My youngest daughter got a mule deer buck yesterday morning! It was probably the quickest hunt we've ever experienced. We left at 6:00 am and had a deer on the ground by 6:30 am. Found him in one of our usual spots, but at lower elevation than we normally find them. He was standing about 20 yards from the side of the FSR, with a big doe. I stopped and said "there's a buck". My daughter has done this enough times now that she didn't even speak or ask questions. Just put her hearing protection on, grabbed the rifle, got out of the truck, put the magazine in, loaded a round, put the safety on, grabbed the shooting sticks and walked around the front of the truck. While she was setting up the sticks and getting ready for the shot, he walked a couple yards and was obscured by a bush. So she simply stood up, moved the sticks a couple yards to the right, and got back in position. I just sat in the truck and watched the whole thing. BANG! went the .270! The buck lunged and ran maybe 25 yards and piled up.
She explained later that he was "sort of facing her" (quartering toward her) so she just imagined where the lungs would be and aimed for that. It was a very well-placed shot. Some shoulder damage, but she completely blew out one lung, and the rest of the organs were intact (no nasty mess).
I still haven't told her she didn't need the sticks at 20 yards.
[image of medium-sized 2x1 mulie buck]
She explained later that he was "sort of facing her" (quartering toward her) so she just imagined where the lungs would be and aimed for that. It was a very well-placed shot. Some shoulder damage, but she completely blew out one lung, and the rest of the organs were intact (no nasty mess).
I still haven't told her she didn't need the sticks at 20 yards.
[image of medium-sized 2x1 mulie buck]
