Thanks guys. I regret I can't show you the video and photos as I'd love nothing more than to show you the care, reverence, and joy she had as she harvested her first big game animal.
Sadly, we live in a world that is becoming more punitive to hunters and nothing on the internet ever leaves the internet. In good conscience I cannot potentially cause trouble with her decades from now because I chose to boast on her behalf with hunting pictures. When she is an adult she can make her own choices with her name and reputation, for now I'm accountable.
I would like to say that Port Sullivan Ranch, Dr. Rob Lasell and their whole family were just wonderful. If you're looking for a high fence hunt to introduce a child to hunting, this is the operation to consider. I say all this with high praise as many of you know I do not personally hunt high fence or low fence environments myself. The hunting was challenging. The shots were relatively far. The game was nervous and certainly not foolish. I would really recommend them for a first hunt as it is likely you will get shooting opportunities each day. I think a 4 day hunt would be perfect for a two animal hunt.(we rushed and did our hunt in three days but did not harvest a third deer as no shot presented itself in the species we wanted)
The other observation is that the pre-64 featherweight model 70 in .243 was just perfect with lite loads. For a small amount more than a new youth gun you can get a child a "forever" gun. I saw no evidence that the .243 is not an appropriate gun at reasonable distances on large game broadside. It certainly would have handled a cow elk or a medium sized kudu as well as it handled the red hind. I had assumed it would have been a 150 yard recovery but it was not, both were DRT with a double lung shot that caused central nervous system damage during expansion. At any rate, it served her well and she was very thoughtful, taking about five minutes waiting out the right angle on the right hind before getting a perfect shot off.
