Post by Joe S. on Dec 10, 2016 0:31:46 GMT -5
I have been trying my hand at handgun hunting this year. I have missed one. The doe was at 30 yards in a grass field and i just blew it by rushing and jerking the trigger. After that miss, i determined that it was a mental thing i had to work through because i can shoot groups on paper and steel all day long but until i actually drew down on a deer, I didn't know how i would react. I equate it to dry firing vs live fire. I am convinced dry fire is great for learning the trigger but it does not totally substitute live fire. So it is with target shooting vs deer shooting. And that time (and several last year) was proof.
I have also passed on a lot of shots. I am now hunting in thick woods where most of my opportunities are under 60 yards but is very limited due to thick heavy vines and shrubbery. I do have a few open lanes but most of the deer passing through these woods speed up when they get in the open. This has resulted in me just watching deer til they wander off. Several times.
Well today i got off work a little early and grabbed my 480 and hit the woods. I spotted this guy at about 3:45/ 4:00. He was poking around eating acorns and was in the thick stuff. He stuck his butt out in the lanes a couple times but never gave me a good shot. So i watched. Clocked him on the range finder a couple times and most of the time he was in too heavy of cover to get a good read. But he averaged 30-65 yards out. Well about 4:30, my luck turned. A couple does came into the woods and he got curious. He moved away from me at first but then as the does started making their way towards me, so did he. He finally stepped into a lane at 55 yards and stopped to pick up an acorn.
He was quartering away when i found him in my sights and squeezed the trigger, trying to make a deliberate, non jerking pull. The hammer dropped and the 480 barked. The buck bolted and ran. I watched him jump some brush and then fall, almost as if he did a somersalt. He had gone about 50/60 yards. The bullet entered just in front of his left hind quarter and was recovered just under his front right shoulder.
I am still fired up! I always ask the Good Lord for either a clean kill or a clean miss when i enter the woods with any firearm, but especially a handgun. I have always missed clean if i miss, usually by shooting under the deer. This time the kill was quick and clean. This is my second deer with a handgun and both have been quick. I am glad that i realized what i was doing wrong and i am glad for an opportunity to see if i can correct it. I will continue to work at correcting it and becoming a proficient handgun hunter. I definitely enjoy this more than rifle hunting.
Thanks to you guys who have encouraged me. Especially my buddy TEK who always has time to answer questions and helps me troubleshoot my techniques. Just a few short years ago, I'd have laughed if someone told me i was going to kill a deer with a handgun at any distance. I just was not proficient and was happy with "combat" (poor) accuracy. Seeing folks taking game and shooting targets at 100 yards got me wanting more. I still am far from a good shot but i feel confident with my handguns that i shoot regularly. So thanks.
Here are the pics:
And the recovered bullet. Believe this one was cast from a mihec mold and then powder coated by our very own "fanofthe41". I picked these up when he went out of the 480 business. It has now proven itself.
And the loaded ammo.
I have also passed on a lot of shots. I am now hunting in thick woods where most of my opportunities are under 60 yards but is very limited due to thick heavy vines and shrubbery. I do have a few open lanes but most of the deer passing through these woods speed up when they get in the open. This has resulted in me just watching deer til they wander off. Several times.
Well today i got off work a little early and grabbed my 480 and hit the woods. I spotted this guy at about 3:45/ 4:00. He was poking around eating acorns and was in the thick stuff. He stuck his butt out in the lanes a couple times but never gave me a good shot. So i watched. Clocked him on the range finder a couple times and most of the time he was in too heavy of cover to get a good read. But he averaged 30-65 yards out. Well about 4:30, my luck turned. A couple does came into the woods and he got curious. He moved away from me at first but then as the does started making their way towards me, so did he. He finally stepped into a lane at 55 yards and stopped to pick up an acorn.
He was quartering away when i found him in my sights and squeezed the trigger, trying to make a deliberate, non jerking pull. The hammer dropped and the 480 barked. The buck bolted and ran. I watched him jump some brush and then fall, almost as if he did a somersalt. He had gone about 50/60 yards. The bullet entered just in front of his left hind quarter and was recovered just under his front right shoulder.
I am still fired up! I always ask the Good Lord for either a clean kill or a clean miss when i enter the woods with any firearm, but especially a handgun. I have always missed clean if i miss, usually by shooting under the deer. This time the kill was quick and clean. This is my second deer with a handgun and both have been quick. I am glad that i realized what i was doing wrong and i am glad for an opportunity to see if i can correct it. I will continue to work at correcting it and becoming a proficient handgun hunter. I definitely enjoy this more than rifle hunting.
Thanks to you guys who have encouraged me. Especially my buddy TEK who always has time to answer questions and helps me troubleshoot my techniques. Just a few short years ago, I'd have laughed if someone told me i was going to kill a deer with a handgun at any distance. I just was not proficient and was happy with "combat" (poor) accuracy. Seeing folks taking game and shooting targets at 100 yards got me wanting more. I still am far from a good shot but i feel confident with my handguns that i shoot regularly. So thanks.
Here are the pics:
And the recovered bullet. Believe this one was cast from a mihec mold and then powder coated by our very own "fanofthe41". I picked these up when he went out of the 480 business. It has now proven itself.
And the loaded ammo.