First Deer Success: Youth Hunting with the Savage Axis .243

There are hunts you remember because of the animal, the events that took place and then there are hunts you remember because of who was standing beside you when it happened. Our trip to Bub Jackson Hunting Preserve was the latter. As a mom of five, I’ve spent years bringing my kids along in the outdoors. They’ve sat beside me in blinds, walked trails, watched game being processed, spent time at the range, and learned that hunting is about far more than pulling a trigger. But on this trip, three of my five kids were finally getting the opportunity to hunt deer of their own, and all three would leave with their first deer.

For their first deer hunt, we brought Savage Axis rifles chambered in .243, including the Axis 2 Pro and youth Axis models. I wanted rifles that would fit them well, be comfortable to shoot, and most importantly, give them confidence when the moment finally came. With kids, confidence can make all the difference.

Starting With the Right Rifle

There is a reason the .243 has been a longtime favorite for young deer hunters. It offers manageable recoil while still giving young hunters an effective deer cartridge when paired with the right hunting ammunition and good shot placement. I didn’t want their first experience behind a deer rifle to involve being nervous about recoil. I wanted them thinking about the things we had practiced: getting steady, controlling their breathing, taking their time, and making a good shot.

The rifle itself matters just as much as the caliber. Kids come in different sizes, and trying to make a young shooter fit an adult-sized rifle can create frustration before the hunt ever begins. My young two of my kids ages 8 and 10 used Savage Axis youth rifles in .243. The more compact fit made it easier for them to shoulder the rifle naturally, settle into position, and stay comfortable behind it. My older son, age 12, used the Axis 2 Pro in .243. I appreciated having the different Axis options on this hunt. Each child was able to use a rifle that fit where they were as a shooter rather than expecting all three of them to hunt with the same setup.

The Work Before the Hunt

Their first deer hunt really began at the range. Before we ever headed into the woods, we spent time making sure everyone was comfortable with their rifle. There is already enough excitement when a deer finally steps out in front of a young hunter. The last thing I wanted was for any of my kids to be wondering how the rifle was going to feel when they pulled the trigger. I had one daughter that had duck hunted before and was nervous for the “kick.”

Before the hunt, we spent time on the new shooting range at Bub Jackson Hunting Preserve, where the kids were able to get comfortable with their rifles at 100 yards. This wasn’t their first time shooting or using an optic, so the focus was less on learning the basics and more on getting familiar with the Savage Axis rifles they would be carrying into the woods. That range time gave them a chance to confirm their zero, settle into each rifle, and build confidence at a realistic hunting distance. The .243 was comfortable for all three of them to shoot, and by the time we left the range, they knew exactly how their rifles felt and were ready to take that confidence into the hunt.

Three First-Deer Hunts

The first morning started with my 10-year-old daughter, Peyton, sitting beside me in the blind. As soon as the sun began to rise, we started seeing does come out of the woods around us. We watched them move along the sides of the food plot and waited for one to give her a good opportunity. Peyton eventually settled in and took a shot, but she missed. The shot spooked the deer, and the woods went quiet. We didn’t get another opportunity that morning, so we headed back to camp and planned to try again that evening.

When we returned to the blind later that day, the deer began filtering out again, this time from a different direction. They came into the food plot in almost perfect single file, all broadside, like they had read the textbook. Peyton was nervous because she still had that morning’s miss on her mind. I reminded her that every hunter misses and told her not to focus on what had already happened. The only shot that mattered was the next one. I told her, “You’ve been on the range. You know what to do. Trust yourself, stay calm, and make the most ethical shot you can.”

As the deer moved in front of us, I told her to pass the first one and wait for the next. If that deer didn’t give her the right shot, she had more behind it. The second doe stopped broadside, and Peyton settled behind the rifle. This time she made a clean heart shot, and the deer dropped immediately. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at me and said, “Mom, I did it.” We took her deer back to camp, and she helped skin it, break it down, and put the meat into the cooler. For me, that was just as important as the shot itself. Her first deer became a full hunting experience from the blind all the way through processing.

The next morning, it was my son Mason’s turn. He was 12 at the time and more than ready after already sitting another stand without getting a shot opportunity. As sunrise came, the deer started coming out of the woods again, and before long one stepped out broadside in front of us. I told Mason that if he felt comfortable, he could take the shot. He settled in, squeezed the trigger, and the deer made it only about 10 yards into the tree line.

One of my proudest moments came after we climbed out of the blind and I let Mason take the lead in tracking his own deer. It was only a short trail, but that didn’t make it any less meaningful. He had made the shot, and now he was following through on the recovery himself.

At almost the exact same time, my youngest daughter, who was 8 at the time, was sitting in another blind with my husband. Their hunt unfolded in a similar way, with deer coming out of the woods and moving into the food plot in front of them. When a doe gave her a good opportunity, she took the shot and harvested her first deer too.

We filled the gut shack at Bub Jackson Hunting Preserve that day. We had deer to break down, coolers to fill, and three very happy kids who had all harvested their first deer. It was one of those hunting trips where the memories extended far beyond the shot. Peyton learned how to come back from a miss, Mason got to track and recover his own deer, and my youngest daughter got to share her first harvest with her dad. Three first deer, three different experiences, and one weekend our family won’t forget.

Why the .243 Worked for Our Kids

What stood out most about the .243 was how naturally it fit into the hunt. My kids were already comfortable shooting, and the Savage Axis youth models gave the younger ones rifles that fit their size without feeling cumbersome. The manageable recoil meant they could stay focused on the deer, their shot placement, and everything they had practiced on the range.

For us, that made the Axis lineup a practical choice. The rifles were comfortable, dependable, and easy for the kids to handle, while still giving them something they could continue using as they grow. Not to much the price point is very budget friendly.

More than anything, though, this hunt was about watching three of my kids take another step forward as hunters. Peyton learned how to move past a miss and trust herself on the next opportunity. Mason got to make the shot and follow his own deer into the woods. My youngest daughter got to experience her first harvest beside her dad.

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Those are the moments I hope they remember. The Savage Axis helped give them the confidence and fit they needed, but the real success was seeing three first deer turn into three hunting stories they’ll carry with them for years.