# Cori's First Deer



## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Finally! After a bushwhack of a hunt last year in mid Oct and coming up empty, my second oldest daughter Cori drew a youth only mule deer tag this year that ran from Nov 23 to Dec 1 (considered a "rut hunt").

The unit she drew on her third choice is a decent unit, with a lot of rugged and rocky sandstone canyons and thick juniper/pinon trees with oak brush and ponderosa at higher elevations. Deer numbers aren't necessarily as high as the other high demand/quality unit but that didn't matter. All we were looking for was a first deer.

Early season scouting in late Oct and early Nov turned up a couple of small bucks and two pretty nice ones. A 150 class 4x4 and a big 3x4 working a particular canyon and bench.

Because it has been drought conditions (again) in late summer and early fall, BLM placed drinkers were a primary focus area and showed a lot of deer activity on them. Logic told me if the does were hitting the drinkers, they lived close by and the bucks would show up when the time was right.

One week prior to the opener (last weekend) turned up the big 3x4 rutting a doe and a couple of two points in another area. A massive storm cell moved over our area last Wed to Friday morning making it muddy, muddy, muddy. Roads were covered in "thunk" mud (the kind of mud when it slings around and lands on top of the pickup cab goes "thunk"). We tried for the 3x4 opening day (yesterday) and he disappeared. Tracks indicated he and his does climbed up out of the canyon they were in to the top of a massive mesa and disappeared.

After a long day of checking other areas that hold deer, we went to the area that was holding the two points I had seen. We climbed to the top of a ridge to wait for deer to filter down, my dad watching from his truck on a road (the blind side) of the ridge for us. A little two point ran across the road in front of him and we raced down the ridge to intercept. The little guy pulled a Houdini and disappeared before we could find him.

We went back to our perch only to have dad tell us again that about 3 does and another little two point came out of the trees and entered a sage flat, so off again we went. After crossing under a drift fence, and came up out of a wash, the deer were about 150 yds from us. Lucky it was late afternoon and they were in that dopey and groggy stage. We put a stalk on them because of high sagebrush to get a clear shot. Another truck came down a road and they got a little antsy and moved off to the treeline. When we crossed a road to get a shot at them, (reminded Cori you can't shoot across a graded or maintained road) the deer moved off into the trees.

We positioned ourselves for another shot and lucky the sun was setting and in the deer's eyes. They couldn't see us. We set the rifle up for a shot and suddenly a doe was passing by at 75 yds with a small buck behind her. The rifle is zeroed at 200 yds and I told Cori to just put the cross hairs on him and shoot. She shot, the bullet made the tell tale "whack" sound, the buck jumped and kicked a little and jumped over the fence (we crossed) behind the doe and pretty much landed on the other side dead.

Nice little 2x3, perfect for a first deer. Needless to say she was happy, happy, happy. The 110 gr AB from the good 'ol .257-06 did the trick.

Despite semi-drought conditions late summer and early fall, this guy is a chubby butterball.


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## BGD (Mar 23, 2018)

Congrats to both dad and daughter! Great buck and great adventure. I have always loved hunting but have found I love it even more now that I get to play guide with my kids.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Awesome buck and story - congrats to you both!


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## SCS_Bg_Hunter (Oct 27, 2019)

Great story and a great memory, congratulations to you both.


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

Love the write up. Congrats to the young huntress and pops! Well done!


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## Hunttilidrop (Jun 12, 2018)

Great story! Congrats to you both! Looks like her shot placement was right on.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Great work and an awesome memory for the family. Thanks for sharing.:grin:


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

I find myself more interested in my kids' hunts these days than my own (for now ;-)). Today I am going to cape him out and prep it for a shoulder mount. Some say that he isn't big enough, but to me, that is not why you do a shoulder mount. It's so Cori can look at it 10 or 15 years from now and say "that was my first deer".

Besides, I know a guy that can do it super cheap for me.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

I agree--perfect for a first deer. Congrats!


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Very cool! Congrats to both of you.


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## pollo70 (Aug 15, 2016)

Heck yeah! congrats to both of you..


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

This would be freshly cut up tenderloin from this butterball of a buck. Yes, he was a chubby guy.

Pay no attention to the smoked turkey sitting next to it.


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

In this pic, you will observe the tenderloin simmering in bacon grease from freshly cooked home made smoked bacon


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

Add the two together and, well, you know 8)


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## sambo3006 (Feb 25, 2016)

Congratulations to you both!


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