Well we just got back from TX (the whole family) and the three of us that hunted all scored!! Including my 8 year old who took a nice sow (90 lbs dressed) with one shot from the AR in the pic. Here are the stories for each of us: The 8 year old: We went on an evening hunt to a stand at the crossroad of three senderos. There was a feeder on the one to the left and the one in the center headed off to the river a few hundred meters away. As the evening wore on we watched 4 non=shooter deer come out and feed. Three does and a 1.5 yo buck. About 30 min before the end of shooting light 4 pigs came out into the sendero in the center to feed. While the boar and 2 couple month old piglets took off the sow stayed. She and the young buck kept covering each other up for the next 20 minutes and the little one was about to go crazy. She was sitting on my lap to get a little elevation up to the shooting rest. Finally, the buck uncovered from the sow. There was only about 10 minutes left to shoot. I asked her if she had a good sight picture and she said yes. I told her that she could shoot as soon as she was ready and BAMM!! She hammered it quartering slightly to. Ended up being a lung and off shoulder shot. The sow fell, then spun around and ran off. We waited about fifteen minutes and then went tracking. A light blood trail led into the brush toward the river. 30 minutes worth of searching and we got her pig!! Everyone in camp was super excited to see her get her first animal on her first shot with an AR she had only fired 6 rounds through. She is now officially a KILLER!! My son: Not quite as long or successful. On a morning hunt from a great blind with senderos in all directions and a feeder in a small clearing he got a deer and a half. His guide spotted a great nine pointer (saw the trail cam pic) off to his right and told him to take aim. He did and after a few minutes he shot when given the green light. The shot was high on the shoulder and when they went to look for him they found only a little blood and ..... oh yeah the 1.5 yo buck that was behind the other deer in the brush He was already a nice little 7 pt. We looked for the big deer for 4 hours but he was long gone. My son and I were both bummed about the little buck and I apologized to the head guide. He said he was upset with the guide that was with my son. That he had the call on the shot and made a bad decision. Still too bad that the young buck got it. On the plus side of the event, found out that the 44 shooting 240 xtps at 90 yds has enough juice to shoot through a mature bucks shoulder (we are assuming the round went through the area above the shoulder that is soft tissue only) and THEN through the young one. He also went on to shoot a cull buck (the ranch is on a management plan with the state) that was 4.5 years per the biologist and was only a six point. He was 16" wide though. Finally me: I went out the first morning hunt and it started well. I was at the same stand my son would go to the next day. At day break there were already two deer out. A young six point and a young 8 point that was going to be really nice in a couple of years. We watched them for about 30 min and a doe joined them. About another 20 minutes go by and it hits. I have to go NOW. Thanksfully the guide had some paper and there was a nice big live oak about 100m back to lean against. Close one. Of course as I got out of the stand the deer that were out took off. So as I returned I expected to see nothing. To my surprise I saw a deer take off from in front of the stand but just caught the white flag. As I entered the stand I asked what it was and my guide said a buck. Sheepishly I asked if it was a little guy and he said "Nope, he was a shooter". MY heart sank. At that point he got the call to and headed to the other side of the big oak tree. A few minutes later he is back and I am still bummed we talk about it and he tries to console me as it was the first day. About that time I catch movement. NICE buck!! We both look at it and it is mature. When he clears some brush the guide asks me if I would be happy with him and I said HELL YEAH if he would let me shoot. He says I have the go. I wait a couple minutes for a braodside shot and then squeeze the trigger on my guides 7mm Mag (I was using the ranch rifle as the kids guns took up the last bit of space in the truck). The hit was the top of both lungs. We waited and then went to find him. He only made it about 40 yds and crashed at the edge of some brush. When I got to him I was amazed. He may not be a giant, but he is only my third buck and by far the biggest. He goes 127 green, aged 6.5 years and is going on a Euro mount!! I went on to shoot two culls bucks for the management plan as well. BTW our cooler cam home full to the top with pig as we were already good on venison and elk. Freezer is TOTALLY full now!! Man what a week!!

Sounds like you all had a good time. Congrats, and good eating.

PICS

Where in Texas??
Joe

We were just south of Pleasanton, between San Antonio and Corpus Christi.

It was with the Arrow S ranch through the Sportsman's Foundation for military families. I am not sure how t book or$ for the public , but they were great folks.

http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac118/lawrenceborn/GEDC05792_zps2c3f9314.jpg http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac118/lawrenceborn/GEDC05782_zpsf3114f9e.jpg

Congrats!