| Author | Message | ||
     Ussa Member Username: Ussa Post Number: 580 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 70.41.56.150  |
Ten year old Texan by the name of Leon comes from a family of avid outdoor sportsmen. Unfortunately, Leon was diagnosed with Medullablastoma in early July 2004. The very next day, he was in surgery for the removal of lemon-sized brain tumor. Since his surgery, his participation in sports has been restricted, as he lived a life that revolved around frequent visits to Children’s Hospital in Houston Texas. After filling out his USSA application for a dream hunt, Leon was slated to visit the Star S Ranch in Mason, TX for the hunt of his dreams. One of the most important aspects of taking novices hunting is hunter safety and marksmanship. Leon proved to be an excellent, motivated student of both! After four trips to the rifle range, dad knew his son was proficient enough with his Ruger bolt action .223 for whatever lay ahead. Excitement grew as both father and son new they were ready to tackle the Texas plains, in search of the trophy of their dreams.  On Sunday October 19, 2008 Leon and his family arrived at the Star S Ranch, and were greeted by Will Scott. After a quick tour of the operation, Will was anxious to get his young hunter to the field. A review of proper shot placement preceded the hunt, since they decided to hunt a “Gemsbok”, which is actually a huge antelope native to Africa. A large male can weigh over 500 lbs, and sport long, spear-like horns. These large creatures would require a more powerful rifle, and Will let Leon use his .308 with 168 grain bullet. Try as they may, Will and his crew couldn’t get close enough for a good shot, ad Monday was Will’s last day of guiding. Tuesday morning provided a diverse wildlife viewing experience, but no approachable Gemsboks. After lunch, guide and Ranch foreman Brian Bingham suggested they hunt for whitetails instead. As time went on, a few does were spotted, and Leon’s dad handed him his trusty .223. After gently squeezing the trigger, the tell-tale click confirmed the fact that Mr. Ortega forgot the load the rifle before he handed it over to Leon. As the hunters hearts sank, the does started to run away, but a few minutes later a couple came back to investigate the unusual noise. With a properly loaded rifle, Leon made a one shot kill on his first whitetail.  After resuming their Gemsbok hunt, a small herd was spotted in very thick brush. It appeared to Brian that there were some real nice males, and one in particular got their interest! After slowly resituating, the group was able to make out the nice male, and Leon’s time of reckoning had finally come. The site of the massive buck prompted a second of hesitation as Leon whispered “I’m afraid I will miss” as he recalled his empty-gun episode earlier that day. The reassuring voice of his father reminded him to “squeeze slow”, and the .308 let off a roar. The bullet struck the buck behind the right front shoulder, as the animal crashed off into the brush and fell over! The downed animal was real impressive and many high fives were in order.   The hospitality of Will Scott, Brian Bingham, and Star S ranch will never be forgotten, or will the quality family time the Ortega’s spent together, enjoying the great sport of hunting. God bless you all. Brigid O’Donoghue |
