Post by bigmuddy on Nov 18, 2013 0:39:30 GMT -5
Missouri deer season opened yesterday, Nov 16. It has been a slow start for us with 30 mph winds and very warm weather. Today it was 76 degrees when I decided that even though the conditions were terrible I was going to take a woods walk. I had my 7.5" FA 454 with my favorite deer load...260 Nosler Partition with IMR 4227 powder. This combination has been very reliable for me in the past.
I got to the woods rather late, and really was not expecting to see any deer. It was 4:00 p.m. when I walked along a ridge that bucks like to cruise for receptive does. I found a comfortable looking tree and sat down, hoping that the gale force winds would die down close to dark.
I only sat for 15 minutes when I looked over my shoulder, and really thought it was my imagination when I saw what appeared to be a pretty nice buck heading my direction. He was going to pass by me at 30 yards if he didn't see me and get spooked. He had the wind at his back, which was good for me to say the least. His head was down and he was looking for a receptive doe. I had my revolver up and cocked waiting for him to get broadside to me. When he did, I bleated with my mouth. He stopped and looked right at me, but the sight was already on his shoulder. When I fired he turned to his left and ran tail down and appeared to be hit hard.
I watched him run until he was out of sight, and with the high winds I could not hear if he went down or not. When I went to the point where he was standing I found lung blood, but not as much as I am used to seeing with this bullet. I tried to put my shot on his shoulder hoping he would drop, but that obviously did not happen. I waited for 15 minutes then started to track slowly. I had good blood for about thirty yards, then it got sparse, not a good sign at all. I was afraid that the angle may have been more than I thought and I possibly hit one lung. I walked in the direction I had last seen the buck but no luck finding him.
I was just to the point of pulling out and waiting for daylight when I decided to walk my fence line and see if I could see sign of him crossing. When I last saw him he was running parallel to the fence. I walked about 20 yards along my fence, and there he was. He had gone through the 5 stand barbed wire fence and his back leg caught in the wire.
Inspecting the shot, I had hit him right where I wanted, in the top of the shoulder. The exit hole was back behind the off side shoulder about two inches. The autopsy showed two lungs hit. The on side lung had a large hole through it and the off side lung was destroyed. The lack of a good blood trail is a mystery but I was sure relieved to find him.
Dan
I got to the woods rather late, and really was not expecting to see any deer. It was 4:00 p.m. when I walked along a ridge that bucks like to cruise for receptive does. I found a comfortable looking tree and sat down, hoping that the gale force winds would die down close to dark.
I only sat for 15 minutes when I looked over my shoulder, and really thought it was my imagination when I saw what appeared to be a pretty nice buck heading my direction. He was going to pass by me at 30 yards if he didn't see me and get spooked. He had the wind at his back, which was good for me to say the least. His head was down and he was looking for a receptive doe. I had my revolver up and cocked waiting for him to get broadside to me. When he did, I bleated with my mouth. He stopped and looked right at me, but the sight was already on his shoulder. When I fired he turned to his left and ran tail down and appeared to be hit hard.
I watched him run until he was out of sight, and with the high winds I could not hear if he went down or not. When I went to the point where he was standing I found lung blood, but not as much as I am used to seeing with this bullet. I tried to put my shot on his shoulder hoping he would drop, but that obviously did not happen. I waited for 15 minutes then started to track slowly. I had good blood for about thirty yards, then it got sparse, not a good sign at all. I was afraid that the angle may have been more than I thought and I possibly hit one lung. I walked in the direction I had last seen the buck but no luck finding him.
I was just to the point of pulling out and waiting for daylight when I decided to walk my fence line and see if I could see sign of him crossing. When I last saw him he was running parallel to the fence. I walked about 20 yards along my fence, and there he was. He had gone through the 5 stand barbed wire fence and his back leg caught in the wire.
Inspecting the shot, I had hit him right where I wanted, in the top of the shoulder. The exit hole was back behind the off side shoulder about two inches. The autopsy showed two lungs hit. The on side lung had a large hole through it and the off side lung was destroyed. The lack of a good blood trail is a mystery but I was sure relieved to find him.
Dan
