2013 Hunts

[MarkCO]

Above is my 12 year old son who turned 12 on November 1 with his 1st deer and elk. He shot his deer on November 2, about 35 yards with the TC Encore in .308 topped with a Burris 2-7. He got the elk with the same rig at 348 yards, it is 14F in that photo and about 18" of snow on the ground. I got a few deer, and a Buck Pronghorn at 680 yards this year too. We be eatin' free range organic meat in 2014!

[henpecked]

Great job kid

[nikolatesla19]

That's great! My son will be able to go 2014 season and I'm so excited! Where did you guys go? Congrats

[Bentsight]

Nothing better!!!

[MarkCO]

That's great! My son will be able to go 2014 season and I'm so excited! Where did you guys go? Congrats

For Pronghorn and Deer, Unit 3 is a good choice. For elk, you have to be more selective, although cow elk tags can be filled in all seasons in 3. Look at the proclamation and carefully read the late season conversion hunt rules for youth. Basically, there are groups of hunting units which you can have a reasonable chance at a cow elk in 3rd or 4th season and a good chance to fill a doe deer tag. Then a better chance of an elk in the late season with a youth late season conversion tag. That was my path. As for specific areas and units, it is all about research. I hunted elk for 6 years before I filled a tag...I did not know the areas well enough. Once you learn the areas, the chances increase. If I had not put in 20 plus years in the areas I took my son, he would not have filled the elk tag. The Deer and Pronghorn are pretty easy tags to fill. Even out along the Platte in the SWAs, deer tags are easy to fill. Figure out where you can go, accommodations etc, find some large SWAs and get out and scout them in Feb or March to see if you can navigate them in the snow if you want to consider a late season hunt.

Personal opinion here...don't put a .243 in your sons hands on opening day and not expect to track wounded game! My 12 year old has been shooting for several years and has time on the range in various positions. I honestly think 200 rounds with the actual hunting rig is the bare minimum to get the confidence there for actual hunting conditions. For instance, he is really too small to be able to shoot prone with good support, so sitting is his most stable, but we worked on off-hand, kneeling etc. as well. I really like the .308 for new hunters. Low recoil, but a big enough bullet to kill. EVERY wounded elk I have tracked (other people shot them) have been hit with calibers under .30. .24 caliber to 28 caliber, even the "fabled" 7mm Mag and .270Win with "optimum" chest shots had animals go miles. His hit on the elk he got with the .308 was not perfect, but it was dead as a doornail by the time we covered the distance to get to it.

[bboy]

Great looking animals, congrats guys!

[02ducky]

Good for him and good for you for taking him hunting.

[DHC]

Nicely done both Mark and son!

[MarkCO]

Thanks guys. Elk is in the freezer, had Deer rib eyes for dinner last night. Making breakfast sausage today.

I must say, in 33 years of hunting, the animals we got this year had more fat on them than I have ever seen.