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Son's first hunt!

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  • mad88minute

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    Oct 13, 2017
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    Houston
    I signed my 14 yr old son up for the Texas youth hunting program. He was selected for a hunt out in Sonora at the Turkey Crossing Ranch.

    We have been hunting in Sonora before, he was in the blind when we took a few doe and was present when we quartered and processed them. He didnt feel comfortable shooting the higher powered rifles so he was on 22lr coon and skunk patrol.

    Fast fwd 2 years, he has been to Hunter safety and the range.

    I just bought a 7mm-08 CVA for his trip. I'll be scoping I and zeroing it with him shortly.

    I'm not an avid hunter only slightly experienced. Any words of advice for us?

    Anything I'm going to forget that I'll need?

    Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be posting pics of my son's success.

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    Guns International
     

    GonzoLonzo

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    Sep 18, 2015
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    Just out of curiosity, how does your son shoot that rifle? I am just asking because it is very light and recoils more. I got my daughter hunting in the TYHP when she was 15. I got her a 7mm-08 Thompson Center Venture which she loved. But on some of those hunts, I saw a few kids who couldn't hit the target during practice because the recoil was hurting them so much and they were flinching and all other bad habits and they had CVA's in .243. But if he shoots it well then great because that is an excellent round. As far as things you will need, your hunt master will be getting with you and letting you know what to bring. The basics are your hunting license, proof of hunters ed, sleeping bags, a good set of binos for both of you. Factory boxed ammo, no reloads are allowed. Good hunting boots, knives, ice chest, ice. They will provide all meals. Some places have bunk houses other places it's camping only. You will also need orange vest for both of you and an orange hat for you. They will provide him a TYHP orange hat.
     

    mad88minute

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    First off I want to say, if you have children, DONT SIGN YOUR KIDS UP FOR THE TYHP!

    I want better odds in the following years when I sign my son and daughters up . I don't need your competition.

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    mad88minute

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    Update.

    We completed the hunt this weekend. It was amazing, fun, and very educational.
    Im hardly experienced so I learned as much as my son.

    He shot 2 doe, I called him off of the third she was maybe 1.5 years old.

    It was very cold this weekend making it perfect in my opinion.

    Excuse the crappy photos taken thru my binoculars.
    IMG_20191012_091646970.jpg
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    IMG_20191011_170647524.jpg


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    mad88minute

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    Oct 13, 2017
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    Houston
    Just out of curiosity, how does your son shoot that rifle? I am just asking because it is very light and recoils more. I got my daughter hunting in the TYHP when she was 15. I got her a 7mm-08 Thompson Center Venture which she loved. But on some of those hunts, I saw a few kids who couldn't hit the target during practice because the recoil was hurting them so much and they were flinching and all other bad habits and they had CVA's in .243. But if he shoots it well then great because that is an excellent round. As far as things you will need, your hunt master will be getting with you and letting you know what to bring. The basics are your hunting license, proof of hunters ed, sleeping bags, a good set of binos for both of you. Factory boxed ammo, no reloads are allowed. Good hunting boots, knives, ice chest, ice. They will provide all meals. Some places have bunk houses other places it's camping only. You will also need orange vest for both of you and an orange hat for you. They will provide him a TYHP orange hat.
    Thanks for your words of advice. All good tips.

    Leading up to the hunt we practiced with 2 rifles, the new CVA in 7mm-08, and a Ruger American Ranch in 762x39. We brought both but my son was more accurate with the Ranch. Probably less kick, so less flinch.
    On the 7mm-08 he didn't like the full power loads, did much better with the light recoil ammo I bought.

    He used the Ranch to take both doe with Remington core-lokt ammo.

    The first shot was in the heart. She ran 20 ft sprayed blood and fell over.

    The second one was a lung shot. Knocked the deer over right on the spot.

