Muledeer cull 357 style
Jan 23, 2024 19:07:25 GMT -5
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James, sheriff, and 3 more like this
Post by hunter01 on Jan 23, 2024 19:07:25 GMT -5
Changed the title. Don’t think the reference was clear.
We have been wet the last couple days. Today is particularly wet and cold. I had every intention of staying inside as much as possible until this front passed. Well, “as luck would have it”, I spotted a buck in a thicket on the way up my drive that I’d never seen before. I positioned myself to have a good look at him with my binos and it was obvious he was “legal” by our state antler restrictions standards. He is not a deer I would ever normally target but there were a few factors that swayed me. Our MLDP season is almost over for mule deer. This is the last week. This is a deer I’ve never seen before and I know the local herds well. He is unique which I like. I’m no expert on mule deer genetics, but judging from other middle aged bucks I’m used to seeing, this guy just didn’t have much to give. Lastly, something was just OFF about how he carried himself. I spent years In feedlots when I was younger and I would see more in a few weeks than most ranchers would see in a lifetime. I can spot a sick cow from WAY over there. We deer hunters are kind of the same. You can just tell how an animal carries itself that something is amiss. Anyway, the decision was made so of into the soggy mess I went. Closing the distance to 70yds wasn’t a problem but anything more was asking for trouble. Since I was in very familiar country, had very good line of sight, and had MUD to follow track in, I waited for a nice “bullet testing” kind of shot. He turned almost facing straight to me and I decided that was the shot I wanted. Yes, I had numerous opportunities at better shots. Yes, it’s a low percentage shot. Yes, I didn’t have enough gun for that kind of shot. I know, I KNOW. This is science and reasoning has left the building! I held just on the edge of the right shoulder to account for a shallow angle and broke the shot. He made less than 10yds and was DONE. By the time I got him drug up to the buggy and back to the house I was a muddy, sopping wet, MESS. I don’t know what he weighs but it’s just slightly less than a horse. Main beam spread is 22-25” depending on exactly how you measure which is a challenge. I wasn’t going to stand out in the rain and quarter him so I did it on my wife’s brand new front porch. No, she isn’t home today! The bullet entered at the point of aim and absolutely crushed the shoulder. Lung damage was substantial. I found where the bullet entered the paunch and didn’t see an exit so I spent half an hour wallowing in guts trying to find y’all a bullet to examine. Science remember! Never could find the dang thing. I looked through the intestines and found no evidence of bullet. I did find a couple spots on the liver but never came up with the bullet. I suck and I’m sorry. I was wet, cold, and miserable! The meat is on ice waiting for my new friends to return when the rain stops. Tomorrow I’m going to contact the biologist to have him tested for CWD. I pray that isn’t the cause of the odd behavior. I also noticed while cleaning that the hair was slipping out in HANDFULS. That is certainly not something I’m used to seeing. Any ideas on that? Pics to follow shorty. Don’t think I’ll ever be able to wash this stench off.
357 BFR
Holosun 403
Mp 200gr rcbs clone with large HP powder coated and air cooled. 15.5gr of wc820
Entrance
Backside of shoulder
Entrance into chest cavity
Lungs
Hole into paunch is at the tip of my finger. You can see the contents oozing out
We have been wet the last couple days. Today is particularly wet and cold. I had every intention of staying inside as much as possible until this front passed. Well, “as luck would have it”, I spotted a buck in a thicket on the way up my drive that I’d never seen before. I positioned myself to have a good look at him with my binos and it was obvious he was “legal” by our state antler restrictions standards. He is not a deer I would ever normally target but there were a few factors that swayed me. Our MLDP season is almost over for mule deer. This is the last week. This is a deer I’ve never seen before and I know the local herds well. He is unique which I like. I’m no expert on mule deer genetics, but judging from other middle aged bucks I’m used to seeing, this guy just didn’t have much to give. Lastly, something was just OFF about how he carried himself. I spent years In feedlots when I was younger and I would see more in a few weeks than most ranchers would see in a lifetime. I can spot a sick cow from WAY over there. We deer hunters are kind of the same. You can just tell how an animal carries itself that something is amiss. Anyway, the decision was made so of into the soggy mess I went. Closing the distance to 70yds wasn’t a problem but anything more was asking for trouble. Since I was in very familiar country, had very good line of sight, and had MUD to follow track in, I waited for a nice “bullet testing” kind of shot. He turned almost facing straight to me and I decided that was the shot I wanted. Yes, I had numerous opportunities at better shots. Yes, it’s a low percentage shot. Yes, I didn’t have enough gun for that kind of shot. I know, I KNOW. This is science and reasoning has left the building! I held just on the edge of the right shoulder to account for a shallow angle and broke the shot. He made less than 10yds and was DONE. By the time I got him drug up to the buggy and back to the house I was a muddy, sopping wet, MESS. I don’t know what he weighs but it’s just slightly less than a horse. Main beam spread is 22-25” depending on exactly how you measure which is a challenge. I wasn’t going to stand out in the rain and quarter him so I did it on my wife’s brand new front porch. No, she isn’t home today! The bullet entered at the point of aim and absolutely crushed the shoulder. Lung damage was substantial. I found where the bullet entered the paunch and didn’t see an exit so I spent half an hour wallowing in guts trying to find y’all a bullet to examine. Science remember! Never could find the dang thing. I looked through the intestines and found no evidence of bullet. I did find a couple spots on the liver but never came up with the bullet. I suck and I’m sorry. I was wet, cold, and miserable! The meat is on ice waiting for my new friends to return when the rain stops. Tomorrow I’m going to contact the biologist to have him tested for CWD. I pray that isn’t the cause of the odd behavior. I also noticed while cleaning that the hair was slipping out in HANDFULS. That is certainly not something I’m used to seeing. Any ideas on that? Pics to follow shorty. Don’t think I’ll ever be able to wash this stench off.
357 BFR
Holosun 403
Mp 200gr rcbs clone with large HP powder coated and air cooled. 15.5gr of wc820
Entrance
Backside of shoulder
Entrance into chest cavity
Lungs
Hole into paunch is at the tip of my finger. You can see the contents oozing out
