The big hunt

 

Luckily I don't have any first hand knowledge about the things I will write in this post.  My very wonderful and selfless friend Lori sacrificed her entire Thanksgiving weekend to take my boys on their first hunting trip, with her brother, Uncle Bryan.

 

Derek became interested in hunting when we went to Yellowstone a couple summers ago.  Over the last few years Lori has taken the boys over to her brother's house/ hunting museum.  He is also very kind and offered to teach Derek about hunting.  So last spring Derek, Carsen and Anthony took the hunter safety class through the AZ Game & Fish Dept at Cabellas.  Once the class was finished, Derek put in for an Elk tag.  At the end of the summer he learned that he had not been drawn.  He was a little bit upset, but Bryan had a back up plan in place.  He set up a javelina hunting trip down in Douglas over Thanksgiving weekend.

 

Lori, being the most loving person I know, offered to go with the boys, just to help them if they got nervous or hated it or just needed something.  Bryan arranged for the hunt to be on a family friend's huge, private ranch.  Derek anticipated the trip for months and talked about it constantly.

 

Finally, Thanksgiving day arrived and off they went.  Anthony, Jake and I were left all alone in peace and quiet while Bryan, Lori, Derek and Carsen headed South to Douglas.  I might add that Lori's family is from Douglas and still live there.  They stayed with her grandfather and were able to visit with family too.

 

 

During their visit, Derek met the owner of the ranch.  He was given this lovely steer skull, that now resides in our front yard, right next to the javelina skull that they found.

 

The boys had a good time.  Derek killed at least 7 ducks and also saved Carsen from being killed by a rattlesnake.  He shot that little guy right in half.  Bryan said that Derek did a great job and had great gun safety.  He was invited to hunt with Bryan anytime.

 

Carsen loved to be outdoors, but Lori reported that he didn't like the noise of the gun shots.  They waited in the truck until the shooting stopped, then they got out to investigate and help collect the dead animals.  He also spent a lot of time looking for rocks and other interesting artifacts on the ranch.

 

The boys would each like to mount a duck for Christmas this year.  I am very happy with the ducks and even more happy without the javelina.

 

 

The crew returned to the North on Sunday afternoon with a truck full of rocks and amazing Indian artifacts.  They had a great time and we are all very thankful for Lori and Bryan.  One of Derek's favorite things to say is, "Those Babicky's are good people!"  He is correct, they are.