2ltrobert
Member
This cold Sunday morning on my second coyote hunt to the season and out with my new Rem 700 22-250 (A $349, Black Friday 2012 Special) I was lucky enough to call in this nice female dog who brought along a much wiser and still alive friend.
For the past few weeks I have been spending much of my free time working up and range testing loads with this new rifle. Some time was spent on bullets that just might not have hit a corn field with any given shot and a lot of time was spent on ones that just liked to dance around the outside edge of a quarter sized bullseye.
Well two days ago my holy load was found in a 60gr Hornady SP that would put every well pulled shot inside an inch at 235 yards and guess what? I spent every last minute of that day in my favorite calling field which just happens to be a near perfect 650 yards from end to end. Just out to practice at 300, 400, 500, and just for an extra kick of fun 647 yards. Added some notes on how the bullets liked the different ranges with the Nikon SpotOn print out, and hurried back home to clean the gun and reload a days worth of good times.
Made my first day out in Hunt mode Yesterday and no dog no rabbit no coon no crow had come in sight. A lot of snow geese were filling the fields adjacent to me so the day was finished with the shotgun in hand and 3 geese in the bag. Great meat on the table for supper.
This morning I hit the fields around 5am or close to 2 hours before the sunrise. The days grace was already showing on my way in with 2 rabbits darting across my path, a path that also lead to 5 deer staring me down out from the 600 yard corner. Nearly over-excited for what could become I set up on the edge of the high grass, sitting there all but alone thanks to my rifle my two Primos calls the lil dog and the Hot dog and my lucky spotlight. First bark/howl out from the Hot dog had all 5 deer stand tall look my way and within the second run to never look back.
From that point on every 20 minutes I'd scan the field and blow another call using either the bark/howl in the Hot dog or the jack rabbit distress out of the lil dog. On came some minutes past 6am, the spot light made a pass across the field and out in the corner where the deer once stood lay two new sets of eyes. Lights out the gun up on the stick and I sat trying or forcing to control myself to make these first dogs.
Leaving about 3 minutes to pass I lit the field back up and had one dog in just outside my 400 yard pole. 3 million candle light in her face she stopped and gave me a few seconds to get on her chest before quartering to look back at her partner. He was now standing about 100 yards out behind her, not sure why but it was smart. Readjusting a little the scope was placed on her vitals and BLANGG! A few yippes some fast circle dancing and she dropped just feet from where she stood. Quickly blowing the pup distress from the Hot dog her partner wanted nothing but to run. It wasn't until reaching the brush line 650 yards out when he finally looked back for no more then to glance and smile at the distance he put on me before turning again and running off into the trees.
I'm greatfull for the shot I was given and very impressed with this little rifle that it is quickly becoming my second favorite in the cabinets. This spring the little deer babies will be a little safer and here's to hoping the season can put me in more days like today.
416 yards 60gr Hornady SP running apprx. 3525fps. Rough nickle sized exit. Lots of blood.
For the past few weeks I have been spending much of my free time working up and range testing loads with this new rifle. Some time was spent on bullets that just might not have hit a corn field with any given shot and a lot of time was spent on ones that just liked to dance around the outside edge of a quarter sized bullseye.
Well two days ago my holy load was found in a 60gr Hornady SP that would put every well pulled shot inside an inch at 235 yards and guess what? I spent every last minute of that day in my favorite calling field which just happens to be a near perfect 650 yards from end to end. Just out to practice at 300, 400, 500, and just for an extra kick of fun 647 yards. Added some notes on how the bullets liked the different ranges with the Nikon SpotOn print out, and hurried back home to clean the gun and reload a days worth of good times.
Made my first day out in Hunt mode Yesterday and no dog no rabbit no coon no crow had come in sight. A lot of snow geese were filling the fields adjacent to me so the day was finished with the shotgun in hand and 3 geese in the bag. Great meat on the table for supper.
This morning I hit the fields around 5am or close to 2 hours before the sunrise. The days grace was already showing on my way in with 2 rabbits darting across my path, a path that also lead to 5 deer staring me down out from the 600 yard corner. Nearly over-excited for what could become I set up on the edge of the high grass, sitting there all but alone thanks to my rifle my two Primos calls the lil dog and the Hot dog and my lucky spotlight. First bark/howl out from the Hot dog had all 5 deer stand tall look my way and within the second run to never look back.
From that point on every 20 minutes I'd scan the field and blow another call using either the bark/howl in the Hot dog or the jack rabbit distress out of the lil dog. On came some minutes past 6am, the spot light made a pass across the field and out in the corner where the deer once stood lay two new sets of eyes. Lights out the gun up on the stick and I sat trying or forcing to control myself to make these first dogs.
Leaving about 3 minutes to pass I lit the field back up and had one dog in just outside my 400 yard pole. 3 million candle light in her face she stopped and gave me a few seconds to get on her chest before quartering to look back at her partner. He was now standing about 100 yards out behind her, not sure why but it was smart. Readjusting a little the scope was placed on her vitals and BLANGG! A few yippes some fast circle dancing and she dropped just feet from where she stood. Quickly blowing the pup distress from the Hot dog her partner wanted nothing but to run. It wasn't until reaching the brush line 650 yards out when he finally looked back for no more then to glance and smile at the distance he put on me before turning again and running off into the trees.
I'm greatfull for the shot I was given and very impressed with this little rifle that it is quickly becoming my second favorite in the cabinets. This spring the little deer babies will be a little safer and here's to hoping the season can put me in more days like today.
416 yards 60gr Hornady SP running apprx. 3525fps. Rough nickle sized exit. Lots of blood.
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