Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept has a pretty successful youth hunting program. They offer free hunts to youths under 16 yo on numerous WildLife Management Areas and State parks that help control the populations of the whitetail deer on the property. They are on a random draw basis. We got drawn at the Muse WMA for hunt that was scheduled this past weekend. The youth were allowed one legal buck and one doe
Our weekend started off Friday where we spent the night at a friend’s deer lease. Talon got a fire going from local mesquite and once we got it down to cooking size we buried foil wrapped potatoes in the coals and threw a couple rib eyes on the upper side
Talon said it was the best steak he has ever eaten. I hafta agree with him – it was sweet!
Saturday found us at the WMA for orientation at 11 am and then one of the biologists showed us our assigned box stand. It was lunchtime and we made ourselves sandwiches and chips and settled down under a mesquite tree to enjoy them.
A long afternoon of watching and catnapping and when 4:30 came there he was. A legal 8 pointer standing in the road. Talon got his .243 on the buck while I glassed him to make sure he was legal (13” minimum inside spread). What was funny was the bench we were sitting on started shaking and it wasn’t me causing it. The buck was at 100 yards and wouldn’t give us a broadside shot so we kept waiting and the bench started shaking more. LOL Finally a shot presented itself and he made the shot. The buck turned and ran off and immediately disappeared from sight in the heavy brushed draw. When we got to the location where the buck was standing we couldn’t find any blood. We entered the draw and started looking for blood sign. No luck! We backed out and decided to try another route and after a few minutes I spotted a white belly about 50 yds ahead. I turned to Talon and said “no blood it doesn’t look good. How do you fell about your shot?” He said he was shaking but he was sure it was a good shot. I said “OK then look over there!” and that’s when the whooping and hollering began!!
The next morning at 07:30 Talon made a kill shot on a young doe which dropped her in her tracks. That ended our hunt.
It was a great time back at headquarters telling stories with all the kids and their dads.
Thanks for letting me tell my story and “Making Memories”
Barry
Our weekend started off Friday where we spent the night at a friend’s deer lease. Talon got a fire going from local mesquite and once we got it down to cooking size we buried foil wrapped potatoes in the coals and threw a couple rib eyes on the upper side
Talon said it was the best steak he has ever eaten. I hafta agree with him – it was sweet!
Saturday found us at the WMA for orientation at 11 am and then one of the biologists showed us our assigned box stand. It was lunchtime and we made ourselves sandwiches and chips and settled down under a mesquite tree to enjoy them.
A long afternoon of watching and catnapping and when 4:30 came there he was. A legal 8 pointer standing in the road. Talon got his .243 on the buck while I glassed him to make sure he was legal (13” minimum inside spread). What was funny was the bench we were sitting on started shaking and it wasn’t me causing it. The buck was at 100 yards and wouldn’t give us a broadside shot so we kept waiting and the bench started shaking more. LOL Finally a shot presented itself and he made the shot. The buck turned and ran off and immediately disappeared from sight in the heavy brushed draw. When we got to the location where the buck was standing we couldn’t find any blood. We entered the draw and started looking for blood sign. No luck! We backed out and decided to try another route and after a few minutes I spotted a white belly about 50 yds ahead. I turned to Talon and said “no blood it doesn’t look good. How do you fell about your shot?” He said he was shaking but he was sure it was a good shot. I said “OK then look over there!” and that’s when the whooping and hollering began!!
The next morning at 07:30 Talon made a kill shot on a young doe which dropped her in her tracks. That ended our hunt.
It was a great time back at headquarters telling stories with all the kids and their dads.
Thanks for letting me tell my story and “Making Memories”
Barry
