ANTELOPE SEASON
This was Tyler's first year hunting. I hoped to give him a great year. He had a deer tag, two antelope doe tags, and an elk tag. I decided to take him antelope hunting on Saturday the 13th of September, two days before deer season, to give him a chance to "work out the bugs" shooting animals.
We left a few hours before day light for Kemmerer, Wyoming, where his unit began. We found antelope right out of town at a walk in area. So I pulled in and we got out his gun, my backpack and the range finder. It was right at 400 yards to the antelope. One of my goals was to give him a chance to shoot long range. Where we hunt deer a 400-500 yard shot isn't uncommon. Elk hunting isn't much better. We hunt big, wide open country, and if you can't lob a bullet in you probably wont get much.
Anyway, Tyler shot and missed the first time (there were 20 does and a nice buck in the group). The antelope milled around, but didn't run. Finally another one stepped clear of the others and Tyler hit it. It was quartering away and he followed my instructions, aiming a little behind the front shoulder. Unfortunately he hit it in the hip. This brought it down and I had him try and head shoot it (yes, still at 400 yards). He missed a few times, so we got closer. He missed a few more. The antelope bled out and this hunt was over. He never did hit it again. I think he and I were both a little frustrated, but it was the first try and at least he had hit it. We took care of it after taking some pictures, then headed down the road looking for lucky antelope #2. We found her not too far up the road and made a 200 yard stalk on her. We poked our heads over the ridge and found the antelope 100 or so yards from where we first saw them. I ranged them right at 200 yards. Tyler made a perfect shot, dropping her in her tracks. We were both lots happier and I was pretty confident Monday would go well.
Tyler's first game animal. An antelope the size of a jackrabbit on steroids! Not the best shot, but for a 12 year old kid shooting 400 yards, he did a great job! I know lots of grown men that can't shoot that far!
Tyler's 2nd doe. A great shot and real confidence booster! We sure had fun! I can't wait for next year. DEER SEASON
Monday morning came fast. We were about 17 minutes late getting started, Adam stopped and talked to us on his way up the canyon, and so we had to really push ourselves. Its a good 3500 foot climb and a distance of over 2 miles to the area we wanted to hunt. Tyler did great, but his legs were giving out around the 8500 foot mark. I took his pack and we cruised up to 10,000 feet. Most of the really steep country was behind and we made up some good time.
We were looking into the bottom of the basin right at daylight. We worked up the sheep herders' trail built through the shale to the mid basin point when someone above us shot a small buck. This got things moving and I noticed 7 bucks a few hundred yards below us. There wasn't a really nice buck (over 20 inches) in the group, so Tyler and I just waited. About 10 minutes later I noticed a really nice 4 point moving below us 300 yards below us. Tyler got ready and I told him to hold right on the top of its back; he shot over its back! I was sitting right next to him and ran the bolt for him, telling him he shot high (meaning aim lower). He held basically in the same spot (amazing how an inexperienced hunter doesn't read your mind!) and shot over again. This time I told him to hold lower (but not a specific amount) and he split hairs on its back. It ran around the basin and another hunter shot it at 60 yards.
We climbed to the top of the basin, after looking for blood, and waited for the evening hunt. Tyler was pretty upset and we had a good talk about missing, and hunting in general. At 5 p.m. we headed down the mountain on the other side of the basin. We had been going for about a half an hour when I spotted this nice 18 inch four point below us 150 yards. Tyler aimed at the bottom of its chest, squeezed the trigger and he bolted out of sight. I told him he hit it, then saw it rolling down the hill dead! We hooped and hollered and hugged. Tyler was REALLY excited to kill his first buck. We headed down and took pictures, halved it and I tied the whole thing to my packframe (except the ribs) then headed down the mountain. Tyler wanted to carry the head, so he did. We were headed down country at 7:30 and made it to the truck by 9:30 pm. I shot a grouses head off on the way down the mountain. I also slipped and punched myself in a "not-too-nice-of-a-spot". Tyler still laughs about that one. I think the punch hurt more than me bouncing and sliding down the ridge on my backside.
We go to road 3/4 of a mile above the truck. We stashed our packs and gear in a thicket along the road and then we jogged the 3/4 of a mile to the truck! What a great day for Tyler. I honestly was more excited for Tyler than I have ever been for myself! It is so much fun hunting with my kids! My dad always let me shoot first (even now when I am 36 years old). My success was/is more important to him than his own. I have tried to emulate this with my kids. I just don't think there is any other way to do it. It is why I grew to love hunting so much. I was given the gift of success and I'm passing this on to my kids!
Tyler got a late season tag and we hunted a little bit before Christmas, but not much. I shot my cow in November and we wanted to have Grandpa Isaacson there for the elk hunt. So we got up early on the 26th of December and headed down the valley to a spot we have permission to hunt and spotted 30 or 40 elk feeding low on the ridge.
We left Grandpa there watching elk and took a radio so he could tell us what was going on, and we headed up onto the ridge. We were bucking snow to our thighs all the way up the ridge; it was really slow going. The elk stared moving up country so we had to chase them. I finally headed for the heavy timber on the backbone of the ridge where the snow was only 6 inches deep. We moved faster and finally caught them right below the top (8500 foot mark) at 400 yards. Tyler was ready and we got him laid down over my back pack. Adam, my brother, came along to help. He carried Tyler's pack for most of the climb. His legs were burning out and we needed him as fresh a possible so he could shoot straight.
Tyler laid down over my backpack I'd placed under a big Red Fir, right on the backbone of the ridge we were climbing. He was a little wobbly, so I offered to set it better for him, but he said he could shoot. So when a lone cow stopped broadside he sent one flying over her back. The elk bunched like they always do and then headed for the higher country. A nice branch bull and a lone cow were the last in line. When she stopped Tyler shot her. She headed into the trees and we lost sight of her.
It took over 20 minutes to get to the blood trail. I was making trail through thigh to waist deep snow and it was really tough going. We picked up the drops of blood in the snow pretty easily. Thankfully she was the last on in line so the other elk didn't cover the slight trail. She lead us up country through the nastiest places she could find. After an hour or so she broke away from the herd and headed down country. We found 3 beds in a short time on a steep, north facing ridge where she laid down and bled. I picked up the pace, running/skiing down slope. When I hit the bottom I sunk up to by waist in a deep, snow filled hole.
I turned around to find Tyler right on my tail. He was keeping up with me just fine. We followed her through thick brush and finally pushed her out of her bed. She made a break for it across the bottom of the canyon running through a big aspen patch. 6 shots later we had her down. We took some pictures where she lay, then Tyler and I gutted her and moved her down into the bottom of the canyon where my dad met us (Adam went down to get him). We took a few more with Grandpa and then cut her in half, putting her on our plastic sleds. It was a really hard, cold, trying day. But Tyler pushed through it and got his elk. We were really proud of him (me, my dad, and uncle Adam) he worked his guts out and just did great. He is pretty mature for his young 12 year old self.
Tyler and me with his cow. What a great day. It was as hard of a hunt for elk as I have had due to the snow depth.
Tyler and me with his cow. What a great day. It was as hard of a hunt for elk as I have had due to the snow depth. 
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