The Cave and the Heartbrake: a 10 yr old boys first goat hunt

[Decker9]

What an awesome hunt!! Everyone makes mistakes, don’t come down on yourself, you did a fantastic job on teaching your young man about the finer things in life, including honesty!! It’s a bummer yes, but those memories will be in both your minds forever, and there will be many more to come, priceless!! In my eyes, you did a fantastic job!!

Huge congrats to the both of you, your son is one tuff little man!! I’m not sure the legalities, but I’m really routing for you guys that the CO shows back up with your sons goat, truly a honest mistake.

Thank you for taking the time to write this up, you have a knack for telling a story, enjoyed every minute of it!!

Ed.

 

[beachbunny]

i remember taking my son on a youth hunt,crawling through swampy thickets, setting up with little viz, He missed the stag and we have more fun
reliving that, then had he killed it some 20 years ago.
You two will be in camp someday,having a drink by the fire and he'll be riding you...and you'll both laugh hard!
I assume the goat went to feed the hungry,.
You seem to be a very good father and role model,
Good for humanity,we need more of that.

 

[C Bow]

Jimbob I know you already know this but just a reminder You are blessed a million times over. I really needed to see this story. It does my heart good. It has been a rough year for me and I appreciate you sharing. THANKS

 

[weekender7]

What an awesome read and pics. The many lessons learned on this hunt will serve you both well for many years to come. Thanks for sharing.

 

[CarlTuesday]

Thanks for sharing. That hurts with regard to the license, after all that work though. How'd the kiddo respond? Definitely character building!

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[CTobias]

Great story! Thanks for sharing. Tough luck on the tag. You're raising your son the right way though, that's for darn sure.

 

[Matt W.]

HA HA Yes we had this talk. Even though I take all responsibility for this disastrous mistake I told Josh he needed to own some as well. He was shocked at this. LOL. BUT he took the coarse, he knew he needed a tag, he knew the laws and he needs to ensure he is following the laws no matter who takes him hunting. His mistake was assuming that Dad had done everything. Lesson learned, never assume someone else is doing everything for you, take responsibility and ensure that everything is legally satisfied before going on a hunt. Josh understands his very small part in this and from now on he will be checking about tags as well.

Well said, its easy to blame your self, but we have to teach our kiddos to know the rules and follow them as well. I have heard enough horror stories that this advice should go for those going on guided hunts as well, especially in areas where you are dancing around public and private lands and permissions....

Amazing story, that is one heck of a memory maker!!! Tough kiddo!

 

[timhagedornpe]

You are a man ... the kinda man boys should look up to ...good job ... I have two boys of my own and I hope that I would do the same thing.... that had to be tough! I’m super impressed with your integrity ‘


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[SLDMTN]

Way to go boys! Congrats to you both!

 

[OFFHNTN]

Wow wow wow.......what an epic hunt for a 10 year old!!! He may not have the goat mount, but he will have a lifetime of memories of that hunt!
Congrats to you both!

 

[idahohikker]

Congrats. Very impressed with you and Josh. Anyone can make that mistake. Doing the right thing is always worth it. My grandpa taught me from a young age that hunting is about making memories together, not the kill. Your photos and memories of the hunt are priceless.

I do think the penalty was too high for a kid but that's that.

 

[handwerk]

What great experience for you two...well done and thanks for the great write up and pics!

 

[Steepandeep1]

Awesome post! Awesome pictures. At 32 years old I have yet to be on a goat hunt but intensely look forward to that day I’m headed west with a tag in my pocket. I grew up right close to goat country unfortunately with a father who lost interest in hunting what seemed like the day I was born. Sooner or later my number will be drawn here in MT. Your son will most definitely forgive you for an honest mistake, and will hold memories of this trip fondly in his heart forever. Excellent job fathering sir.

 

[Buckshotaz]

Congratulations! Good write up

 

[pondera]

Great write up. Sounds easy to get confused or to forget as he drew the permit but you would have still needed to purchase the licence? Great learning moment for sure, sorry that was the consequence. When I hear of something similar involving no malicious intent on the part of the hunter my heart drops. Then to see in the news where a dude intentionally violates the law and the judge slaps them on the wrist.....grrrr...

 

[TheCougar]

What a story! Thanks for the write up, but more importantly, what was in the cave when you went in?!?! Did you see yourself as Darth Vader?

 

[adamkolesar]

I'm glad someone revived this thread. What a piece of story telling! A great moral and the secondary lesson of self-reliance. My Daughter spent her birthday in hunter's Ed this past weekend and I'll be sharing this story with her. Thanks for sharing the story with us!

 

[RMac5]

Wow! That’s a great story and a hard lesson. That experience will do him more good than the trophy mounted in a house. What he learned from that will serve him well the rest of his life.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Wow, and yes, thanks for reviving this story! I can't believe this was written over a year ago and I'm just now seeing/reading it. Man, that is a tough pill to swallow for sure. You had one goat tag, killed one goat, but because your son was the one that pulled the trigger and not you, the goat was confiscated? Man, that doesn't seem right. Why would it matter if the minor, who could legally harvest a goat, was hunting with you and harvested your goat? IMO that is one F'd up law.

Under the Alaska laws, a resident hunter age 10-17 who have their Basic Hunter Education competed are allowed to hunt on behalf of an adult permit holder, under the direct, immediate supervision of that adult. Unfortunately we also have a lot of screwed up laws, but that one in particular is one they got right.

Man, I am truly sorry for your loss, but good on you for setting the right example. I hope that at the very least you got to enjoy a nice goat back strap dinner, prior to it being confiscated.

 

[vermeire]

Since this thread popped back up...

This thread was inspiration for me when I made a similar mistake last month. I coached my daughter into shooting her first whitetail, a spike when the only thing in season was antlerless. Complete brain fart on my part and I didn't realize it for a couple hours. The line that played over and over in my head was about the CO driving away with most of your heart. I know exactly how you felt. And as much as it hurt (I teared up when we were finishing up with the warden) I know I made the right decision and I'm proud that I can look anyone, especially my daughter, in the eye and know I acted with integrity.