10 years ago, my pregnant wife went up the mountain and killed her first big game animal, a 13 year old ram, in the mountains of se Oregon.
Here’s the link to that one..
rokslide.com
I’d been a few years out from an Oregon antelope tag at that point, but on that trip I made some friendships that have persevered since then. As time went on, I kept getting points and started hunting other states for goats. I figured they might come in handy one day.
The last 2 seasons have been focused on my 2nd oldest daughter Madelynn and getting her first big game animal. Last year she was successful in harvesting her first buck.
This season as applications rolled out, I knew that Ameilia, my 9 year old can hunt in Oregon, but not Idaho where we currently live. I bought her a deer tag, and tossed my name in the hat for all the Oregon draws with no hope. I was shocked when I saw I drew an antelope tag that I expected to wait a few more years for.
i started planning immediately, my good friend Taylor, who owns Abert rim outfitters gave me some places to start. We shot some this summer and got mostly finished with hunters ed.
We had some family event planning issues and I realized that due to a birthday party and camping trip we were going to miss opening weekend.
I told Amelia that it was her trip and that if she wanted to kill one, and everything worked out she would. I’m not going to lie, in the back of my head I wanted to fill this tag as I know it’ll most likely be the last antelope tag I draw in Oregon. That being said, I’ve killed a bunch of them.
Fast forward we managed to leave Thursday morning before the last weekend. We made it down, drove around and checked a bunch of spots that afternoon with no sightings of antelope. We got our camp set up, and did a little practice shooting. This is where things went wrong, I wasn’t paying attention and she got a little too close to the scope and got hit on her first shot. She immediately started crying and didn’t want to shoot anymore. I didn’t push it and we had a great night together telling stories and shooting the 22. She said she might want to shoot the 6 creed in the morning again.
We got up early the next morning and ate some breakfast and I asked if she wanted to shoot, and I re adjusted the stock for her. After 5 rounds she was smashing rocks at distance and not flinching. So we took off in the rain.
We started off seeing a band of sheep, some deer, and antelope in the pivots. As we progressed I saw a road that looked interesting in some prime habitat. We started driving in a little bit and immediately 7 bucks blew out and over the hill. I made a mental note of where they went with the goal of heading into there in the afternoon once they calmed down.
We headed out another direction to a spot we scouted the day before. I parked the truck and thought we’d just hike to the top of the knob and glass. I know to always bring my gun, but I got the prize again as we walked over the ridge and a decent buck and 5 does were 30 yards from us and trotted over the next ridge.
We ran back the truck, grabbed the packs and gun and headed out. We started heading in working our way from hill to hill using any terrain we could to get the surprise on them. After a mile and a half, I peered around a small rock outcropping and there were 50+\- does and a mature buck on the ridge line. My only goal for this hunt was for her to get a decent buck but no chasing unicorns. We quickly found a great flat spot in the rocks and I got her rifle set up. The buck was very actively rutting the does and in all the action she couldn’t get a clear shot. They eventually caught our movement bunched up and ran about 100 yards further out in the flat. At this point they were at a range that’s about her max. The gun is very capable past that, but the goal is always a humane ethical kill. Unexpectedly the buck laid down, so I unloaded the gun and had her start aquiring does, picking a spot and dry firing. We ran this drill 10 times, eventually the buck stood up, I second checked the dope, and told her to get on him and dry fire. I asked her if it felt good, she said yup, so put the mag in and rolled the bolt, she lined up and squeezed the trigger to another dry fire as the mag didn’t fully seat. I didn’t see any flinch on that one, so we went live and I got behind the glass and said to fire at will. Seconds later that unmistakable whop rang through the air and the billy was stoned dead. We made a call to mom and poppa, went down and gathered the pack and spotter and started the walk over. Her excitement was over the top. We made our way over and she put her hands on a very respectable goat.
Took some pictures, got him quartered and loaded up in the pack for the walk out. Ameilia was adamant on packing out the head. She was successful.
Later on that day, realized we could see her moms kill site from 10 years to the day her mom took her up the mountain in her belly.
I feel so blessed to make these memories with my children and this one will last a lifetime. Odfw got the mentored youth program right.
We put a tape to him today just for giggles, 7 1/4 at the base made up for the dinky prongs.
Here’s the link to that one..
