Well after 67 years, another first
Dec 3, 2021 0:19:19 GMT -5
Stump Buster, foxtrapper, and 14 more like this
Post by wildcatter on Dec 3, 2021 0:19:19 GMT -5
I have hunted deer for decades with my various handguns, from Encores and Contenders, to Redhawks, Blackhawcks and Freedom Arms. Mostly in 44 45 and 475 caliber. but oddly enough never with a 357, always regarding it as just to marginal a caliber for small to medium big game. I also many years tag out during archery season before ever getting to gun season. But like so much these past couple years, this season was a drastic change for me.
I had a pretty severe injury to my right shoulder from a confrontation with a Micro Wave oven, and please lets let that part just end here! But after a couple accidents over the past 30 to 40 years, to that shoulder that I shrug off and refused to address, learning to improvise to continue doing the day to day task I want or need to take care of. But this time I managed to separate 3 of the 5 tendons that hold it together, and my surgeon told me in September when I finally decided I couldn't let this go this time, that the only way to keep from a replacement, and get me back doing the activities I live for was to reatach one of the three, the main one over the top at my age should allow me to again do the things I was doing the past decade or so. But there is no way to make it hole again, as I have neglected it to long before this incident.
So anyways after agreeing to give me till after Ohio gun season to have the operation that will make me one handed for the next 8 weeks, and several after that with therapy and recovery, I had to make some more adjustments to how I would hunt this year. So after knowing so many use this caliber, I decided it would be much easier on me than my more favorite larger calibers, and the fact, maybe this would be the signal to bleed the caliber that I have probably owned longer than any other in my lifetime on a deer. Plus the only one I ever owned that I want to keep in my collection, my favorite and for me the perfect specimen to own in this caliber. A special run Blackhawck Bisley I acquired from Scott at SK grips a few years back.
I also wanted to see just how the 180 Carbine Bullets with the Large HP would do on game bigger than a groundhog! So after deciding on this revolver after years of avoiding the caliber in favor of bigger bore revolvers, and added recoil I decided If I was going to fill my tags this year, the little Bisley was what I would take for the task. I set out opening day to do some scouting and was kept from going very deep into the spot I had as the wind was totally wrong, I did make a good find, watching from a distance across a large bean field that there were a group of about 5 doe and two smaller 8 points I was not interested in. But there were two good size doe in the mix, and one, the biggest of all them was as big a nanny as I have seen in my area and lifetime.
So Tuesday with just a slight change in the wind direction a made a big swing around from my entrance to the east side of the property, where a thin strip of thick brush and locust trees border a creek to the east with an open field on the west with a west wind just slightly NW, I spent about three hours getting to where they have a crossing from the creek into this perfect funnel they travel to get south to the closest standing corn and beans, and it is being used heavy. So deciding not to risk my sent ruining the hunt if they leave the bedding area using this east crossing I stopped about 200 yards short of the crossing they use to to my north on the big bend of the creek, which is about 15 yards wide and at least 10' deep to the water, in pretty heavy cover.
After stopping short about 4:30 pm with sundown at 5:11 Tuesday, it only took 35 minutes for the hunt to take shape, and to my surprise, that mega Nanny was leading the group. About 80 yards out I cocked the little revolver and with a big locust on my left I took a rest on my forearm and kept here centered in my sights, it took her till 5:18 to close within 36 yards as she would take a few steps and check here surrounding with caution in the stiff west wind.
But as she entered the slight drainage off the field to the creek the use for the crossing onto this funnel I set up in, she stepped down in and when her front end stepped up again she stopped,,,, took a long look to the west towards the field, and as she turned to her left towards the creek her head quickly stopped back straight ahead and dropped her head stretching her neck directly towards me, and I new, its time to drop the hammer and with the sights leveled right under her chin, the 180 grain HP hit her dead center of the throat patch, and she disappeared,,, I pulled the hammer back ready for her to bolt up and watching the 4 I could see staggered out behind her take of in three different directions, there was nothing, after slowly stepping towards her ready for a follow up shot, at about another 15 yards I seen her laying their motionless. I was in disbelief, just how the little Bisley dropped her instantly in her tracks!
I Have hunted for 67 years now, killed way more than 100 deer, and have never before used a 357 Magnum, a caliber I have shot since my youth, but never bled one on a deer, till today, and not just a doe, this is the biggest doe I have killed to date, another first. Lucky day or lucky revolver, I aint sure, if not for the injured shoulder, I would never have elected to use this revolver, but the Lord sure works in mysterious ways! I always claim my guns are hunters and if not their trading stock, I don't care for safe queens, today I made that special 357 I purchased as my perfect 357 specimen a few years ago a hunter, not to be considered a safe queen, and dam sure not trading stock! But once again, at 67 years old another first this old man,, what a way to end 2021!
