justin davis
WKR
Well a little back ground for those that don't know. Ruger lost his father a few years ago. I became friends with him when I heard he had a bow. We would shoot bows and I take him camping etc. I lost my father last april to cancer. I promised Ruger once he turned 12 I would take him hunting.
My father before he died told me two things one day. "Kill a big bull for me this fall, and 2nd get Ruger his first elk." So those were my missions.
Ruger drew a cow elk license for 2012. We hunted quite a bit between school and other things. But seemed to always locate bulls only but no cows. Finally one afternoon I spotted a herd of cows. They were a long long ways from the truck. But we decided to go after them anyways. My only worry was not making it to them by night fall. The country was steep and rocky. Right before dark, we had finally made it within range of the herd.
We got into position and Ruger set his sights on one of the cows feeding. He was shooting my dad's Remington 7 mm mag. Alot of people doubted me on the decision to use that gun. Saying that Ruger was just too small to handle that gun! Ruger is a small guy at only 60 lbs but I knew he could handle the big gun. It was my dads gun too with alot of elk kills on it so I knew it would bring luck.
Well needless to say Ruger was very composed and rested the gun on a downed tree (while I on the otherhand was shaking so bad I could hardly hold my binos up). Ruger, very calm and composed just like I imagine his father (a navy seal) would be, pulled the trigger and the group of cows ran into a little ravine out of sight. I was unable to see if he had hit his mark.
So we snuck up to the edge of the hill. The herd was standing there about 40 yards away. I scanned the ground and did not see a cow elk down. I looked back to the cows that were close by. For a second I contemplated telling Ruger to shoot again, but I didn't know if he had actually missed or not, so I knew better than to shoot again. The herd then saw us and spooked and disappeared out of sight. I scanned the draw again and saw no downed elk. I jogged up a hill after the herd to see if we could see them again but they disappeared like ghosts.
I told Ruger well maybe you missed. I was bummed and Im sure he was too. I told Ruger well lets check around and see if we can spot any blood. I decided to go look at where the elk was standing to see if we could find any blood. A couple steps down the hill and right then I saw elk fur!! I told Ruger..hey look at this! Ruger saw it and let out a war cry to the heavens! I was cheering like a mad man as well.
The cow had run about 15 yards from where Ruger had hit her and piled up in a rock pile. The rocks had blocked my earlier view and thats why we couldn't see her from that angle.
Rugers shot was spot on! Couldn't have been better! I can't be more proud of him!! We were both very excited to say the least!! We both decided that my dad and Ruger's dad were smiling down on us from above!!
We quartered it quickly as darkness set in and I loaded one quarter, backstraps, and tenderloins into my Kifaru late season and made the trek back to the truck. I drove Ruger to his home so he could do his homework and get to bed before school. I then returned with my trusty Kifaru Longhunter and finished packing the rest of the meat out. It was almost a full moon and a very nice night to pack an elk out!
My father before he died told me two things one day. "Kill a big bull for me this fall, and 2nd get Ruger his first elk." So those were my missions.
Ruger drew a cow elk license for 2012. We hunted quite a bit between school and other things. But seemed to always locate bulls only but no cows. Finally one afternoon I spotted a herd of cows. They were a long long ways from the truck. But we decided to go after them anyways. My only worry was not making it to them by night fall. The country was steep and rocky. Right before dark, we had finally made it within range of the herd.
We got into position and Ruger set his sights on one of the cows feeding. He was shooting my dad's Remington 7 mm mag. Alot of people doubted me on the decision to use that gun. Saying that Ruger was just too small to handle that gun! Ruger is a small guy at only 60 lbs but I knew he could handle the big gun. It was my dads gun too with alot of elk kills on it so I knew it would bring luck.
Well needless to say Ruger was very composed and rested the gun on a downed tree (while I on the otherhand was shaking so bad I could hardly hold my binos up). Ruger, very calm and composed just like I imagine his father (a navy seal) would be, pulled the trigger and the group of cows ran into a little ravine out of sight. I was unable to see if he had hit his mark.
So we snuck up to the edge of the hill. The herd was standing there about 40 yards away. I scanned the ground and did not see a cow elk down. I looked back to the cows that were close by. For a second I contemplated telling Ruger to shoot again, but I didn't know if he had actually missed or not, so I knew better than to shoot again. The herd then saw us and spooked and disappeared out of sight. I scanned the draw again and saw no downed elk. I jogged up a hill after the herd to see if we could see them again but they disappeared like ghosts.
I told Ruger well maybe you missed. I was bummed and Im sure he was too. I told Ruger well lets check around and see if we can spot any blood. I decided to go look at where the elk was standing to see if we could find any blood. A couple steps down the hill and right then I saw elk fur!! I told Ruger..hey look at this! Ruger saw it and let out a war cry to the heavens! I was cheering like a mad man as well.
The cow had run about 15 yards from where Ruger had hit her and piled up in a rock pile. The rocks had blocked my earlier view and thats why we couldn't see her from that angle.
Rugers shot was spot on! Couldn't have been better! I can't be more proud of him!! We were both very excited to say the least!! We both decided that my dad and Ruger's dad were smiling down on us from above!!
We quartered it quickly as darkness set in and I loaded one quarter, backstraps, and tenderloins into my Kifaru late season and made the trek back to the truck. I drove Ruger to his home so he could do his homework and get to bed before school. I then returned with my trusty Kifaru Longhunter and finished packing the rest of the meat out. It was almost a full moon and a very nice night to pack an elk out!
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