Took a new hunter out

Had a young man from work ask if I would take him hunting. He has wanted to go since he was a kid but his dad never got around to it. Now he is in his twenties and about to start the police academy for the Dept. I retired from. Since he has never been I agreed to take him out to deer camp.

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we sat overlooking a crossing at the end of a field. The deer came out at a lasered 170 yards. After fiddling with a few shooting positions he settled into a kneeling position with his rifle rested in the crotch of a small tree. A single shot from his Ruger American in 6.5 creed saw the deer walk off a bit. There was no obvious reaction to the hit So I was worried he made a clean miss. After waiting a bit we went and looked for blood. We found none at all. We started a spiral search of the immediate area and a moment later I heard " Is that him over there!?"
Sure enough 40 yards away was a nice 8pt buck for his first deer ever.

That kid is still grinning 2 weeks later.
Good on you!

I hope he doesn't think that you kill a nice buck every time out! šŸ¤£
 
Had a young man from work ask if I would take him hunting. He has wanted to go since he was a kid but his dad never got around to it. Now he is in his twenties and about to start the police academy for the Dept. I retired from. Since he has never been I agreed to take him out to deer camp.

View attachment 315383
we sat overlooking a crossing at the end of a field. The deer came out at a lasered 170 yards. After fiddling with a few shooting positions he settled into a kneeling position with his rifle rested in the crotch of a small tree. A single shot from his Ruger American in 6.5 creed saw the deer walk off a bit. There was no obvious reaction to the hit So I was worried he made a clean miss. After waiting a bit we went and looked for blood. We found none at all. We started a spiral search of the immediate area and a moment later I heard " Is that him over there!?"
Sure enough 40 yards away was a nice 8pt buck for his first deer ever.

That kid is still grinning 2 weeks later.
that is a great story and the key to securing our kids and grandkids' right to hunt and fish for generations to come. Well done!
 
I took an Afgan veteran on a bull elk hunt a few years ago at the request of a friend. I got him within 75 yards of a nice bull and he dropped it with one shot. He said it was better than sex. I told him he needed a new girlfriend.

It is not a burden to take out a new hunter. Watching them shoot their first animal is almost better than shooting one myself. Over the years, I've helped at least 10 new hunters get their first big game animal.

As for the 6.5? I took my first deer with a 6.5 Swede. I was amazed at the damage that little bullet did.
 
Had a young man from work ask if I would take him hunting. He has wanted to go since he was a kid but his dad never got around to it. Now he is in his twenties and about to start the police academy for the Dept. I retired from. Since he has never been I agreed to take him out to deer camp.

View attachment 315383
we sat overlooking a crossing at the end of a field. The deer came out at a lasered 170 yards. After fiddling with a few shooting positions he settled into a kneeling position with his rifle rested in the crotch of a small tree. A single shot from his Ruger American in 6.5 creed saw the deer walk off a bit. There was no obvious reaction to the hit So I was worried he made a clean miss. After waiting a bit we went and looked for blood. We found none at all. We started a spiral search of the immediate area and a moment later I heard " Is that him over there!?"
Sure enough 40 yards away was a nice 8pt buck for his first deer ever.

That kid is still grinning 2 weeks later.
New hunters and shooters are our future! thank you for helping keep the shooting sports alive.
 
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Congratulations to the new hunter and to you. By the way I'm also retired a LEO Hope you enjoy retirement as much as I do So I always use a modified grid search, just curious do most hunter use a spiral search pattern?
After I've exhausted effort to find any blood I use a grid search
 
Congratulations to the new hunter and to you. By the way I'm also retired a LEO Hope you enjoy retirement as much as I do So I always use a modified grid search, just curious do most hunter use a spiral search pattern?
I start eith a "most likely" that includes last direction of travel, sounds I heard after the shot, lay of the land, etc. then if that draws a blank, switch to the spiral.
 
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