This past weekend was the gun opener in Indiana. My oldest wouldn't be going due to other obligations, so his younger brother and I headed to the cabin Friday afterwork. We saw a lot of deer on the way down and 5 right next to the cabin as we pulled in! That got the excitement pegged! After some bisquits and gravy on Saturday morning we headed out to the ground blind to brave the weather and hopefully see some deer. The early morning wakeup was a bit taxing, so Super K decided to catch some Zs before it got day light.
Untitled by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr
High temps, even higher winds, with on and off rain made for the most uneventful opener I’ve ever had. We didn’t see a deer from the blind. We left early that afternoon as some bad thunder, lightening and rain rolled in and passed the time playing some Skipbo. After getting licked in the card game I peeked out during a lull in the rain and spotted two does across the creek in the donkey pasture. Once they got behind some cover we tried to the put the sneak on them. We got within his shooting range, but by that time they’d moved far enough south that a house was in the background, so no shot. We then headed into town to pick up some things and spotted 3 does within 40yds of the ground blind!
On Sunday the weather improved a bunch! Still a bit breezy, but no rain and lower temps. We had two does cross the right of way we were watching, but were soon out of range and out of site in the grass and brush. Thinking I saw some movement above where they went in, I glassed up a buck! He wandered in and out of the grass and brush for quite some time, seemingly ignoring my son’s melodious tones on his grunt call!
DSCN2306 by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr
At one point he hit somewhat of an opening, but Super K could not find him in the scope before he got back into the brush. (Aside: Super K prefers to shoot the single shot 357 Mag rifle with a red dot scope on it. I also had a 243 along with a 6X scope, which he has shot and shot well, but he doesn’t like it as much. More on that later…). After watch him for the better part of an hour he exits stage left.
About 10am I spot a buck at the top of the hill and he looks like a good one. Super K gets back on the grunt call as he’s way too far for him. The buck heads south across the ROW when I have a decision to make; let him go or shoot him. Super K gives me the “go ahead” and I shoot as he’s about 5 steps from leaving the ROW; stopping him. One more drops him. Turns out he’s my best whitetail to date! And taken with Super K by my side!
Untitled by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr
DSCN2325 by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr
If hunting with your kids, let them pose with the critters, it makes them look much bigger!
DSCN2327 by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr
After getting the deer taken care of we headed out for the evening sit. By this time Super K is running on excitement, PEEPS, trail mix, and Diet Moutain Dew. To say he’s full of energy would be an understatement. Sitting still and being quiet were not wholly in the cards. I think I called him Captain Fidget Pants more than once! Thank goodness for ground blinds. About 4:30 I glass up three does in the ROW out of range. He’s finally able to find them with the binos. They mill about feeding and make it 75yds downhill to our third food plot. Two move into the plot to feed. Super K asks if he can shoot one and I relate than he can, but it’s too far for the 357 and he’d have to use the “big” gun. He mulls it over a second and says, “I can use that gun!”. I swap guns on the rest and get it sorta lined up with the does. He gets behind the gun and takes a few seconds, but says he can see them. I direct him to the one farthest right and tell him to put the crosshairs right behind the shoulder. Then the STOP; When you’re ready; STOP routine starts as she feeds around. She hits an opening and stops, “When you’re ready”, then BANG! The two does head right and into the woods; one with its tail up and the other without it up. He’s stoked! I’m pretty sure of a hit, but always downplay it a bit so as to lessen the distance of a ‘fall’ if that ever happens. He wants to go get it right then, but we give it a couple of minutes. About then one doe runs out of the woods from the right and crosses the ROW. I take that as a hint to go check for blood. We find blood and good blood! Follow it into the woods and then I “let him takeover” following the blood…
Untitled by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr
Untitled by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr
Untitled by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr
DSCN2360 by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr
Such a good weekend with Super K. With two boys it’s hard to always get each of them, especially the younger one, enough one on one time doing stuff like this. I hope he enjoyed the weekend as much as I did, but I'm not sure that's possible.
