GolfCat
Active member
Had a few days off between Christmas and 2021 so I made a quick trip down to the ranch. Nothing on the list for me to take this year so I mainly went down to see if I could do a little predator patrol and help our manager with a controlled burn. Got in a little late on Sunday but was able to make a hunt. I had planned to break out the Foxpro on Monday morning for a while but the wind was already pumping pretty good so I elected to take some video from a blind while I waited on our manager to make it out. He arrived along with his daughter and we discussed the burn. Neither of us felt comfortable with the 20mph winds. But, my brother wanted it done. We both decided that we would be more comfortable with a brush truck on site. With him being a member of the local VFD he made a call to the "chief" and was able to procure a truck. Santa Clause brought his daughter a .22 for Christmas but she was having trouble just finding the paper in the scope. He asked me if I would mind taking her to the range to see if I could help her since I have worked with kids in our 4H program for years. I told him hell yea. He took off to town and we headed to the range. I broke out my little Henry lever gun and sat it up on the bags. With her being so tiny I noticed right away that she couldn't get a good cheek weld on the stock and be able to see through the scope. I searched around in my hunting bag and found a sand bag that drapes over the window of a blind. I draped it over the stock and told her to try that. She immediately said "this is much better and I can see perfectly". Had her shoot about 25 shots from 50yds and was consistently within 1.5". I then asked her if she wanted to try something just a smidge bigger that wouldn't kick very much. She replied with a resounding yes. I sat the .223 up for her and went through the same process of setting her up. She fired two shots from 50 and they were just a tad low (expected). I told her they were perfect. She noticed that they were low and I explained that it was because the rifle was sighted in for 100yds and that is where they should be. We backed up to 100 and her fist shot was almost dead center, next one was just a little right. We walked down and she took a pic to send to her dad. We went back and she fired two more with one being right next to the first in the red and the other about 1/2" high. I told her she was ready to kill. Now it was time to find her something to shoot, after the burn of course. We were blessed that the burn went off without a hitch considering the gusty 20mph winds. After a late lunch we piddled around a bit then headed out. Our first stop we didn't have much but noticed that there were some fresh rootings right by the road close to another blind. We bailed and made it over the #4. We have most of our blinds set up to where you can "sneak" into them without being detected. I told her the wind was not in our favor but if we were very quiet we might could get in there without spooking anything. As we got to the blind I took a little peek around it and noticed a lone pig. I opened the door to the blind and told her to just get in the chair and be very quiet. I got in and slid the window open just enough to get the rifle out. I placed the makeshift cheek rest on the stock and told her to find the pig. Within three seconds she said I'm on him. I told her wait til he turns broad side and shoot him right here as I poked her in the shoulder. I didn't take long for blond boy to turn and blondie laid the hammer down. His back legs buckled as his head flew up and the collapsed right where he picked up his last piece of corn. After a few high fives, whoops and hollers we got out and went to get the buggy. I told her to call her dad and tell him to come to #4 as I knew there was no way she and I could load him. Talk about a young girl and dad who were excited for her first kill is an understatement. She has already asked her Pepaw if she can shoot a deer this weekend and his little piece of property in McMullen Co. To tell the truth I probably get more excited watching kids have success than I do about killing something. Well, except for fooling a wiley coyote. Now, that gets me excited.
Notice the makeshift cheek piece on the Henry.
Bottom two from 50 and the other two from 100 with the .223. Didn't get a pic with the final two.
Burning brush.
Blonde with a blonde. Oh, we forgot the war paint ritual in the first pics. Moon coming up in the east.
Notice the perfect shot right where I told her to. They don't run so well with both shoulders inoperable. Sun setting in the West.
Notice the makeshift cheek piece on the Henry.
Bottom two from 50 and the other two from 100 with the .223. Didn't get a pic with the final two.
Burning brush.
Blonde with a blonde. Oh, we forgot the war paint ritual in the first pics. Moon coming up in the east.
Notice the perfect shot right where I told her to. They don't run so well with both shoulders inoperable. Sun setting in the West.