    A member here named Fireinthewire sent me a nice 30 Cal muzzle brake I'm going to move over the the CVA ( I got the threaded muzzle version anticipating this problem)
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    Glenn B

    Retired & Loving It
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    Sep 5, 2019
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    Nice achievement for your son at 14. Good parenting by you to get him interested in hunting & shooting. Congratulations to both of you.

    By the way, you said this was educational, if so and if you have other children who yet may become hunters/shooters I hope you learned something abut cartridge selection. A round like the 7mm-08 REM is often too much for a youth shooter to handle without great difficulty. While I am sure some he-men and he-women (yes he-women) will pound their chests and disagree when it comes to their children by saying their sons or daughters were just fine with it - the truth is the truth. The 7mm-08 REM round is often too much for many large adults. On the other hand, the 7.62x39mm round only has just over half the energy of the 7mm-08 REM (source) so it is little wonder your son preferred the a Ruger with that ammo. Better to start them off with something sufficient that does the job without punishing them and thus potentially turning them away from the sport. Good decision to give him options.
     

    mad88minute

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    Oct 13, 2017
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    Houston
    Nice achievement for your son at 14. Good parenting by you to get him interested in hunting & shooting. Congratulations to both of you.

    By the way, you said this was educational, if so and if you have other children who yet may become hunters/shooters I hope you learned something abut cartridge selection. A round like the 7mm-08 REM is often too much for a youth shooter to handle without great difficulty. While I am sure some he-men and he-women (yes he-women) will pound their chests and disagree when it comes to their children by saying their sons or daughters were just fine with it - the truth is the truth. The 7mm-08 REM round is often too much for many large adults. On the other hand, the 7.62x39mm round only has just over half the energy of the 7mm-08 REM (source) so it is little wonder your son preferred the a Ruger with that ammo. Better to start them off with something sufficient that does the job without punishing them and thus potentially turning them away from the sport. Good decision to give him options.
    Thanks for your comment.

    I knew 7mm-08 would be a stretch fo my son, but I figured it would be a good round for him to grow into.
    Plus I was being a little selfish, I use 7mm-08 brass as reloads in my 260rem
    I prefer to size down 7mm and have a.rjicker neck then to size up 243 and thin it out. I already have bushing dies for the 7mm brass.

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    hoghunting

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    Thanks for your comment.

    I knew 7mm-08 would be a stretch fo my son, but I figured it would be a good round for him to grow into.
    Plus I was being a little selfish, I use 7mm-08 brass as reloads in my 260rem
    I prefer to size down 7mm and have a.rjicker neck then to size up 243 and thin it out. I already have bushing dies for the 7mm brass.

    Sent from my moto e5 play using Tapatalk
    You could try the Hornady Lite ammo, a friend uses the .30-06 Lite for his daughter and it works very well. Since you reload, you could light load some for your son.

    https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/custom-lite#!/
     

    GonzoLonzo

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    Sep 18, 2015
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    Thanks for your comment.

    I knew 7mm-08 would be a stretch fo my son, but I figured it would be a good round for him to grow into.
    Plus I was being a little selfish, I use 7mm-08 brass as reloads in my 260rem
    I prefer to size down 7mm and have a.rjicker neck then to size up 243 and thin it out. I already have bushing dies for the 7mm brass.

    Sent from my moto e5 play using Tapatalk


    Hey Bud, the round is not the problem. The rifle is. That rifle is for someone who will be carrying it for a long time with a pack who wants the lightest gun possible. But for sitting in stands, a heavier gun really tames any recoil. The T/C Venture is already a heavy gun but I still added about half a pound of silicone in the butt stock and put on a limbsaver recoil pad and we shoot 120 grain bullets out of it. That made it perfect for my daughter. She enjoyed shooting it more than a .243. Also, the muzzle brake will tame the recoil a bit but you won't be able to use it on the TYHP hunts unless they have changed the rules lately. But nothing wrong with the rifle you used. If he likes that one, stick with it.
     
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