My boy Liam's (Blue Dragon) first 'active' field trip.

[Grim Reaper 1]

Hi guys & gals,

 

You remember me recently posting about my boy Liam (Blue Dragon), and how he is coming on, as well as him asking me about him hunting?

 

Well, this morning, just before dawn, we left the house and went upto the crematorium. We settled down at my favourite sniping spot, and waited - the sheep were in the field to day, and i think this seems to calm the rabbits down a bit. Anyway, after abiout 15 minutes or so, Liam spots a bunny around 50 yards or so - too far for him i judge, and so we go on the stalk . . . . .

 

We had been moving for some time, eyeballing our quarry at every move we made and, bugger me, if he don't actually remain sitting there all the time! lol I keep spotting with the scope (which is already zero'd and PX'ed for 30 yards, and when we get in final position, i handed the rifle to Liam. . . . .

 

He decided he wanted to rest it on my shoulder as we were both kneeling down, and so, when he was settled, i waited for him to make the call as to wether he still wanted to slip the trigger or not - I was unsure as to how he would feel when he found that the crosshairs were actually on a live target, and the life or death decision layed with him, like?

 

A few seconds passed and still he had said nothing at all, when, all of a sudden all i heard him say "ok", at which point i braced, and held my breath (he is resting the stock on my shoulder remember, so i needed to absolutely as still as i can) - he breathed out and held it, and there was a 'snick' as the trigger was slipped.

 

I was watching continuously from the moment i braced, until the moment the pellet struck home with (to paraphrase a friend of mine [i hope your watching, Davey ] there was an almighty THWACK, as the pellet struck, the bunnee did a backflip and went down. we made our way over to retrieve, and Liam saw it was twitching and was quite worried - i explained the story with nervous reflexes and that sometimes the body sometimes doesn't realize that the brain is dead, like. He understood this, and when we got there, it was in the last twitch or two, and so i let him administer the 'coup de gras' shot, and all was still.

 

Upon examination by the both of us, his first shot was textbook - making contact about 1/4 inch behind the right eye socket - i can't fault him on what must have been (for him) a very nervous shot, as it was at his first live target. All along, i have made sure that i have given him praise and encouragement where needed, but also made doubly sure that there was never any pressure on him from me - i don't believe in that. I made certain he knew that what ever decision he made when the chance came to shoot, that it was perfectly ok NOT to take the shot if he was not happy with anything at all. But, fair play to the lad, he has popped his cherry at hunting now!

 

Pictures are below, and were taken in our garden this morning - hope you enjoy!

 

Here is the wee man himself! . . . . Looks 'mean', don't he!?

 

And again from a different angle . . . .

 

The shot in the field was taken by Liam using my S310, the leupold was the scope that was mounted, and he rested the stock on my shoulder - a good bit of teamwork there!

 

 

Regards,

Grim.

Edited August 30, 2008 by Grim Reaper

[Guest hpool_hunter]

great little read , and well done little lad , lets hope plenty more great days out to come .

[Grim Reaper 1]

great little read , and well done little lad , lets hope plenty more great days out to come .

 

 

Thanks Hpool, and yes, there will be many more days to come - the little bugger has been blessed with permission in his own name at the crem, so he can go everytime i go if he wishes.

 

That boy is so lucky, if he threw a £1 coin up into the air, it'd come down a tenner!!

 

 

Regards,

Grim.

[Malt 379]

Nice one Grim mate! He'll be teaching you a few tricks in a couple of years time........!

[andy s410c 61]

Nice one GR & Liam He's a lucky lad to have his own permission at his age I had a lot of self appointed permission when i was a teenager but i was a good runner back then

[P.Carter 0]

Well done to you both, he looks like a good lad and seems bright with him taking in all that about nervous reflexes.

Better for him to have a hobby, especially one his father enjoys, it will keep him of the streets and away from trouble.

 

Once again, well done to your lad and all the best to you and your son.

 

Cheers,

Paul.

[SportingShooter 0]

Fantastic Grim and Doubly Well Done to Liam.

 

It's a nerve racking decision the first time. And the fact that he looked and observed the shot before he decided to take it, and that he was happy to take it, shows he is a young man with an aptitude for deciding whether a shot should be taken and who has ultimate respect for the animal he is about to Kill.

 

It shows Skill

 

And as for the twitching, it was explained to me when I took my first shot, and is one I always remember. Adrenaline is all that remains. Once the brain is no more, the body feels nothing. Humane and Painless which he now knows and will remember no doubt.

 

I am chuffed to bits for the both of you, but especially the New Sniper.

 

I'm sure that will be the first of very many, safe, humane and painless shots.

 

Best of luck.

 

SS

[Grim Reaper 1]

Andy and Paul,

 

Thanks for your comments and good wishes, i was just sooo proud when he took the shot!

 

 

Regards,

Grim.

[Grim Reaper 1]

Fantastic Grim and Doubly Well Done to Liam.

 

It's a nerve racking decision the first time. And the fact that he looked and observed the shot before he decided to take it, and that he was happy to take it, shows he is a young man with an aptitude for deciding whether a shot should be taken and who has ultimate respect for the animal he is about to Kill.

 

It shows Skill

 

And as for the twitching, it was explained to me when I took my first shot, and is one I always remember. Adrenaline is all that remains. Once the brain is no more, the body feels nothing. Humane and Painless which he now knows and will remember no doubt.

 

I am chuffed to bits for the both of you, but especially the New Sniper.

 

I'm sure that will be the first of very many, safe, humane and painless shots.

 

Best of luck.

 

SS

 

 

Cheers fella from both of us. I was a bit like, "what is he thinking of doing - will he/won't he?" like, but then as soon as i heard him stop breathing i knew he hade his choice.

 

I did explain to him about the reflexes and stuff - he seemed ok with that, but he wanted to make sure, and as it was his shot and kill, i let him do the honours.

 

I am absolutely chuffed to bits with him as a shooter and his performance and outlook so far.

 

 

Regards,

Grim.

[Grim Reaper 1]

Nice one Grim mate! He'll be teaching you a few tricks in a couple of years time........!

 

Cheers bud, i have no doubt of that at all Mal! lol

 

 

All the best,

Grim.

[just jack 998]

nice 1 grim, nice read, good on ya little man keep shooting lad ------------------ JACK

[Grim Reaper 1]

nice 1 grim, nice read, good on ya little man keep shooting lad ------------------ JACK

 

 

 

Thanks very much Jack - i've no doubt at all that now he has tasted blood (so to speak), Liam will indeed want to carry on!

 

 

All the best,

Grim.

[Sgt.McMuffin 0]

little charmer bless him, hope u have some good years ahead of you, before he over take ya grim

[ChrisJones 7,975]

That's brought a big smile to my face, Grim!

 

Send our regards on to Liam, for a job well done!

[Grim Reaper 1]

Thanks very much, and will do that Chris.

 

I must say, he has done well for his age - much better than i had at first expected him to. I am very pleased with him and how he is coming along. If he can carry on as he is now, then he will have no problems that i can see, in the future, like.

 

 

 

Cheers bud,

Grim.