I had a pretty severe injury to my right shoulder from a confrontation with a Micro Wave oven, and please lets let that part just end here! But after a couple accidents over the past 30 to 40 years, to that shoulder that I shrug off and refused to address, learning to improvise to continue doing the day to day task I want or need to take care of. But this time I managed to separate 3 of the 5 tendons that hold it together, and my surgeon told me in September when I finally decided I couldn't let this go this time, that the only way to keep from a replacement, and get me back doing the activities I live for was to reatach one of the three, the main one over the top at my age should allow me to again do the things I was doing the past decade or so. But there is no way to make it hole again, as I have neglected it to long before this incident.
So anyways after agreeing to give me till after Ohio gun season to have the operation that will make me one handed for the next 8 weeks, and several after that with therapy and recovery, I had to make some more adjustments to how I would hunt this year. So after knowing so many use this caliber, I decided it would be much easier on me than my more favorite larger calibers, and the fact, maybe this would be the signal to bleed the caliber that I have probably owned longer than any other in my lifetime on a deer. Plus the only one I ever owned that I want to keep in my collection, my favorite and for me the perfect specimen to own in this caliber. A special run Blackhawck Bisley I acquired from Scott at SK grips a few years back.
I also wanted to see just how the 180 Carbine Bullets with the Large HP would do on game bigger than a groundhog! So after deciding on this revolver after years of avoiding the caliber in favor of bigger bore revolvers, and added recoil I decided If I was going to fill my tags this year, the little Bisley was what I would take for the task. I set out opening day to do some scouting and was kept from going very deep into the spot I had as the wind was totally wrong, I did make a good find, watching from a distance across a large bean field that there were a group of about 5 doe and two smaller 8 points I was not interested in. But there were two good size doe in the mix, and one, the biggest of all them was as big a nanny as I have seen in my area and lifetime.
So Tuesday with just a slight change in the wind direction a made a big swing around from my entrance to the east side of the property, where a thin strip of thick brush and locust trees border a creek to the east with an open field on the west with a west wind just slightly NW, I spent about three hours getting to where they have a crossing from the creek into this perfect funnel they travel to get south to the closest standing corn and beans, and it is being used heavy. So deciding not to risk my sent ruining the hunt if they leave the bedding area using this east crossing I stopped about 200 yards short of the crossing they use to to my north on the big bend of the creek, which is about 15 yards wide and at least 10' deep to the water, in pretty heavy cover.
After stopping short about 4:30 pm with sundown at 5:11 Tuesday, it only took 35 minutes for the hunt to take shape, and to my surprise, that mega Nanny was leading the group. About 80 yards out I cocked the little revolver and with a big locust on my left I took a rest on my forearm and kept here centered in my sights, it took her till 5:18 to close within 36 yards as she would take a few steps and check here surrounding with caution in the stiff west wind.
But as she entered the slight drainage off the field to the creek the use for the crossing onto this funnel I set up in, she stepped down in and when her front end stepped up again she stopped,,,, took a long look to the west towards the field, and as she turned to her left towards the creek her head quickly stopped back straight ahead and dropped her head stretching her neck directly towards me, and I new, its time to drop the hammer and with the sights leveled right under her chin, the 180 grain HP hit her dead center of the throat patch, and she disappeared,,, I pulled the hammer back ready for her to bolt up and watching the 4 I could see staggered out behind her take of in three different directions, there was nothing, after slowly stepping towards her ready for a follow up shot, at about another 15 yards I seen her laying their motionless. I was in disbelief, just how the little Bisley dropped her instantly in her tracks!
I Have hunted for 67 years now, killed way more than 100 deer, and have never before used a 357 Magnum, a caliber I have shot since my youth, but never bled one on a deer, till today, and not just a doe, this is the biggest doe I have killed to date, another first. Lucky day or lucky revolver, I aint sure, if not for the injured shoulder, I would never have elected to use this revolver, but the Lord sure works in mysterious ways! I always claim my guns are hunters and if not their trading stock, I don't care for safe queens, today I made that special 357 I purchased as my perfect 357 specimen a few years ago a hunter, not to be considered a safe queen, and dam sure not trading stock! But once again, at 67 years old another first this old man,, what a way to end 2021!
