Youth Deer Tag
Now it was time to work. The Partition did just what it was designed to do. It entered just to the left of the deer's centerline, broke most of the ribs on that side, and exited the left quarter. Even with the end for end penetration, the only meat that was wasted was a little on the inside of the front shoulder. With the entrance being inside the shoulder, the bullet traveled internally throughout, until its exit. The bullet exited without causing any more damage than a double caliber hole you could "eat right up to".
With the deer gutted, dragged, and loaded, Terrel and I headed home in the dark.
"They're not all that easy, you know," I said.
"I know."
They don't all just walk up to you, you know."
"I know."
"Next time you can drag it out."
"Sure Dad."
"What was the difference between the first and the second shot?" I asked Terrel.
"I missed the first one!" Terrel answered, incredulous that I didn't get it.
"Yeah. I know you missed. But what was different?"
"Oh. Well, I shot too fast the first time. The second time I made sure I was lined up before I pulled the trigger," he explained.
"OK. Did you move too fast because you were excited the first time?" I was curious, partly because I've never suffered that elevated heart rate syndrome that others are victims of. When I look through a scope deciding whether to pull the trigger - I just see the work, should I connect. I'm weird that way, I guess.
Terrel admitted he shot too fast because he was excited. Then I asked him if he was excited the second time. He said he was then too, but with an unexpected twist.
Two miles from home, supper, and celebration, Terrel, having admitted excitement caused his first shot to miss, and allowing to being just excited during the second shot, calmly instructed me, "But you can control that."
Wow.
From behind my son on that knoll, I couldn't read him at all. He wasn't talking, as I instructed him. He never moved, except to articulate his wrist during reloading. He sat stock still, never giving any indication of his excitement - it was all internal.
You can take an inexperienced hunter into the woods and come out with the game you set out to find, regardless of your fears and insecurities because - you can control that.
Les Voth learned to hunt whitetail deer and coyotes in his native Canada, and has hunted both as often as possible in eastern North Dakota since immigrating to the United States.
Join the discussion of this article HERE at the Article Discussion Forum.
With the deer gutted, dragged, and loaded, Terrel and I headed home in the dark.
"They're not all that easy, you know," I said.
"I know."
They don't all just walk up to you, you know."
"I know."
"Next time you can drag it out."
"Sure Dad."
"What was the difference between the first and the second shot?" I asked Terrel.
"I missed the first one!" Terrel answered, incredulous that I didn't get it.
"Yeah. I know you missed. But what was different?"
"Oh. Well, I shot too fast the first time. The second time I made sure I was lined up before I pulled the trigger," he explained.
"OK. Did you move too fast because you were excited the first time?" I was curious, partly because I've never suffered that elevated heart rate syndrome that others are victims of. When I look through a scope deciding whether to pull the trigger - I just see the work, should I connect. I'm weird that way, I guess.
Terrel admitted he shot too fast because he was excited. Then I asked him if he was excited the second time. He said he was then too, but with an unexpected twist.
Two miles from home, supper, and celebration, Terrel, having admitted excitement caused his first shot to miss, and allowing to being just excited during the second shot, calmly instructed me, "But you can control that."
Wow.
From behind my son on that knoll, I couldn't read him at all. He wasn't talking, as I instructed him. He never moved, except to articulate his wrist during reloading. He sat stock still, never giving any indication of his excitement - it was all internal.
You can take an inexperienced hunter into the woods and come out with the game you set out to find, regardless of your fears and insecurities because - you can control that.
Les Voth learned to hunt whitetail deer and coyotes in his native Canada, and has hunted both as often as possible in eastern North Dakota since immigrating to the United States.
Join the discussion of this article HERE at the Article Discussion Forum.
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