Untitled by Tyler Staggs, on FlickrHigh temps, even higher winds, with on and off rain made for the most uneventful opener I’ve ever had. We didn’t see a deer from the blind. We left early that afternoon as some bad thunder, lightening and rain rolled in and passed the time playing some Skipbo. After getting licked in the card game I peeked out during a lull in the rain and spotted two does across the creek in the donkey pasture. Once they got behind some cover we tried to the put the sneak on them. We got within his shooting range, but by that time they’d moved far enough south that a house was in the background, so no shot. We then headed into town to pick up some things and spotted 3 does within 40yds of the ground blind!
On Sunday the weather improved a bunch! Still a bit breezy, but no rain and lower temps. We had two does cross the right of way we were watching, but were soon out of range and out of site in the grass and brush. Thinking I saw some movement above where they went in, I glassed up a buck! He wandered in and out of the grass and brush for quite some time, seemingly ignoring my son’s melodious tones on his grunt call!
DSCN2306 by Tyler Staggs, on FlickrAt one point he hit somewhat of an opening, but Super K could not find him in the scope before he got back into the brush. (Aside: Super K prefers to shoot the single shot 357 Mag rifle with a red dot scope on it. I also had a 243 along with a 6X scope, which he has shot and shot well, but he doesn’t like it as much. More on that later…). After watch him for the better part of an hour he exits stage left.
About 10am I spot a buck at the top of the hill and he looks like a good one. Super K gets back on the grunt call as he’s way too far for him. The buck heads south across the ROW when I have a decision to make; let him go or shoot him. Super K gives me the “go ahead” and I shoot as he’s about 5 steps from leaving the ROW; stopping him. One more drops him. Turns out he’s my best whitetail to date! And taken with Super K by my side!
Untitled by Tyler Staggs, on Flickr DSCN2325 by Tyler Staggs, on FlickrIf hunting with your kids, let them pose with the critters, it makes them look much bigger!
DSCN2327 by Tyler Staggs, on FlickrAfter getting the deer taken care of we headed out for the evening sit. By this time Super K is running on excitement, PEEPS, trail mix, and Diet Moutain Dew. To say he’s full of energy would be an understatement. Sitting still and being quiet were not wholly in the cards. I think I called him Captain Fidget Pants more than once! Thank goodness for ground blinds. About 4:30 I glass up three does in the ROW out of range. He’s finally able to find them with the binos. They mill about feeding and make it 75yds downhill to our third food plot. Two move into the plot to feed. Super K asks if he can shoot one and I relate than he can, but it’s too far for the 357 and he’d have to use the “big” gun. He mulls it over a second and says, “I can use that gun!”. I swap guns on the rest and get it sorta lined up with the does. He gets behind the gun and takes a few seconds, but says he can see them. I direct him to the one farthest right and tell him to put the crosshairs right behind the shoulder. Then the STOP; When you’re ready; STOP routine starts as she feeds around. She hits an opening and stops, “When you’re ready”, then BANG! The two does head right and into the woods; one with its tail up and the other without it up. He’s stoked! I’m pretty sure of a hit, but always downplay it a bit so as to lessen the distance of a ‘fall’ if that ever happens. He wants to go get it right then, but we give it a couple of minutes. About then one doe runs out of the woods from the right and crosses the ROW.
I take that as a hint to go check for blood. We find blood and good blood! Follow it into the woods and then I “let him takeover” following the blood… Untitled by Tyler Staggs, on FlickrUntitled by Tyler Staggs, on FlickrUntitled by Tyler Staggs, on FlickrDSCN2360 by Tyler Staggs, on FlickrSuch a good weekend with Super K. With two boys it’s hard to always get each of them, especially the younger one, enough one on one time doing stuff like this. I hope he enjoyed the weekend as much as I did, but I'm not sure that's possible.
