- Joined
- Jan 28, 2003
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- 13,341
In our family there is an unwritten deal that when you become old enough to handle a big game rifle and you’ve passed your hunter safety training. You get a rifle and you get to go on a big game hunt with it. For Bailee’s sister her first successful hunt was a wild boar in Texas at age 11. Bailee went hunting in Texas Last may but struck out on hogs. With that in mind we regrouped and started planning her first successful big game hunt.
First order of business was picking out a proper big game rifle as she was still using her sisters .308. I presented her with several choices of rifles that we had on hand and her pick was a Kimber M-8400 in .30-06. Now I know some of you are thinking that is a lot of gun for a young hunter but I disagree. She will have this rifle for the foreseeable future she will know it intimately and will be able to shoot it better and be more proficient with this rifle than most grown men are with their rifles. This will be her prized possession and the pride of ownership shows in the way she shoots it and lovingly cares for it. I hope that one day she presents her child or even her grandchild with this fine shooting .30-06.
Prior to beginning this hunt we spent multiple days at the range shooting from various field positions until she could reliably stick a three shot group into a tennis ball sized group at 200 yards under pressure and on demand. Once Bailee was able to do that we contacted a close personal friend who manages a large ranch here in Colorado and arraigned a population reduction hunt for a cow elk.
The first two days were a bit frustrating as we saw elk we stalked elk but we never could put it together to get a shot. I could tell that young Bailee was getting a bit frustrated and starting to doubt herself. We took a break went home and spent some more time on the range. The night before we were to hunt again we had a disappointing day at the range with some fliers and some poor shooting. After much consternation and some coaching on my part we were able to finish the session on a good note with a five shot 2” group from a bipod and a prone position. Now, once again, it was time to hunt.
We headed to ranch at 05:30 in the morning and arrived just after 07:00. Troy, the ranch manger was waiting for us and we quickly loaded our gear into his truck and headed out. It wasn’t long before we found ourselves sneaking up a draw and trying to get within range of a mixed herd of mature cows and young bulls. After a bit of crawling we closed the distance to about 160 yards and set up for the shot. Troy pointed out a mature dry cow and we waited for her to clear. Bailee set into her scope and was forced to hesitate several times as the cow mingled into and out of the herd. Finally after what seemed a eternity I watched as Bailee flipped the safety off sucked in a breath and squeezed the trigger as we had practiced thousands of times starting with her BB gun as a toddler then her .22 as a young child and finally her .30-06 as young woman.
The rifle fired and bucked my precious young lady back in recoil as she simultaneously cycled her bolt and chambered a fresh round. We were rewarded with the gratifying sound of a bullet striking flesh, a solid “KER WHOOP”! Just after the report that welcomed sound came back to our ears as the 150 gr Sierra Game King delivered it’s deadly payload . At the shot the cow lunged into the herd and started off towards the trees but soon fell behind and then came to a wobbly stop. She stood for a bit circled once and laid down. We quickly closed to about 60 yards when the cow raised her head, Bailee dropped into prone and shot her cow one more time just where the head meets the neck instantly finishing the old cows career on this world.
The Sneak
Bailee proudly poses with her first big game animal. By the way when hunting , high fashion is a very important component. How many of you guys can say you ever killed an elk while wearing your Cookie Monster hat? That’s what I thought…..
After picture taking time it was time for Bailee to crack the whip. Mom, sister and dad got to field dress the cow, Troy went to get the truck. Bailee took control of the camera. Well, dad got to field dress the cow, mom and sister held legs.
On the drive out we were treated to some of Colorado’s best . A herd of Bighorn sheep and a telephoto lens provided some great photo ops and a really neat finish to a great day! I am so happy that my children get to experience America and the great western outdoors as participants rather than mere spectators as so many children today are forced to do. My girls, all of them including my wife, would rather spend a day in the wild hunting and observing these magnificent creatures than shopping in a mall any day. I feel that we are well adjusted in today’s crazy world and can only hope that we’ve imparted a life time of wonder , amazement and interest in the greatest lifestyle in the world, that of the outdoorsman (woman).
First order of business was picking out a proper big game rifle as she was still using her sisters .308. I presented her with several choices of rifles that we had on hand and her pick was a Kimber M-8400 in .30-06. Now I know some of you are thinking that is a lot of gun for a young hunter but I disagree. She will have this rifle for the foreseeable future she will know it intimately and will be able to shoot it better and be more proficient with this rifle than most grown men are with their rifles. This will be her prized possession and the pride of ownership shows in the way she shoots it and lovingly cares for it. I hope that one day she presents her child or even her grandchild with this fine shooting .30-06.
Prior to beginning this hunt we spent multiple days at the range shooting from various field positions until she could reliably stick a three shot group into a tennis ball sized group at 200 yards under pressure and on demand. Once Bailee was able to do that we contacted a close personal friend who manages a large ranch here in Colorado and arraigned a population reduction hunt for a cow elk.
The first two days were a bit frustrating as we saw elk we stalked elk but we never could put it together to get a shot. I could tell that young Bailee was getting a bit frustrated and starting to doubt herself. We took a break went home and spent some more time on the range. The night before we were to hunt again we had a disappointing day at the range with some fliers and some poor shooting. After much consternation and some coaching on my part we were able to finish the session on a good note with a five shot 2” group from a bipod and a prone position. Now, once again, it was time to hunt.
We headed to ranch at 05:30 in the morning and arrived just after 07:00. Troy, the ranch manger was waiting for us and we quickly loaded our gear into his truck and headed out. It wasn’t long before we found ourselves sneaking up a draw and trying to get within range of a mixed herd of mature cows and young bulls. After a bit of crawling we closed the distance to about 160 yards and set up for the shot. Troy pointed out a mature dry cow and we waited for her to clear. Bailee set into her scope and was forced to hesitate several times as the cow mingled into and out of the herd. Finally after what seemed a eternity I watched as Bailee flipped the safety off sucked in a breath and squeezed the trigger as we had practiced thousands of times starting with her BB gun as a toddler then her .22 as a young child and finally her .30-06 as young woman.
The rifle fired and bucked my precious young lady back in recoil as she simultaneously cycled her bolt and chambered a fresh round. We were rewarded with the gratifying sound of a bullet striking flesh, a solid “KER WHOOP”! Just after the report that welcomed sound came back to our ears as the 150 gr Sierra Game King delivered it’s deadly payload . At the shot the cow lunged into the herd and started off towards the trees but soon fell behind and then came to a wobbly stop. She stood for a bit circled once and laid down. We quickly closed to about 60 yards when the cow raised her head, Bailee dropped into prone and shot her cow one more time just where the head meets the neck instantly finishing the old cows career on this world.
The Sneak
Bailee proudly poses with her first big game animal. By the way when hunting , high fashion is a very important component. How many of you guys can say you ever killed an elk while wearing your Cookie Monster hat? That’s what I thought…..
After picture taking time it was time for Bailee to crack the whip. Mom, sister and dad got to field dress the cow, Troy went to get the truck. Bailee took control of the camera. Well, dad got to field dress the cow, mom and sister held legs.
On the drive out we were treated to some of Colorado’s best . A herd of Bighorn sheep and a telephoto lens provided some great photo ops and a really neat finish to a great day! I am so happy that my children get to experience America and the great western outdoors as participants rather than mere spectators as so many children today are forced to do. My girls, all of them including my wife, would rather spend a day in the wild hunting and observing these magnificent creatures than shopping in a mall any day. I feel that we are well adjusted in today’s crazy world and can only hope that we’ve imparted a life time of wonder , amazement and interest in the greatest lifestyle in the world, that of the outdoorsman (woman).
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