USA: Another Great New Mexico Father & Son Hunting Trip

Just back from a fun trip in new mexico again. Dakota drew a deer tag for over thanksgiving and I added a mtn lion tag also.

We started off scouting the day before the hunt starts with some spots my friends shared. We found a few buck and tons of doe. First day we saw a few bucks and over 50 deer. Also some great bull elk.

Second day we started off with seeing 30 deer as soon as we hit the public land we would be hunting. We found a good buck and after 30 minutes of deciding if it was a deer to go after the hunt was on. We knew there was better but he was very wide and dakota really like the look. So off we went to try and get him. We got to with in 300 yds and he tried the shot but dakota missed three times. Right before we went on the trip he hurt his arm in his mma class and it was making it for him to shot.

He was not happy about his shooting but we went on looking for more deer. We saw a few more bucks and doe but nothing we wanted to try for. After some fog rolled in we decide to change areas to head lower were we could glass better. AS we head down the to the new area we were going to pass right by were we missed the buck earlier in the day. To our surprise we spot a few deer and 4 of them being bucks.

We started to glass around and out of the bottom of the draw comes the buck he had missed. We start another stalk and get to 25o yds when he beds down. After a 2 1/2 hour wait he decide to get up. Dakota is ready but misses again but the deer has no idea what is going on. His arm is just making it hard to shoot like he normally does. The second shot goes high and the deer starts moving up hill but stops to look back. I let dakota know he is shooting high so he makes the adjustments and puts the 3 round right on the spot and the deer drops in his tracks.

At this point all the pain in his arm goes away and the smile comes on his face. He is still mad at himself about the bad shooting but I tell him we all miss. Once we get to the deer he is all smiles and the disappoint of the misses goes away. The deer is 27" wide with a 5x4 frame. He has shallow forks but was an older deer and a great one to take.

Some pictures of the area and his deer. also one of a bull from over 1/2 mile away that I would love to hunt one day.

Nice, congrats to your boy Bill.

Congratulations Dakota.

We all miss. You can say that again.
I went out on opening day of Sharptail Grouse season one year, because I could not stay home.
I had sprained my left ankle badly, but still had to go.
With my foot bandaged and swollen I tried my best.
One box of 12 gauge ammunition used up. ALL misses, never touched a feather.
Two hours in I learned my lesson and went home.

Glad he overcame his handicap and got it done.

thanks guy he did well and was very happy in the end.

I was glad he worked through the issue.

We did not get as lucky with the mtn lion. We did get on one lion but the rain washed the scent away so we lost the trail when it went cold. They dakota caught a flu bug and we went home early but after another fun trip. Hoping to get back after a mtn lion after the new year if we can.

Hope he gets better soon.

Good luck with the Lion in the New year.

Nice deer!

Nice mule deer, congrats!!!

grats on the Muley, always fun taking the kid out

Excellent trophy Billc. Congrats.
Witold

Nice job on the deer hunt. Good looking buck. Tell Dakota congrats. Bruce

Bill c , see you are still making great memories with Dakota, keep up the good work.
Beautiful mule deer. Forrest

Great job by both of you. Congrats, nice Muley

Dakota has to leave a little game for the rest of us to chase!!

Good job on a safe and enjoyable hunt.

What are you doing with the antlers and cape?

Thanks everyone enjoying each hunt we do together as father and son.

Tim it is another one going on the wall. The cape on the deer is perfect and those wide horns belong hanging on the wall.

I was hoping you'd say that!

billc said:

...those wide horns belong hanging on the wall.

Click to expand...

How long until you run out of wall? Lol

Congratulations.

Thanks for sharing the report.

Congrats to Dakota Bill! Excellent deer and boy what a lesson learned. You are 1000% correct we all miss from time to time. It's part of it. Sorry about the cat but hopefully you'll get one. Mtn lion isn't something I ever really thought about much until recently and with my lion I've started to get a thing for cat hunting. Hope Dakota is feeling better and I'm super glad your getting some great quality father son time. It's sooo important and I sure wish I had more time with my son.

billc said:

Thanks everyone enjoying each hunt we do together as father and son.

Tim it is another one going on the wall. The cape on the deer is perfect and those wide horns belong hanging on the wall.

Click to expand...

I have seen a white tail deer that Paul at Relive did for Eardley Rudman at Blaaukrantz Safaris... I think he would do great job if you shipped over there !

Thanks everyone for the comments.
Still have some space to fill in once I get the room done. LOL

Scott I sent a picture to paul and he thought it was a wide deer but not sure. LOL said he had not seen many.
Lucky for me I have wildlife studios 1 hour away or I would need to think about sending it to paul.