Got off work yesterday and decided to take the boy out to the blind. Even with the rain we saw a few bucks moving. One spike popped out that was on our hit list so I decided to let my son shoot. He was nervous and I could here him breathing hard. The thing was, he stood eating at a corn pile for 15 min facing straight towards the blind. He asked me if he could shoot him in the neck and I told him if he felt comfortable taking that shot, then go ahead. The buck lifted his head up and, well.....he missed. We looked for blood for 30 min and nothing. This was the first time I let him take a shot at a deer. He's usually a crack shot with his 7mm-08 up to 200 yrds and this deer was only about 120 yrds away. Question is......is this a shot you would let a kid take or do you think from here on out that I should only let him take a broadside shot? I feel horrible that he missed his first opportunity, but I know there will be plenty of more left. He actually shook it off and said he would get him next time and smiled. He promptly then asked, can we go Sunday morning? Love the little guy!

I probably would have waited for a broadside shot but that's me. I don't even do neck shots. Of course being his first deer, it was probably nervous jitters that got him. We all get them at one point or another.

Man, if the nervous jitters ever stop, I'll stop hunting. Prolly wont be the last time to miss either, it happens. Glad he shook it off and is ready to go again. If it was me, we would be there in the morning...

^^^^ this

x2

Think about this, if the deer was broadside with him that nervous then he may have gut shot it. A clean miss is always better than a poor hit.

Encourage him, and it sounds like you may be taking it a little bit harder than your son. Enjoy the time together.

T

While I wouldn't, I also wouldn't beat yourself up. Talk him up, encourage him and get him back out there. It happens and those jitters can get the best of anyone.

I wouldn't have let him take that shot. But that's done. Just keep encouraging him and get back on the horse.

Appreciate it ya'll. yeah I knew after the shot that it probably wasn't the best idea but in the heat of the moment I let him do it anyway. This is only my second year to hunt so I'm kinda learning as I go. I definitely won't make that mistake again.

I would have done the same thing. There's nothing wrong with a neck shot.

Just about all of us have missed or made a bad hit at some point.I wouldn't beat yourself up over it, just get back out there & try again

Much truth here.

We have all missed a time or two, it's a learning experience. I remember the first one my dad let me shoot, gut shot and he made me clean it, never forget the smell. But it was a good time with dad, he talked me through it. It was not the last time it happen either.
Just being with dad was the best memories, don't have dad now except in memory.

Yep...this

I probably missed my first 6 shots, all for different reasons, but I learned. It's paying off big time these days!

My first shot at a deer was when I was 10, with my .410 single shot shotgun with a slug. I had practiced at 30-40 yards and was fairly accurate. When my dad put me in a stand, I saw a 4 pointer come out of the trees and I guessed he was about 50 yards away. I shot, and the dirt kicked up right below his feet. My dad came to get me later and he paced off the distance and it was a lot closer to 100 yards than 50. So I figured I needed a little more practice at guessing distances. But what I remembered the most was the rush of adrenalin when I was trying to aim, and the smile on my dad's face when I was telling him the story.

Watched my 9 yr old shoot at and miss his first deer about a wek ago... Lots of deer moving and a really nice 8 gives a good long broadside shot. Deer made a little hop and stood there while he shot 2 more times. Deer walked off and there was no blood to be found. As we are walking to the are where he shot I see the deer about 50 yards away in the brush, no sign of injury. I had a clear shot on him but my son didn't.... Didn't want to be that guy so he walked away. he learned more that day then he ever learned form the bench about breathing, controlling his self ect... He's not down but even more driven to make it happen the next time.

My son is 9. I have sand bags in our blinds and I fold them in half and set his gun in the gap in the middle so he has a little more stability when he shoots. . The sand bags seem to help keep him steady.. Maybe get a couple and give it a try if you don't already have them. Just a suggestion.

Thanks for the input everybody. We do have the shooting sand bags on the rest in the blind. I actually took a video of the shot and noticed he had his barrel in between the bags instead of the part of the gun that you hold. (Not sure what it's called) Anyhow, I think that if he puts it in there right he would definitely be more stable.

he needs to learn there are misses in life. Wait on the broadside shot. Let him take out a doe or two to get good at it.
He'll get him next time.

For those of you who haven't read my other threads I'm blind. I said that up front because that is an important part of this story.

When we met my wife had never hunted. I taught her how to shoot and how to hunt. For the first 5 years we were together I didn't have a place to hunt. I bought some land in Val Verde County 2 years ago. The first year I never had anything come by that I wanted to shoot while I was in the blind with her. Last year she got her first deer, a nice spike, on opening day. The next afternoon we're sitting in the blind when a nice 8 point comes out. From descriptions he was probably 4.5 and definitely worth taking. At the time I was using the Iscope which is a contraption that attaches the iPhone to your scope and lets someone see the cross hairs on the screen of the phone. This means the person telling me where to aim, in this case my wife, didn't have to be directly over my shoulder to see the scope and could see to whisper directions easier. Unfortunately the iPhone wasn't centered and I missed. I am the one who taught her to shoot and hunt and promptly miss my first deer when we're together. I heard about that one for a while.

The important things are that your son took it well, he understands it can happen, and that both of you enjoyed the hunt.

When he gets the next one it will be even more satisfying. I wouldn't sweat the ethics of whether he should have tried for the neck shot. What if you waited for the perfect broadside shot and he hit him in the stomach, and ya'll never found the deer? I would take him to the range just to get his confidence back. Otherwise it might be even harder for him to find the courage to squeeze the trigger.

I've taken just one neck shot through all my years and it was at a buck that was standing about 20 yards away. It sounds as if it was a shot that he wanted to see if he "could" make. The fact that you question the shot is a good indication you are one who places value and respect (for the animal) in only taking shots the hunter "knows" he/she can make.

As posted earlier, a little more time at the range might be all that's needed to make it a "would make" shot.

Thanks again for the support everyone. I have to say it's nice to get all this feedback which not only helps me to be a better hunter, but enables me to share all this good stuff with my son. Good news is when I checked my camera yesterday that very same spike showed back up in the very same spot where my son shot at him. I showed him the pictures and he's super excited to get another shot. If he gets one this weekend I will definitely let all the members of the THF know.