Finally Got First Deer :) And Lessons Learned

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miykael

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Location
Fraser Valley, BC
Setup:
Remington 700 SPS Tactical (308 Win)
Promag Archangel Aluminum Bedded Stock
Mueller 8-32x44 scope (side focus)
Warne 30mm rings
Warne Tactical 1 piece base
10-rd, detachable box magazine
Magpul MS QD Sling

Sighted in at 200y
Barness TTSX, 165gn (2650 fps)
8208 XBR powder, CCI BR2 primers, Lake City Brass
0.010" OFF lands
Scope left on 8x

Well after 3 years of being skunked, this was the year...finally!

First trip out in September (Region 3) saw a couple of Muley spikers but it was 4 points or better. At least we got 3 grouse, which was better than the previous years.

Second trip out, nada, nothing but rain :( (Region 2)

October, third trip out in Region 8 produced a fine little Muley buck...being my first I'll take it! Thankfully it's any buck in October and this showed itself as we left our hunting area and were driving back down the Mountain. I glanced up the hillside and made him out watching us, perfect broadside. I carefully got out of the truck, raised the Leupold RX-800i TBR rangefinder (best investment I made) and got 123y true ballistic distance. Since I've already done load development and memorized the ballistics to 500y from my 'Shooter' ballistics app for iPhone, I knew the shot would be only a couple inches high, so adjusted for it. [All the prep is moot if it wasn't for a great hunting mentor taking me out and sharing his collective experience/wisdom]

I braced the rifle, put the dot just behind the leg (heart/lung) and gently squeezed the trigger...and squeezed the trigger...and forcefully squeezed the trigger...and !!! took the safety off...and gently squeezed the trigger - thank the Lord the deer froze like a zombie never moving, remaining almost perfectly broadside the whole time ;) BOOM, still watching through scope as deer instantly dropped on front legs, then rest of body! Wow, being a person of faith, I first thanked God (for how perfect it all turned out), then my hunting partner/mentor :) My mentor took me through the field dressing (heart was obliterated, lung massive trauma, with a higher exit due to angle)) and we brought it back to Page Creek Cooler in Abbotsford, great guy and nice setup!

Needless to say, this experience made me believe far more in the adage about shot placement over magnumitis (even though I do want a 300WSM)!

LESSONS LEARNED (among many not listed):


  • I learned from last year that this 'target' shooter NEEDS a rangefinder! Embarassingly enough my hunter buddy and I BOTH missed a deer last year due to ranging error. I was sighted in at 300y, he at 100y. We both estimated the range by a large margin of error. This year, I bought a horizontal true distance, rangefinder (we went back to same spot and the rangefinder showed how far off we were). You need horizontal range (physics of flight) to estimate bullet drop, not the actual range to target (on slopes). The further the distance, any slope will intensify ranging error (even with a regular rangefinder, which doesn't give true horizontal). I would recommend the Leupold RX-800i TBR rangefinder to anyone, it is that good at a decent price. I've improved my manual estimation (eyesight) by testing it with the rangefinder :)
  • Rifle performed flawlessly, shooter...remember the safety if you're using it ;)
  • Shot placement is more important than massive trauma in the wrong place.
  • Get a rifle that fits need. It's hard to jump out of a truck and get setup with a heavy rifle (it can be done but...). My dream is sniper style hunting from high vantage (perfect for my tac setup) but reality is I go with truck hunters on day trips (only thing we can do for now) :) Mountainous Southern BC is not exactly clearcut or meadow heaven. Now I want to get a lightweight hunting rig.
  • Learned more about myself too - limitations, what I'm good at and that shooting nor field dressing bothered me at all. I actually felt worse having to kill a rabbit suffering from disease or something on my dad's acreage the day after my hunt. Guess I still have a conscience when it comes to suffering ;) But this is also made me realize that hunting should be as ethical as possible, meaning shooter skill, proper equipment and shooting (notice I didn't say range, as that's your call to shoot within your skill level).


