This story is about getting knocked down, picking yourself up off the ground, kicking off the dust and trying it all over again. In order to fully appreciate Briley, as a hunter, we need to dig up some old skeletons from 2011.
Last season, Briley (12yrs. old) hunted with me for four straight days during Utah's Sept.Muzzle Loader Hunt. We hit the rugged high country looking for big bachelor bucks. It was her first deer hunt. She was a trooper and handled all the ups and downs that this season provided us. We worked hard for our opportunities. We got in close on some good bucks, we just couldn't get a good clean shot. There was one nice 4x4 that did give us a shot and it was hard for me to have to tell her that she missed him.
When the 2011 Rifle Season came in October, we headed out again with a renewed spirit. This time we had a scoped .243 rifle. Briley ended up hitting a nice 3x3 buck down the bottom of a deep canyon. It looked like a great hit, but sadly we ended up losing blood and the deer. The ground was frozen and the timber thick. We tried to track and circle until dark, no luck. We had to hike up and out with our headlamps. I have never felt so physically and emotionally spent hunting than I did that day on the mountain with Briley.
On the last day of the 2011 rifle season, we went out for an evening hunt after school. She missed two chip shots at a 2x2 buck. She said... "Dad, what am I doing wrong?" I told her to keep her chin up and that I missed a lot of bucks my first few years hunting too. (Wait... I still miss... Nothing has changed for me. lol!) I told her its not as easy as they make it look on TV and to make sure she settles the cross hairs and that she squeezes the trigger next time. It is most likely her nerves.
That takes us to this season. On opening day, we had plans to hit the high country again. I have a spot that can at times produce a big buck, if you play it right. I was excited for opening morning and to hunt this canyon again. We would also be hunting with my dad, brothers and my brother's kids. As we were leaving home, my outfit broke down. We had Tara pick us up and ended up taking her Suburban hunting closer to home. Because we were now late, we had to hunt where there is also more hunting pressure from the locals. I was mad, but tried not to show it. Briley and Brody were still pretty excited. I think it was mostly because I let them miss school that day and I also bought some junk food.
We did spot a 2x2 opening morning from the road and again Briley took a shot and missed him. This miss took a lot of confidence out of her, but not once did she say that she wanted to go home. We kept hiking and hunting. We had fun. I really like that about Briley. She's a hard worker and isn't going to give up that easily.
The next two days Briley attended school and volleyball while the rest of my family was on the mountain hunting. We got texts from two of her cousins who each shot a buck. I could tell she was happy for them, but she was also a little jealous. Friday night I asked her if she wanted me to wake her up early and we would take the 4-wheeler out. I told her it was too far to hunt for just one day where we normally like to go. She said she didn't care. Her and her mom went shopping and I saw they came back with a little hunting food for the next day. I didn't want to force her to hunt, but was glad to see she was still willing to go, after all the previous heartache.
When the alarm went off at 4:30am, I wasn't wanting to get on a cold 4-wheeler. We headed out and I took a trail head where I thought we might find some deer. We twisted up the trail and broke into some aspen right at daybreak. It was Briley that spotted the deer first. They were to our right. I had to stop and throw the bike into reverse to see them. It was a doe and she wanted to cross in front of us, so we let her. The next deer behind her was a buck!
We got off the wheeler. I placed a cap on the gun and grabbed the sticks for her. The buck wasn't sure what to do, so he just stood there with another doe waiting to see what we were going to do. We easily moved into position to where Briley had a clear, 80 yard shot, at the buck . The deer was facing us, front on. I was a little worried about her shooting but felt it was still a great opportunity for her.
Briley quickly got to one knee with her sticks. I whispered to her to find him in the scope (1x scope). She said... "I got him dad." I told her to settle the cross hairs 1/3 the way up from the bottom of its chest and to squeeeeeeze the trigger. She made a perfect shot, hitting the buck right where I told her to shoot. She had seen so many other times where the bucks just ran off, so it caught her off guard when this one actually had fallen.
I yelled... "You got him Bri, you got him!" She had the biggest smile and I gave her a great big bear hug. She started laughing and giggling. We did a little victory jig. Immediately her confidence came back in her hunting and shooting. This was the moment I was waiting for her to finally get to experience. When you walk up to your first deer on the ground.
We approached her fallen buck and it was one of those moments when time stood still for a proud father. My little girl, shot her first buck. How cool is that! We all can remember our very first buck and she now has her own. I appreciate the fact she didn't give up. "Congrats Briley... Nice shooting sister!"
