Well guys, I thought I would give you all a recap of our youth hunt as it pertains to the thread:
We arrive Friday night to the cabin with just enough time for the boy to shoot the ML a few times to get used to it and any recoil. From 50yards the gun is shooting dead center but about 3 inches high. The first shot totally missed the 3ft by 3ft target. The primer discharged and there was a short delay before the powder burned. Freaked out the boy as he wasn't ready for a double whammy. Second and third shots were in the black just a bit off. I feel certain it was due to flinching.
First morning = Rain all morning. Sitting in rain is simply no fun. Boy slept for 2 hours in the blind. Went in for lunch and the rain broke. Boy shot a variety of firearms plinking. 20ga, .410, ML, and some trap with the 20ga. Headed out for the afternoon hunt and rain started again. Sitting in a blind in the rain stinks. Boy slept for 3 hours. We decided to still hunt back to the cabin. I get a call from my brother at the cabin, two does walked across the yard 30 yards from the porch. 3 Deer standing about 180 yds out in the field below the cabin. Nice
We finally get back to the cabin (about 1 mile from the blind) A doe is standing broadside 140yds from the porch and watching us. By the time the boy gets the gun up the deer trots away into the brush.
Day Two Morning: Guess What? Rain. Boy sleeps in and we get to the blind after sunup around 830am. Rain starts up again and we decide to call it a day. Call from brother, 4 more deer standing in yard.....
We get back to the cabin and are deciding to leave early when "DEER" Two does standing in the field below the porch 162yds away. Rain starts again. The boy raises the gun, gets a good rest (on the porch railing) and fires. Deer Jumps and runs into the woods.
After some time we go to the point of impact and look for blood. Dang if he didn't hit the deer!!
We ended up tracking the animal for 2.5 hours in the rain. Unfortunately, the already wet ground and rain washed out the trail which was spotty. We lost the the trail and called it 150 yards from the inital shot. The boy was devestated. I had just told him the night before that the worst thing is to wound one and not recover it. The weather just killed us...
The bright side is that he had a blast and all was safe.