Already can't wait for the next one now ;) Peace.

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Thanks! I grew up in Fort Mac in the 80s, shooting rabbits in the trails. Just a boy, his dog and a pellet gun ;) After a 30 year hiatus, it's amazing how the 'hunt' and being in the woods, changes a man...into a man ;)
 
Holy ####...

Edit...


Forget all the rest of the BS endorsement #### you got going... but you used a range finder on a 120 yard shot!!!! ??? Wtf!?

Whatever happened to hunting...
 
A 123y horizontal true shot up the side of a steep slope isn't a 123y shot line of sight but thanks... I'm only 'endorsing' for all the newbies like myself to educate themselves. There's a difference between a 'meat' hunter and a precision shooter who hunts (I work with guys who just go out to get meat, don't care about the precision of the shot). I don't have the time to 'hunt' or stalk prey for days or get out all year preparing, I've got other obligations. Don't understand or don't care, don't comment. Thanks... ;)

Guess I should have just wrote: Dang ya'll, just got my first buck. Saw him yonder in the hills, jumped outta ma truck, tracked him good near 20 miles, then just pointed my rifle at him, didn't even need sights (I'm that good) and BANG...Bambi down for the count! Woohoo! Eating steak tonight! ;)


Demonical said:
Holy ####...

Edit...


Forget all the rest of the BS endorsement #### you got going... but you used a range finder on a 120 yard shot!!!! ??? Wtf!?

Whatever happened to hunting...
Click to expand...
 
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Firstly, allow me to congratulate you on your first buck. It's a fine animal and both you and your mentor deserve credit for a nice clean kill. Secondly, ignore any negative comments about using a range finder. Personally I feel that any tool which assists you in making a clean, ethical shot on your target is great. With time and experience you may find that you will dial back on the amount of kit you need to take your game, but until that time use every means at your disposal to ensure success. I've been shooting and hunting for 40+ years and I've still run into the odd scenario that's new to me.
 
LawrenceN said:
Firstly, allow me to congratulate you on your first buck. It's a fine animal and both you and your mentor deserve credit for a nice clean kill. Secondly, ignore any negative comments about using a range finder. Personally I feel that any tool which assists you in making a clean, ethical shot on your target is great. With time and experience you may find that you will dial back on the amount of kit you need to take your game, but until that time use every means at your disposal to ensure success. I've been shooting and hunting for 40+ years and I've still run into the odd scenario that's new to me.
Click to expand...

i totally agree with you sir

now enjoy the meat.
 
miykael said:
A 123y horizontal true shot up the side of a steep slope isn't a 123y shot line of sight but thanks... I'm only 'endorsing' for all the newbies like myself to educate themselves. There's a difference between a 'meat' hunter and a precision shooter who hunts (I work with guys who just go out to get meat, don't care about the precision of the shot). I don't have the time to 'hunt' or stalk prey for days or get out all year preparing, I've got other obligations. Don't understand or don't care, don't comment. Thanks... ;)

Its pretty exciting getting your first deer! Its easy to get a little overboard with a range finder on a shot under 200 yards but hey, until you get used to what 100 yards looks like... who cares. BUT dont throw the meat hunters under the bus with the precision of the shot. I would consider myself a meat hunter and so are some of my friends, we are most likely not to carelessly shoot at a deer and risk ruining a huge chunk of the deer. I use a .300 wsm loaded up with 150 nosler partitions, neck shots only, drop dead where they stood every time, no meat damage at all. If you go for lung shot sometimes you will ruin meat depending on what bullet hits or angle of entry. For the record my .300 wsm does less damage with my noslers than my .308 did with cheap winchesters from walmart.
Click to expand...
 
The ticket here is to practice walking through the bush and guestimating ranges then verifying with the range finder. After some practise the "newbie" will not need a range finder.

