Today was a VERY good for me because I finally bagged a good sized buck with my TC Omega 50 cal. Load was 100 gr of loose Triple Seven with 245 gr Barnes Spitfire. The mule deer is HUGE, looked bigger than a Shetland pony. When I walked up to it I wished I had help to field dress it, but I manged. I have no scale to weigh it, but just for kicks I took a tape measure and got a few measurements. Even though the rut has not started here (there are some small bucks chasing/sniffing a few does) his neck was 34 inches in circumference, 21 inches from shoulder to brisket, antlers were 24.5 inches wide, and about 21 inches high (measured from bud). I considered a full head mount, but since not everyone in the house likes to see these things hanging from the walls, I will do just the horns and display them in my reloading room. I will have it scored asap and post the numbers here. Without a doubt it is the largest deer I have ever shot....or likely to again!
I was walking up a draw when I spotted his horns at about 125 yds so I had the gun up before he started moving. Unfortunately he moved a bit faster than I anticipated and I hit him high and a little towards the flank area but went under the spine. What a wack!. He and his twin (yes there is another) jumped up but stopped after two/three steps. The other kept going, and this buck kinda looked sick and walked about 10 steps and laid down again. Meanwhile I am frantically reloading the d@&m rifle. As I approach him to about 40 yds he is getting really nervous and I hate running shots so when I could see more of him than just his head I let him have it again at what I thought was junction of neck shoulder area. Wack again! But wait, he gets up and stumbles a few more steps forward and just stops.( I hit just neck meat...no vertabrae) REALLY FRANTIC reloading now and just as I am about finished he kinda looks at me and says "Holy Sh@t" and takes of down the draw and up the other side and stops broadside at about 100 yds. This time I make sure and hit him right in the front shoulder. I don't know what was louder, the wack or him hitting the ground! It's funny what you remember isn't it? Anyway, to be safe, I reload again and approached him from the front. Would you believe it he is still breathing but not moving. By this time I am feeling really ill for all the shots I sent his way so I walked up and put one right through his chest/heart lungs....wishing we had repeating muzzle loaders by now.
I did recover one bullet on the other side against the hide. It was the 3rd shot broadside through the shoulders. It weighed 222 gr or retained about 90% of its original weight. In retrospect perhaps a 295 gr Spitfire would have been a better choice given the size of this animal.
Can anyone post pics for me? I have about 4 I would like to add to this story. Sorry for being so long winded, but I thought someone might like to share this with me.
Oct 18/05 update
Official score 180 7/8 Enough for the Henry Kelsey book!
I was walking up a draw when I spotted his horns at about 125 yds so I had the gun up before he started moving. Unfortunately he moved a bit faster than I anticipated and I hit him high and a little towards the flank area but went under the spine. What a wack!. He and his twin (yes there is another) jumped up but stopped after two/three steps. The other kept going, and this buck kinda looked sick and walked about 10 steps and laid down again. Meanwhile I am frantically reloading the d@&m rifle. As I approach him to about 40 yds he is getting really nervous and I hate running shots so when I could see more of him than just his head I let him have it again at what I thought was junction of neck shoulder area. Wack again! But wait, he gets up and stumbles a few more steps forward and just stops.( I hit just neck meat...no vertabrae) REALLY FRANTIC reloading now and just as I am about finished he kinda looks at me and says "Holy Sh@t" and takes of down the draw and up the other side and stops broadside at about 100 yds. This time I make sure and hit him right in the front shoulder. I don't know what was louder, the wack or him hitting the ground! It's funny what you remember isn't it? Anyway, to be safe, I reload again and approached him from the front. Would you believe it he is still breathing but not moving. By this time I am feeling really ill for all the shots I sent his way so I walked up and put one right through his chest/heart lungs....wishing we had repeating muzzle loaders by now.
I did recover one bullet on the other side against the hide. It was the 3rd shot broadside through the shoulders. It weighed 222 gr or retained about 90% of its original weight. In retrospect perhaps a 295 gr Spitfire would have been a better choice given the size of this animal.
Can anyone post pics for me? I have about 4 I would like to add to this story. Sorry for being so long winded, but I thought someone might like to share this with me.
Oct 18/05 update
Official score 180 7/8 Enough for the Henry Kelsey book!
(This is my first season shooting a smokepole) Now I need to cross paths w/ a big whitetail buck and Im all tagged out for 2005.
