Sean's First Deer Hunt, Eastern Kentucky

[sparkz]

First day out and I figured our blind got skunked so we went to the back of our farm in the back corner we could hear others in distant banging away Sean and I found few game trails and I get to think,, If we Lay on these trails others will drive a few past us and we might get a shot. So with Sean on one side of the deep hollow and myself on other we sat down and waited listing to shots in the far off,, Then from over the ridge comes running in 2 big bucks and they stop about 150 feet from Sean and I can Now see that Sean don't see them, So I am waving my hands and rifle like a kunklehead and clicking as if i where calling a horse and after what seemed 5 minuets the deer see me and Bolt,, At about 30 yards out I take a shot, and see it jump high, Now Sean looks to see what I am running and shooting at and takes Aim with OPEN Sights with the AR-15 loaded with 75gn 5.56, and squeezes off 2 fast ( I told Him to double tap any shot he took) at 150 feet or better Kid puts one 2 inches behind the ear and Mr. Eight Point Drops like a wet rock,, I pull a second time and Mines still Bolting? Sean shouts out " Daddy I got him!"
I look for an hour for my buck and could not find him or a solid trail as Sean looks for that same hour for his game, here in Kentucky they Have good color and great Camo even on the ground, he did find his and we took a few Photos of Sean's first Deer,, Myself a Proud dad as anybody would be happy to had taken a 8 pointer for a first day,, and with a 223!! I had told him "Best ya can hope for was he died from lead poising,, hahah well,, Took us about 3 hours dragging him about 1-4 to 1/2 mile by hand, so I could get the Iron Horse in to drag him back to the house3 more miles,, We Butchered till Dark.. Daddy's tired and very Proud today hahaha

[youngda9]

I apologize in advance for raining on your parade.
Running shots on a deer at 150yds with just a .223? Sounds like a recipe for wounded and lost deer, which it sounds like you have. A plan to double tap all shots screams of deficiencies (caliber selection, shot selection, and/or marksmanship issues), realize that and correct it for your next hunt. I came across one a few years ago with her entire lower jaw shot off, it was not a pretty sight. Your son got lucky today. Sounds like you have a wounded deer out there suffering. Please exercise better judgment in the future.

[sparkz]

Deer was standing and lookin at him, My Deer started a bolt I was a 30-30 leaver with Mihec hunting hollow point, The double Tap was Kids had the 223 for 3 months and has only shot it about 80 shots as the Handy rifel he was to take (30-30) developed some hang-fire prob the day before when we where sighting in for a last time, so all he had was a 223,,
and It was his first hunt for any game bigger then squirrel, so Kid did what he could and did it well, ( as I say his first hunt, and first shot was a first Kill)
Plan was he killed a deer and I was there to back up the 223 with a 30cal,
so it don't always go to plan, I think kid pulled a WIN out of a skunk, and photo and freezer proves it...

[youngda9]

Deleted.

[tommag]

Daddy I got him!" Oh lord, to hear those words again!
Sounds like an excellent day. Glad all went well for you!

[starmac]

When I was growing up the 222 was liked and considered a decant whitetail rifle by quite a few folks, I'm not sure why a 223 would not be just as well. I always preferred 30 calibers, but that could partly be, because a 300 savage was what I had.
I bet your boy was all smiles.

[RoyEllis]

Sounds like a dandy hunt success-wise for your son Patrick! Glad to see kids get out in the woods & do useful things, too many of them spend far too much time w/ video games now.

[Lights]

Nice job. Nothing like hearing a son say I got him Dad.

[sparkz]

We Filled the freezer last night as we cut and packed, Man comes at a good time for us too, Moneys tight, and its really going to free up some moneys for Christmas and my daughters Tuition for school,,

and did I say how Proud I am of his first hunt and the 8 point,, he's just Glowing today and been on Facebook with his buddy's swapping there hunts who also did well,,

Great story's and times last a lifetime,,

Patrick

PS; Now to take down the Handy Rifle and see whats up,,
It snaps, dents primer but no fire? the dents about 1/2 of what it should be tho, we got this from a gun show and i have not took it down to every part as if yet, we only cleaned the barrel and the like but never took action down,, thinking it may have dirt in / around the firing pin?
and only acted up when cold?,, we shall see.. humm

[gbrown]

First thing, congratulations to the proud young man for his first deer! 15 years ago, I got a .223 Rem barrel and youth stock for a T/C Contender for my then 5 or 6 year old grandson. He took several deer with it, and loved it. It would take them out very efficiently. My buddy hunted with a 22-250 and dropped deer annually. The oldest grandson is now 20 and loves his great granddaddy's 30/06 Win Mod 70 Featherweight. I now hunt with his younger brother, 10yoa. He took his first deer, a doe, 60-70 lb, yesterday, at the lease with the Contender at 50 yds. The 55 grain Nosler ballistic tip tore it up. Went in behind the left shoulder and should have exited the right shoulder/right brisket considering the angle. For some reason, it turned and came out the right flank. Took out the liver and hit the stomache. Don't know if I can salvage the ribs/pelvic meat--pretty stinky. Quarters, backstrap and neck in separate cooler, ribs/pelvis area in another. I wouldn't use the .223 on larger game, but for our whitetail, it has proven itself in my book.

[CastingFool]

That's quite a story, congrats on your son getting his first deer!

[cattleskinner]

Old oil and metal shavings will do that with a handi rifle, see if you can spray some brake cleaner and compressed air in there to knock some gunk loose.

[Love Life]

Congrats on the deer.

[Firebricker]

Congratulations on a father son moment you will never forget. FB