Doing some research on point blank range for cartridge used would also be usedful

Demonical said:
Holy ####...

Edit...


Forget all the rest of the BS endorsement #### you got going... but you used a range finder on a 120 yard shot!!!! ??? Wtf!?

Whatever happened to hunting...
Click to expand...
 
First off nice buck, he'll be a good eater but I do have to say that you can timber hunt almost anywhere. If your hunting involves a heater and a windshield your hunting where 75% of hunters hunt. I do most of my hunting in timber with the old faithful 12ga and I usually produce bigger bucks than my friends that road hunt. Living on the island and hunting mostly blacktails I couldn't even fathom having time to range find the animal, it's usually no more than a 70yrd shot with only a handful of second to make a decision and react. Keep up the good work.

ET
 
Nice deer! I have a question for the OP. What did you guesstimate the range was before you put the rangefinder on it.
 
Demonical said:
Holy ####...

Edit...


Forget all the rest of the BS endorsement #### you got going... but you used a range finder on a 120 yard shot!!!! ??? Wtf!?

Whatever happened to hunting...
Click to expand...

At least he wasnt whining about ground shrinkage...
Cut the new guy some slack for sure, we all where not born with built in
range finders or gps in our brains.
You think shooting on a slash is challenging try guesstimating a shot on the flats of Alberia or Saskatchewan where there are few trees or rocks to judge distance or size from what we are accustomed to.
Enjoy that deer and get back out before the end of the month before it goes back to 4 point season for most areas in BC.
Rob
 
Just a quick reply. Thanks to all the positive comments or 'teaching' comments (appreciate it). I even appreciate the negative one in a way because that to him is true hunting. I think this highlights there are many aspects to hunting and what different people get from it - aside from great, healthy meat ;) I know my freehold shooting limitations and my range estimation will get better (to answer a Q posted, I thought it was 150-200y - which considering the slope, it was probably over 150). I not only find target shooting relaxing, I'm OCD about accuracy (not at Competitive shooting level yet but my precision loading skills are probably there - aside from tight necks, but will be neck turning soon anyway).

To me the hunt right now (not where I want to be in the future) not only gets me out in nature, it is a test for my precision load development in the real world and then applying it aka shooting skills...in the real world (which I get great satisfaction from). We can't all be snipers, but this is as close as I can get...until WW3 starts ;) I hope to get to mid-range shooting/hunting (300-600) - where half MOA groups can make a huge difference over 1-3 MOA. Also got a compound bow in a trade, for when/if I might have time to do some close range hunting ;)

On the camo Q, yeah I got the next gen Real Tree...aka Photoshop ;) I didn't mean to throw meat hunters under the bus, just highlighting some only hunt for the meat aspect, not for the shooting :) Thanks again for the positive teaching feedback given and sharing your experience on what 'hunting' means to you.
 
Congrats on the buck . One trick I use for range finding is knowing how much space in your reticle 17-19 inches takes up at different ranges on different scope magnifications . ie. if a deers chest fills the space between the horizontal crosshair and the first dot on 4 power at 200 yards or half the space at 300 yards etc. You won't be able to say you took a deer at 348.2 yards but it will get you pretty close to an accurate range without having much extra time or motion invested in your shot .
 
Hey, thanks for the info. Unfortunately I traded away my Mil-Dot scope with my last setup (thought I would spend more time target shooting). And last year I totally forgot to use it! Will be getting another one when I get a specific hunting rig setup.

Mil Specs said:
Congrats on the buck . One trick I use for range finding is knowing how much space in your reticle 17-19 inches takes up at different ranges on different scope magnifications . ie. if a deers chest fills the space between the horizontal crosshair and the first dot on 4 power at 200 yards or half the space at 300 yards etc. You won't be able to say you took a deer at 348.2 yards but it will get you pretty close to an accurate range without having much extra time or motion invested in your shot .
Click to expand...
 
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