Live Hunt - Bighorn Sheep Oregon
T minus 5 days until we leave for sheep hunting. This all started in 6/19.. I checked my draws first... Nothing Called all of my friends, a couple drew nothing.. Then I get a text from my best friend, he drew Walla Walla rifle big bull randomly. (9 points, takes 15 to guarantee) The...
rokslide.com
I’d been a few years out from an Oregon antelope tag at that point, but on that trip I made some friendships that have persevered since then. As time went on, I kept getting points and started hunting other states for goats. I figured they might come in handy one day.
The last 2 seasons have been focused on my 2nd oldest daughter Madelynn and getting her first big game animal. Last year she was successful in harvesting her first buck.
This season as applications rolled out, I knew that Ameilia, my 9 year old can hunt in Oregon, but not Idaho where we currently live. I bought her a deer tag, and tossed my name in the hat for all the Oregon draws with no hope. I was shocked when I saw I drew an antelope tag that I expected to wait a few more years for.
i started planning immediately, my good friend Taylor, who owns Abert rim outfitters gave me some places to start. We shot some this summer and got mostly finished with hunters ed.
We had some family event planning issues and I realized that due to a birthday party and camping trip we were going to miss opening weekend.
I told Amelia that it was her trip and that if she wanted to kill one, and everything worked out she would. I’m not going to lie, in the back of my head I wanted to fill this tag as I know it’ll most likely be the last antelope tag I draw in Oregon. That being said, I’ve killed a bunch of them.
Fast forward we managed to leave Thursday morning before the last weekend. We made it down, drove around and checked a bunch of spots that afternoon with no sightings of antelope. We got our camp set up, and did a little practice shooting. This is where things went wrong, I wasn’t paying attention and she got a little too close to the scope and got hit on her first shot. She immediately started crying and didn’t want to shoot anymore. I didn’t push it and we had a great night together telling stories and shooting the 22. She said she might want to shoot the 6 creed in the morning again.
We got up early the next morning and ate some breakfast and I asked if she wanted to shoot, and I re adjusted the stock for her. After 5 rounds she was smashing rocks at distance and not flinching. So we took off in the rain.
We started off seeing a band of sheep, some deer, and antelope in the pivots. As we progressed I saw a road that looked interesting in some prime habitat. We started driving in a little bit and immediately 7 bucks blew out and over the hill. I made a mental note of where they went with the goal of heading into there in the afternoon once they calmed down.
We headed out another direction to a spot we scouted the day before. I parked the truck and thought we’d just hike to the top of the knob and glass. I know to always bring my gun, but I got the prize again as we walked over the ridge and a decent buck and 5 does were 30 yards from us and trotted over the next ridge.
We ran back the truck, grabbed the packs and gun and headed out. We started heading in working our way from hill to hill using any terrain we could to get the surprise on them. After a mile and a half, I peered around a small rock outcropping and there were 50+\- does and a mature buck on the ridge line. My only goal for this hunt was for her to get a decent buck but no chasing unicorns. We quickly found a great flat spot in the rocks and I got her rifle set up. The buck was very actively rutting the does and in all the action she couldn’t get a clear shot. They eventually caught our movement bunched up and ran about 100 yards further out in the flat. At this point they were at a range that’s about her max. The gun is very capable past that, but the goal is always a humane ethical kill. Unexpectedly the buck laid down, so I unloaded the gun and had her start aquiring does, picking a spot and dry firing. We ran this drill 10 times, eventually the buck stood up, I second checked the dope, and told her to get on him and dry fire. I asked her if it felt good, she said yup, so put the mag in and rolled the bolt, she lined up and squeezed the trigger to another dry fire as the mag didn’t fully seat. I didn’t see any flinch on that one, so we went live and I got behind the glass and said to fire at will. Seconds later that unmistakable whop rang through the air and the billy was stoned dead. We made a call to mom and poppa, went down and gathered the pack and spotter and started the walk over. Her excitement was over the top. We made our way over and she put her hands on a very respectable goat.
Took some pictures, got him quartered and loaded up in the pack for the walk out. Ameilia was adamant on packing out the head. She was successful.
Later on that day, realized we could see her moms kill site from 10 years to the day her mom took her up the mountain in her belly.
I feel so blessed to make these memories with my children and this one will last a lifetime. Odfw got the mentored youth program right.
We put a tape to him today just for giggles, 7 1/4 at the base made up for the dinky prongs.
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