Grandson Zay got his first deer today, with his bow

[Okanagan]

Just got off the phone with grandson Zay, Code's youngest brother, age 14.  Zay has been wanting to hunt and he really got the bug when he went with me after whitetails last week.  He bought his first hunting license ever yesterday.  The late archery season for coastal blacktail runs till the end of the month in WA State.  Any deer is legal.

We were down visiting over the weekend and I watched Zay shoot targets with his bow.  At 20 yards he had to shoot at different spots to keep from hitting his arrows.  I told him that he was shooting well enough to kill a deer.

He is and he did.

He'd gone with Code on an early morning hunt without seeing anything.  They were back home, warming in the house when they saw a deer in their garden.  They stalked to within 40 yards and though Zay thought that he could make the shot he didn't like the odds.  He stalked to within 20 yards and double lunged the button buck. 

Their little sister will be 12 next year and says that she wants to hunt...

(edited out some stuff I considered amusing but it might embarrass the rambunctious young men).

[coyote101]

Good for him. Congratulations on a successful hunt. 

Pat

[slagmaker]

Congratulations on a successful hunt and stalk

[JohnP]

Aren't Grandkids great, as I said many times before, had I known how great they were I would have never had kids - just grandkids, tell that young man congratulations. 

My nine year old GS been wanting a bow so after checking with Mandy I bought him a Barnett Vortex Youth Compound Bow for Christmas.  Draw weight of 19-45 lbs so as he gets older and stronger he can legally hunt.

[pitw]

I wonder who was prouder, grandpa or Zay?
I'm sure that Zay wins by a button.

[FinsnFur]

Thats awesome that they have takin to hunting like that. They had some good foot steps to follow.
Congrats to the young fella.

[Dave]

Congrats to Zay on his first deer and to Code for mentoring his younger bro - and to the old patriarch!

[nastygunz]

 And saved the garden!

[Okanagan]

And saved the garden!

Yeah, that was a factor.     Code was egging him on and using the garden as a reason to shoot it!

The garden is done for the year though deer will likely browse on the blueberry bushes.  I'd guess that the gate was open because they have a tall deer fence around the garden and fight to keep deer out when things are growing.  I haven't seen a deer on their place in years, though there are plenty in the woods next door.  It is a bow only area and the deer get hunted just enough to keep them skittish and they don't come out much in daytime.   Code got a button buck on the next door neighbor's place a few years ago.  Sounds like Zay shot this one about 15 yards from their archery target. 

[nastygunz]

I used to keep my mothers garden groundhog free with a ruthless efficiency utilizing rimfire guns centerfire guns airguns traps and bullterriers