I slipped off work a little early on Friday to take my oldest daughter hunting. She's been with me dozens of times since she was 4 and has seen me kill at least 15 deer (mainly does). She's 8 now and about 2 weeks ago, she decided that she was ready to pull the trigger herself. She has been shooting a 22 for 3 years and has shot this Model 7 243 a few times with reduced loads.
So Friday, we went to a food plot where my dad had seen a few does and yearlings earlier in the week. I was just hoping to get a shot at one of the does. We set up on the ground about 35 yds back from the plot and made a makeshift blind where she could prop the gun on a set of shooting sticks that I carry. We had been there only 20 mins when I heard a couple of deer moving around to the east. I thought I heard a grunt but couldn't be sure. As the deer got closer, we also heard a deer to the west that sounded like it was rubbing a tree. Shortly a doe popped into the plot, but before she could get the gun on her, a big mature 6 point ran in and chased her off. I quickly grunted a couple times and waited. 5 mins later, this 10 point trotted into the plot from the west and I bleated with my mouth to stop him at about 80 yards. My daughter quickly found him in the crosshairs and I reached up to click the safety off. I asked if she had it on the shoulder and she said yea daddy. She asked if she should shoot and I said if you have it on the shoulder, go ahead. At the crack of the gun, the deer flopped and the celebration began. 19 3/4" wide and 185 lbs. The 80 gr GMX hit right at the base of the neck, just in front of the shoulder blade.

OUTSTANDING! CONGRATULATIONS!

PRODIGIOUS! Triple backup those pics. That there is a real smile. A mount showing up next Christmas would be real nice.

Wow-nice. Congratulations to your daughter, and a proud father!

That's good stuff!

That one pegs the awesome meter!
I love it!!!

Congrats to the lass and to proud papa.

How wonderful! Congratulations to both of you.

Also, FYI, that gun and the shortened stock were both purchased here on the Fire. And thanks to the knowledge base and experience of members here, I had the confidence to let her use a .243 and start at an early age. I learned how to load reduced recoil loads with Trail Boss for practice here as well. (when I was growing up a .243 was deemed unacceptable and too small). My family would have freaked at the idea of 80 grain bullets for deer 20 years ago......

Awesome !!!

Awesome! Congrats!

Wow !

Is the rack that big or is she that little ?


Cool pics !

Ruined her..

Special day in both of your lives. She always remember the day she, "Shot the big one with Daddy".

Yeah, that's it.

Those pictures just made my day! Always love seeing the "first deer" smiles and that set of pictures right there captured memories that will last a lifetime. Please tell the young lady congratulations and best wishes to both of you for many more memorable hunts together!

Holeeeeeeee Cow! Fantastic story.

First off congratulations to you and your daughter! What a deer! Secondly, the older school mindset is that the 243 is too small. I have a good buddy (much older than me) and he always tells me the 243 is too small. Great bullets will kill any white-tail in short order.

Anyhow awesome share!

Congrats to you both.

Combination of the 2 I guess. Deer was 19 3/4" wide and she's about 3'10".....

Fantastic!!

Congrats. Heck of a deer for sure, and beyond that what a happy gal!!!

Way to go.

Very nice! Congrats and well done!

I think bonded and copper solid bullets have dramatically changed the game for small calibers such as the 243. I "stepped down" from a 30-06 to a 7-08 about 6 years ago and got some questioned looks from family members when I told them I was shooting 120 gr ttsx. (They still believe 150 grains and 30 caliber minimum.) After dropping several deer past the 350 yard marker, they don't question me. Then I bought this 243 2 years ago and carried it a few times to test it out. Once again, I got some eye rolls and head shaking when I told them I was shooting 80 grain bullets..... the 2nd deer I shot with it weighed 290 lbs and had an insane, almost gruesome, 50 yard blood trail. Maybe they'll learn....

Excellent!

That smile tells the story!! Congratulations to the both of you on an outstanding hunt.

That is so awesome!!! Thanks dad for taking your daughter hunting. It's so important for us to have he next generation excited and motivated. I guess you won't have any problems having her ready for the next hunt!!

Great job for both of you and a great buck. I hope you get the deer up on the wall so she can see it and remember the hunt many times over.

Congrats,
Does the Model 7 have a youth stock?
I am wondering about building the same setup for my daughter.

Thanks

Daddy when can I go ?


That's fantastic. She is RURINED fer sure now.

Please tell her I'm Jealous.

Congrats to both of you.

Jerry

Congrats to both of you! I know that feeling well! My daughter had that same smile when she shot her first one.(pretty sure I did as well). Great job Dad!

MOST EXCELLENT!

That is so cool, congrats. Awesome looking deer, and what a great smile on her face!

I bought the stock used on this site. It is just a cheap factory birch stock as best I can tell.

The previous owner had cut it way down to approximately 11" LOP and installed a good Pachmayr recoil pad. I then added a Mossy Oak Graphics wrap in pink camo.

I did run into a surprise when I swapped the stock out, that I had to put some shims and washers under the trigger guard to make it fit correctly.

