I hunted my regular place near Hampton, IA. The deer population seems to be lower than in past years but there are still too many blood spots on the highways. Now back to the deer harvesting story.
On Saturday 12/5, I was walking .5 miles back to the truck when I shot a doe at 200 yards. It turned out to be a button buck. It first appeared 20 yards in front of me, then ran and stood on a hillside. It was curiousity that killed him b/c I used my sticks to steady the range finder and got a reading of 199. Stupid fool stood there while I settled HB 161 on the sticks. I usually have a tree at my back on a shot like that, but there was none to be had. The deer was DRT.
On Sunday, I was in what I describe as "my tower". I 've built 4 towers, all with the same design, but gave them to my buddy who owns the place. He thinks his tower (one that I built) is in the primo location, but I much prefer mine location. From 7 - 9 AM I saw probably 15 head, including a couple non-shooter bucks. At 9, I saw a very big, grey in color, 8 point buck. I didn't try to range him b/c it was 400 - 500 yards. I could see the rack quite well with a 16.5x Monarch. At 10 AM he came into view and I ranged him at 220 and going away - across cornstalks at a leisurely walk.
He stopped at 236 yards (determined after the kill) and presented a near broadside shot. At the sound of the shot he lost use of both front legs, but did what I'd describe as a snow plow for 35 yards as he was trying to make it to timber. There was quite a sense of satisfaction. I reloaded and took a walk over to him. The rack was better than I was expecting, but the most remarkable thing was how big-bodied he was. We didn't weigh him, but he had to have weighed more than 300 lbs. on the hoof.
I followed the blood trail back to where there was none and found the spot in the snow where he went down at the shot - 236 yards.
I figured the drop perfectly, but it passed through just barely in front of the front shoulder. Looking from the rib cage out, I never would have guessed it would have put him down so quickly. Drift, that's the tricky part.
The load: 43 gr 4759, MMP short, SST 300. I prefer 300 gr. XTP's but they are still backordered. Cabela's said they had them but they turned out to be XTP mags - not so good in my opinion. I think they were $17 for 50 bullets. It will cost $10 to send them back.
I've got some pictures, but not the time to tinker with them. It is a good thing he was a shooter, b/c we tagged him with one of my buddy's two any-sex tags. My statewide tag is going to be used in soutern Iowa and that will be my first experience to look for racks down there.
Shoot straight and best regards,
Cob
On Saturday 12/5, I was walking .5 miles back to the truck when I shot a doe at 200 yards. It turned out to be a button buck. It first appeared 20 yards in front of me, then ran and stood on a hillside. It was curiousity that killed him b/c I used my sticks to steady the range finder and got a reading of 199. Stupid fool stood there while I settled HB 161 on the sticks. I usually have a tree at my back on a shot like that, but there was none to be had. The deer was DRT.
On Sunday, I was in what I describe as "my tower". I 've built 4 towers, all with the same design, but gave them to my buddy who owns the place. He thinks his tower (one that I built) is in the primo location, but I much prefer mine location. From 7 - 9 AM I saw probably 15 head, including a couple non-shooter bucks. At 9, I saw a very big, grey in color, 8 point buck. I didn't try to range him b/c it was 400 - 500 yards. I could see the rack quite well with a 16.5x Monarch. At 10 AM he came into view and I ranged him at 220 and going away - across cornstalks at a leisurely walk.
He stopped at 236 yards (determined after the kill) and presented a near broadside shot. At the sound of the shot he lost use of both front legs, but did what I'd describe as a snow plow for 35 yards as he was trying to make it to timber. There was quite a sense of satisfaction. I reloaded and took a walk over to him. The rack was better than I was expecting, but the most remarkable thing was how big-bodied he was. We didn't weigh him, but he had to have weighed more than 300 lbs. on the hoof.
I followed the blood trail back to where there was none and found the spot in the snow where he went down at the shot - 236 yards.
I figured the drop perfectly, but it passed through just barely in front of the front shoulder. Looking from the rib cage out, I never would have guessed it would have put him down so quickly. Drift, that's the tricky part.
The load: 43 gr 4759, MMP short, SST 300. I prefer 300 gr. XTP's but they are still backordered. Cabela's said they had them but they turned out to be XTP mags - not so good in my opinion. I think they were $17 for 50 bullets. It will cost $10 to send them back.
I've got some pictures, but not the time to tinker with them. It is a good thing he was a shooter, b/c we tagged him with one of my buddy's two any-sex tags. My statewide tag is going to be used in soutern Iowa and that will be my first experience to look for racks down there.
Shoot straight and best regards,
Cob
