Finally, after years of waiting, Kazden got to go on his first Columbia blacktail deer hunt.  Though he’s been shooting responsibly under adult supervision since the age of two, and has taken small game, turkey, javelina and African plains game, this hunt was for one of the most challenging big game animals in North America.  This is the deer several generations of our family have grown up hunting in the Pacific Northwest, and now it was Kazden’s turn.
Thanks to Oregon’s recent adoption of the Mentored Youth Program, I was able to allow Kazden (9), to hunt on my general season blacktail tag.  He’d already passed his Hunter’s Safety course with a near perfect score, and is a very good shot.
To step up our pre-hunt practice sessions, every day after school Kazden was shooting his Nosler .260 off a steady rest, the same rest he’d be using on the hunt.  His best groupings came off a Bog Pod tripod with an XSR adaptor; this provided a very steady rest and gave him confidence.  He shot several rounds over the weeks into Caldwell’s new Natural Series mule deer target.  Being a former science teacher, this is one of the best shooting aids I’ve seen as the anatomy is right on; it ultimately played a big part in Kazden making a perfect, one-shot kill on his buck.
We saw, stalked and passed a few bucks the first two days, simply because the shot angles or distances weren’t what we wanted.  Kaz’ learned a lot those two days.  On day three we made a stalk on a bedded buck.  It wasn’t a big buck but that didn’t matter in the least.  The situation was perfect and after a lengthy wait, the buck finally stood up inside 40 yards.  Kaz’ put the point of his Trijicon AccuPoint (green triangle reticle), behind the shoulder and drove the AccuBond bullet through both lungs.  The buck went less than 20 yards and fell over.
With his brand new Kershaw knife (he collects knives), Kazden was eager to help in the field dressing and skinning of his buck.  He was so excited he got little sleep that night!
The next day I got to hunt pheasants on the Big K Guest Ranch with noted dog trainer, Steve Waller, Bob Fabbri (manager of the new Springfield, OR Cabela’s store), and Dan Beraldo (events coordinator).  We had a great time and got to tour the stunning ranch nestled in the heart of Oregon’s breathtaking Umpqua River Valley, and came away with some great eating birds, too.  Thanks Big K, we’ll be back!
As for Kazden, his experience didn’t stop once his tag was filled.  Back home he helped out in the butchering and packaging of his entire deer.  The backstraps are already gone, as we’ve been eating those every night for dinner.  Tonight, blacktail burgers, which Kazden helped grind up the meat for.  We live on wild game, have for many years and like many of you, do all of our own butchering and packaging.
“This is the best deer we’ve ever had, isn’t it, Dad?” Kazden quizzed at the dinner table.  Without skipping a beat, we all agreed it was the best we’d ever sunk our teeth into.