Awesome!!! I love it!

That is so awesome!!! Congrats!!!

I know you had to be super excited. I can't wait 'til my two are old enough to go. I've taken many kids hunting and it is so much fun, I shake more than I do on my own.

Wow man that is tricking awesome! Your daughter has now killed a better buck than a lot of grown men I know including myself! What a special first deer! Good job dad.

That is awesome. I started both of my girls at 8 years old and they both scored the first year. They're now 14 and 18 and both still like to hunt, though it is tough finding time with school, sports, etc.. but I love getting out with them and still get more nervous with/for them than by myself. Congrats to your daughter and on the memories you will have forever.

Congrats to you and your daughter! Very nice buck

That's awesome

Awesome story and experience! My favorite days of hunting are when my daughters are with me - especially in the deer blind and they're the ones with a tag and a gun.

Much of memories there in those pictures for you both. Congrats.

Doc

Way good there for the both of you! Thanks for the great post and pics. Big congrats!!

Congrats to the little Gal!!!

Best pictures I have seen on here in a long time. Made me smile. Started my daughter with almost the same setup. 700 mountain rifle with shortened stock in 243 with 85gr TSX. She is still shooting it at 19 and has a truckload of deer under her belt. Nice job!

Can't help but smile when I seen those pictures. Congrats to your daughter and you.

Thanks for all the kind comments guys. She is a really great kid that seems to have a passion for the outdoors. We've been out several times during Christmas break but haven't been able to get another deer yet. I did make her pass a button buck last Sunday that she bad wanted to shoot. If we don't get a mature doe in range soon, the next button buck may not get so lucky. I hate to curb her enthusiasm right now.

What a memory you built! The pics of her and her big buck are delightful. Best post I've enjoyed in ages.

I have a question about the 80 grain GMX in .243: How big are the exit holes?

I use my .243 almost exclusively for calling larger predators like wolves and cougar, but once in awhile for deer and coyotes. I want one bullet for everything I may shoot and want exit holes to aid blood trailing but not very big exit holes in the hide. You have real world experience with the 80 grain GMX, and I'd welcome comments from anyone who has shot game with that bullet, especially if anyone has shot coyote sized critters with it.

I've no idea why this double posted.

Okanagan,

Between my daughter and I, we've now killed 3 deer with the 80 gr GMX combo since I bought that rifle so that doesn't qualify me as an expert, but I'm sold that it will adequately handle any deer I'll ever encounter.

The first kill was an 135 lb doe I shot and was about 50 yards broadside. Bullet hit right behind the shoulder and she ran 40 yards and fell with a good blood trail. I don't recall the exit hole size but I'm thinking about quarter sized.

Second kill was a 290 lb buck at about 40 yards quartering towards me. Bullet hit front edge of shoulder just a little low and exited just behind the opposite leg. Ray Charles could have followed the 60 yard blood trail. Exit hole was maybe dime sized but the blood trail was crazy good. Large piles of pink froth coming out both sides and through the nose.

My daughter's buck was shot at about 75 yards broadside and she hit the spine just about 1 inch in front of the shoulder blade. Pencil hole in and pencil hole out. Obviously no blood trail necessary but there was some blood on the ground where he rolled around for 5-10 seconds before expiring.

On a similar note, I have killed a couple of dozen deer with a 120 TTSX in a 7mm-08 ranging from 20-380 yards and have never found them lacking, but I have been more impressed with the 243, likely because it is running 300 fps faster. With the 120 ttsx, I think most of my exit holes have been dime to quarter sized on broadsided shots. I've only caught 3 of the ttsx, and all 3 were straight on shots in the chest with 1 found under the hide near the flank and the other 2 found in the hind quarter.

I hope that helps with your questions. I would think the 80 gr GMX or TTSX would fit your needs perfectly.

You got that right! Fantastic!

Excellent job by both of you Dad .

Congratulations to your Daughter - what a cutie.....

Thank you. Good info. I'm impressed that the spine shot did not make a huge exit.

Great story and pics.

I can't say for sure she hit the spine. It may have glanced by it and broke it with shock. I did not cut it open to investigate.

My best is when my granddaughter killed her first buck.

Great job.

Bob.

AWESOME!

I still vividly remember the hunt when my daughter got her first deer. You will remember it always.

Just got around to checking this out again...based on the other thread you referred from to here.

I don't who to congrat more, your daughter or dad!

That is a splendid deer... especially for an 8 year...

heck it would be a dandy for some of us older guys...

I love the deer and then the little gal with her Muddy Girl stocked 243...

may she always be lucky afield.

Great

great

she is so gorgeous, i love her camo...congrats man, you have done a great job raising this young hunter. well done.

well come people were born Lucky/blessed with a great dad.

Late to the party on this post but all I can say about the pictures and story is awesome, awesome, awesome. Congratulations on a memory neither will forget.

Granddaughter's first doe when she was 8
First buck at 9
First good buck at 11. Best of times

Good stuff Hanco!

Found her first pig pic when she was 7


Multiple piggies with AR, I think she was 10

Awesome! My daughter would love that action!