reads about them and studies their pictures. I never really thought that much about it as I have always told him to be thankful for the opportunity to be out hunting and enjoying the outdoors as well as to respect the animals that he was hunting but he took it to a new level. When I walked up on him as he knelt down over the deer I saw that his head was bowed and I heard him murmuring something and when I asked him what he was saying he told me about his prayer. I left it alone at that but if he is honoring the native americans in his own way I can think of no better people to pay tribute to!

[Markbo]

...He said a small prayer over both deer and thanked God for allowing him to harvest his creatures and telling him that he felt bad for taking their lives but he would enjoy them at the table. This was all without any prompting from me.

At any rate, cast bullets, a day in the outdoors with your child, and his first deer harvest done with style and more importantly, with respect for god and the animal that he was hunting...what could be better....

I cannot think of anything better. That is the stuff fond memories are made of!