Before it was full light I saw them heading our way from several hundred yards up the bottom -a group of 8 deer without a buck in the bunch.That was ok because does are legal game and the conservation dept even encourages the taking of does due to overpopulation in our area.I gently nudged the boy awake and pointed at the deer who were still far away but feeding up the bottom on a course that would lead them right to us.I whispered to him to set very still and get ready-but not to fire until I told him to.
His eyes got as big as saucers when he saw the deer coming slowly toward us.I could tell by looking at that he was getting excited. When they went out of sight in a small draw about 75 yards away from us-I whispered for him to raise the rifle and take the first good shot he had when they came out-they would only be about 50 yards away-in seconds that seemed like hours the first of the deer -a small doe stepped out into the open and instantly became alarmed. She must have winded us as she stared right at us and twitched her tail and stomped her front feet on the ground. I knew she would bolt at any second-and I whispered shoot!
At the roar of the rifle I clearly saw a piece of pine bark explode off a tree just above and behind the deer-he had shot high and missed. Meanwhile deer were running everywhere-one ran within 10 feet of where we sat as he struggled to reload the single shot. All to soon they were gone and the woods got quiet. I was mentally kicking myself - in the short amount of time we had target practiced all of his shots had been taken off a rest with him in a standing position.When his chance came,he had to shoot freehanded from a sitting position-not much problem for a experienced shooter-but a real challenge for a little boy holding the heavy (for him) rifle at the ready position for several seconds before the shot.
He was near tears.I gave him a hug and told him that the one he shot at was too small anyway and I was SURE we would find a bigger one later in the day.In my mind I had my doubts
His eyes got as big as saucers when he saw the deer coming slowly toward us.I could tell by looking at that he was getting excited. When they went out of sight in a small draw about 75 yards away from us-I whispered for him to raise the rifle and take the first good shot he had when they came out-they would only be about 50 yards away-in seconds that seemed like hours the first of the deer -a small doe stepped out into the open and instantly became alarmed. She must have winded us as she stared right at us and twitched her tail and stomped her front feet on the ground. I knew she would bolt at any second-and I whispered shoot!
At the roar of the rifle I clearly saw a piece of pine bark explode off a tree just above and behind the deer-he had shot high and missed. Meanwhile deer were running everywhere-one ran within 10 feet of where we sat as he struggled to reload the single shot. All to soon they were gone and the woods got quiet. I was mentally kicking myself - in the short amount of time we had target practiced all of his shots had been taken off a rest with him in a standing position.When his chance came,he had to shoot freehanded from a sitting position-not much problem for a experienced shooter-but a real challenge for a little boy holding the heavy (for him) rifle at the ready position for several seconds before the shot.
He was near tears.I gave him a hug and told him that the one he shot at was too small anyway and I was SURE we would find a bigger one later in the day.In my mind I had my doubts
