Salty,
One doesn't get too many chances at a monster like that and i have seen a couple. The biggest i have ever seen came out to my late BIL's older brother who had just that year finished his career in the Military. That Monster came right out to him while we were making a drive and he unloaded his rifle into the air. He was so distraught about the "Buck Fever" that he never hunted with us again. I can picture that buck lopping across a bog meadow over a thousand yards away and the rack was still the stand out feature on that Deer!
As for this 12 year old, Well what is he going to do for an on-chore?