Son's first hunt and first sidelock kill...a long story!

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DakotaElkSlayer

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My son is 12 so this was his first year he could big game hunt in Nevada. We left on Friday after work setting up our camp as it was getting dark. We decided to sleep in the next day, set up camp properly and do some fishing. In the afternoon, Kody shot his muzzleloader some and then got out his .22lr to do a little target practice. I spotted a rock above camp and told my son to see how close he could get... After a few shots, I got out my spotting scope to see if I could detect where he was hitting. While trying to find the rock, this is what I saw...

Yup, about 15 yards above the rock we were shooting at was a bedded doe. After watching her for about ten minutes Kody decided we needed to put the stalk on her. We loaded the CVA Youth Sidelock with 80gr of BlackMZ under a PRB, got on our camo, and started to circle our way up. The hill was very, very steep and covered with loose rock. Kody fell a couple of times, but with the howling wind, we were not detected. Of course, when you are on the hill, every tree looks kinda' like the one with the bedded doe, so we continued to sneak around. Then suddenly, she broke cover and ran about 30 yards and stopped. I set up the shooting sticks, lasered 50 yds, and when she turned broadside, Kody shot....and off she ran. We reloaded and went over looking for a sign of a hit. After following her trail, we deduced it was a clean miss. Upon hiking down to camp, I shot the muzzleloader and it was now shooting WAAAY left. Figured it must've happened during one of Kody's falls. When I went to adjust the sight, the adjustment screw fell off in my hand; it was broke!!!
Kody suggested that maybe he could just look down the top of the barrel to aim, I suggested we drive until we get cell service and call Mom. The next morning had us meeting Mom an hour and a half from camp with her bringing a Traditions Pennsylvania carbine. That day we worked on loads for this rifle since we never shot it. Evening was spent glassing a promising spot to no avail.
After a fruitless Monday morning hunt, it was time for Kody to do some creek fishing. Not only was fishing excellent, we learned that the mulies were hitting the creek bottoms throughout the day. After staring at a big doe while we were a few hundred yards from camp and armed with only a fishing rod, we returned to camp. Dressing in our camo, I became the rifle and shooting stick bearer while Kody fished. Heading back after fishing, we met a group of five deer at the "promising spot" we were glassing the evening before. I set up the shooting sticks and ranged the deer(75yds.). Kody hit the set trigger and waited. KA--BOOM! Through the smoke, I saw a deer kick his back legs way forward and start to run up the ridge. Made it about 30 yards and tumbled. It got partially onto its front feet and fell again. Kody, being his first time hunting, wanted to run up the hill since "the deer is trying to get away." Knowing better, I reloaded his muzzleloader and told him that if the deer got up to shoot him again for I was going to go to camp and get the truck.
Looks like 75gr of BlackMZ with a PRB is dandy at 75yds for a double-lung. Best part was the 150yds drag to the truck...DOWNHILL!!!
 

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Congrats to the boy! Nice shooting judging from the lungs in the pic.
 
Very cool adventure your had with your boy. Great shot by him also. Congrats.
 
As long as you know their limitations round balls can be very effective, unfortunately they are many times overlooked and underestimated. My very first 2 deer were taken with a 50 caliber muzzleloader using round balls and 70 grains of 2F blackpowder. Again congratulations.
 
What a great trip! I think my favorite thing is the 150yds to pack it out.
 
DakotaElkSlayer said:
FredB said:
What a great trip! I think my favorite thing is the 150yds to pack it out.

Mine, too!!!! :D

Jim
Same here, I'm getting too old for those long drags. One place we hunted back on national forrest was a good mile or better, wish I had a way of checking just how far. By the time we got a deer out most of the hair was worn off one side. Now your lucky to even see a deer back in there!
 

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