First in a long time.

[medicdave]

Got this little spike opening day. I've been living overseas the last couple decades and never had the stars aline to get back for hunting season.  My son and I loaded up and went to some family property Saturday morning for the opener.  Boy decided he wanted to sleep in the truck (hes six and there's plenty of hunts ahead for him) so I headed up the mountain to an old ground blind along an old logging road with a couple draws that funnel the deer.  About an hour after settling in this handsome fellow (126lb dressed) ghosted into view and took a 120gr nosler ballistic tip from the 7/30 waters contender carbine at 35 long paces.  Shot was double lung  with a complete pass through, just touching the offside shoulder but not a drop of blood on the ground. At the shot he did the typical hunch and shiver then ran for a few seconds before crashing down into the underbrush 30 yds away. My son was excited to be woken up to come help drag the deer out. Quite tickled to be the only one in the family to tag on opening day after my long hiatus from the woods and he's proving to be quite delicious. 

[dobegrant]

congrats

[contender]

Love that 7x30 Waters! Nice one for some good eating.

[bula]

Y U M ! Congrats. 

[junebug]

WELL DONE! The picture of your son is priceless, have it blown up and framed.

[bearskinner]

You will never regret time spent in the field with your family. Congratulations

[x101airborne]

Congratulations on the deer and well done including your son in it! LOVE to see young ones in the woods. That smile tells me he is going to hunt deer just like his dad one day.

Proudest moments in my life concerning deer...
1. My first hunt with my son.
2. Being with him for his first deer.
3. Seeing him pass a 2 1/2 year old 10 point.
4. Watching him walk to his own deer stand alone for the first time, KNOWING he knows what he is doing and will be just fine.
5. Hearing a rifle shot after sunrise and that "whomp" of a bullet hitting flesh at distance.

[bigbrowndog]

Well done, I’m sure he was as excited as you.

Trapr

[rufus]

Congratulations to you and your son. Folks that haven’t been out of the U.S. will never know what it’s like to return.
Welcome back !!
Now can you expound on that recipe some ? Looks awesome!!

[medicdave]

Thank you for the kind words fellas. I still have a doe permit and will be focusing more on a six gun for that one.

The boy is enjoying his woods time but not quite ready for the whole deal. I'm sure he'll be the primary shooter next year, we are working on longer stints being quiet and sitting still in the blind and he just wasn't comfortable shooting a centerfire this year even with reduced loads. 22wmr is legal for deer in Maine but that's a whole other discussion. For now he's happy to be outside with the big guys and to eat as much venison as he can get his hands on.

As for the recipe that is roasted stuffed heart. Trim the large vessels and fat from the heart. Slice through the wall of one of the ventricles and then unroll the heart as you follow along the outer wall. Trim the strings and blood vessels away from the inner walls. Stuff with your preferred stuffing mixture. Shown is a standard bread stuffing but I also make it with spinach, mushrooms, and ricotta cheese, your imagination is the limit. Once the stuffing is on the inner surface roll the heart back up and tie with string. Season the outside of the roast with your preferred poison and add two pats of butter to the top. Roast at 400* for 30 minutes or until the internal temp of the thickest part of the meat is 135* (I prefer it on the rare side). It comes out to as close to a prime rib as venison can. I actually prefer it to tenderloin by a slim margin.

[bula]

I see hemlock, oak leaves, and bracken. I'd be right at home. Where at are ya ?

[medicdave]

Central Maine.