15 year old daughter got herself a Buck Saturday

sumrifle

New member
Well my daughter killed a Doe 2 years ago when she was 14. She did not get drawn for a Tag last year but this year she drew the J10 Fort Hunter Liggett Either Sex Deer Hunt. She could hunt for an "Antlerless Deer" (Doe or a Buck with spikes less than 3" in length) or a Buck. She told me when we got the Tag in the mail she wanted a Buck. We went over Friday afternoon to check in and get the permit. I had never been to Fort Hunter Liggett before and it looked like a great place to hunt. Saw lots and lots of Quail Friday evening along with a Spike and about 10 Does and Fawns.

Saturday morning and we got on the base just before 0500. We were on a mountainside before legal hunting light and we glassed after sun up. After 45 minutes of not seeing Deer we walked up the dirt road 1/2 mile. Still nothing so we walked down to the truck and drove up the road. Saw two Does on the road and stopped and got out and glassed them for 5 minutes. They were 160 yards away and completely unconcerned with our presence. They finally got a little nervous and stepped off into the brush. We went further up and then came down not seeing any more Deer.

We drove a few more roads and decided to go to a different area. We again drove up 1/2 mile and got out and walked this time we saw a couple Does and Fawns but still no Buck. Finally she spotted a Deer bedded up the hill. I could see it was a Buck and quickly looked and saw it was a legal Buck (Forked Horn)

We had talked weeks ago and as recently as that morning that it was up to her to decide what to do. If she wanted a Doe that was fine. If she saw a Forkie and wanted to take it or pass that was OK with me. I told her if she wanted to take it she could. The Buck stood up from its bed but did not take a step. She pulled the trigger and the .257 Roberts spoke. That Buck dropped in its tracks and never took a step and never even quivered. the 100 grain Barnes X bullet put a .257 caliber hole in the left side of the neck and hole somewhere near a Quarter to a Half Dollar sized hole out the right side of the neck.

She was real happy and we took a couple pictures and I used my laser rangefinder and it was 67 yards. A close shot for sure. Her Doe 2 years ago with the 6mm was 195 yards. We walked to the Buck and took some more pics and video. Gutted and dragged it to the truck and loaded him. Took him to the check station where they weighed him and pulled a tooth. After skinning and quartering I put him in the big 150 quart igloo on top of a few bags of ice and we were all set. Back to Paso Robles for a shower and to say goodbye to friends that let us sleep at their house Friday night and we were on the road home.

Meat was good and cold when we got home and I added more ice last night under the meat so it would stay dry. This morning it was ice cold and I took it to the butcher for cutting and grinding. Very proud of my daughter and I think I found a new place I want to hunt Quail at least maybe Deer and Pigs. Here are some pics.
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Good job dad and congrat's to the young lady. She has a great smile and that is a neat picture of her and her buck. You are raising her right dad and that is going to pay off big time in the next few "difficult years."
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Congrats to you both. I am sure you are proud of her. Back in the late 80's I spent quite a bit of time humping those hills at Hunter when I was with the 7th Light. Lots of wildlife there and a great place to hunt.
 
I loved Fort Hunter Liggett. I hope I am able to get back there soon. More good news for my daughter and hunting. She got the letter in Saturday's mail that she will be hunting in the Taft Junior Pheasant Hunt on Saturday Nov 20th. 5 weeks from yesterday. Time to get her 11-87 20 gauge out and let her put a few boxes of ammo through it.

This will be her 3rd year hunting the Taft Junior Pheasant Hunt. She got 2 birds in 2008 and two birds in 2009.
 
Thanks Okiedigger (and everyone else) My wife is from Cushing and still has parents and a Grandma there. My daughter was born in CA but she says she is 1/2 Okie and will probably attend college there in a couple years.

Wife wants to move back when I retire.
 
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