First One... I'm Hooked

[darchell]

Well we went out today. It was a Saturday and I was off. The weather yesterday was supposed to be partly sunny. That seemed to be the only part that was not out. Anyway, yesterday was a bust. I told the boys, I have two sons, 8 and 6, that we would go this morning. Supposed to be sunny and warm. Well we got sun but not warm. Woke up to 31 degrees. We went anyway. Checked four farms I can hunt and nothing. Even walked to the sections I could not see that easy and still nothing. We are going to a Hockey game tonight so we had to get gone around 10:00 to get my “honey do’s” done. We headed out and stopped at the store. While there, Wifey called to say she was going to the mall. Well if she is doing the Mall were gone back. So we started heading back and the temp started rising fast. By 11:00 it was in the mid 40’s and the whistle pigs were singing. We saw three on the way back but they were close to the road. Pulled in the field and spotted one about 500 yards away. The stalk was on. Every time I would get down to shoot I was to low and could not see the little bast#$%^. So we had to get within 130 yards and he spotted us down the hole he went. The boys, and I were quite disappointed. As I am giving the speech about this being hunting and sometimes you go home empty yada yada, there is another one in the distance, about 400 yards or so. The stalk was back on. We went to within about 275 yards and I had a clear shot. I got down on my high tech rifle rest, (a rolled sleeping bag, still waiting for my bi-pod from UPS), and took aim. I let the first one fly and missed. Oh this was not good as my older son was watching through binoculars and making something up for an excuse was not going to work. I racked another one in and followed the hog. He was heading to his hole and I barked. He stopped and I shot. I hit him in the front leg, low, off to the races we went again, he ran right to his hole and made a fatal error, he waited before he went in. Pow, I touched off the last round and caught him right on the shoulder. The only thing in his hole was his nose. Never made it. Cool stuff. The boys saw the shot and I was in their good graces again. I laser ranged it to 256 yards. Smoked him…. We are all hooked now. Before we made it back to the truck I was already being asked when we were going back. Great day with the boys. Thanks for everyone’s help that made the loading possible. Below are some pics.

[Rick in Oregon]

Darren: Glad to see it all came together, and your boys were there to share the fun. I'm sure dad is hooked, and so are the boys most likely. This will be something you all can share for many years to come, and the bonding will get stronger with every trip. The only caveat I'll offer, is that as soon as both boys are at the "right" age, you'll be shelling out money for two new rifles for them, plus all the associated goodies that go with them..scopes....brass, powder....you get the idea. It will be money well spent though, and I'm sure you agree.

Welcome to the money pit called varmint hunting! I can't think of a better hole to throw money down! Glad you all stayed out and were treated to success. Good job dad.

(When your bipod arrives though, you'll have one less excuse for missing next time...... )

[bullfrog]

Awesome write-up!
I love the pic of the boys holdin it by the hands. Too cool.

[darchell]

Rick, I was thinking of going to the patent office with my original bipod. It doubles as a sleeping bag. I don't think there is another like it.

[WaltherP99]

Excellent post! Glad to hear you and the boys had a great time!

BTW: The VLP is "Dead Sexy" isn't it?????

[Gube]

Nice story and pics. It gives great satisfaction when the young-uns get hooked like Dad.
Both of my boys AND my daughter love varminting.

[darchell]

Gube, I gotta agree. The real nice thing is they try to hunt with me during hte reagular season here but it is often to cold and I don't want to give them a bad taste about hunting. This is nice, it's warm typically a decent amount of game and so on. It was a good day.