Decisions, decisions

[Echo23TC]

Since I filled my "A" tag on opening day (3x4 whitetail @ 80 meters, 12 ga. 2 3/4" rifled slug out of a 20" 870, SGT open sights. In one side, out the other, didn't even ruin any meat.), I now have to make a fun decision. I have an antlerless whitetail tag for the same area, a mostly flat riverbottom that is weapon restricted to shotgun, "traditional" pistol, or muzzleloader only. It's a normal riverbottom, lots of overgrown areas but still plenty of places where ranges can get long. The decision I have to make is - shotty or pistol? I don't have a front stuffer, so that's out. I know the shotgun works since it's already put meat in the freezer, and I have a little better range with it.

The pistol setup would be my as-yet unbloodied Ruger Blackhawk 45 Colt, still wearing the factory sights, throwing a Hornady 250gr XTP @ ~1300 fps. I'm a bit less confident with this setup as I didn't get as much practice in with it as I'd wanted this summer, but I'm happy out to about 50 meters or so.

A little background on me here: I'm a rifle hunter looking to expand my horizons a little. When I was growing up and reading about shotgun hunting, it was always "back east", not in Montana; that's rifle huntin' country, kid. Shotguns are for birds, or peppering the dog that's been running your cows. That little buck was the first big game animal I've taken with a shotgun. Now that I know it works, I'm pretty happy with it. Oh, I knew it would work, but I didn't really KNOW it would, understand? In the same way, I've never shot a deer with a handgun. I know it will work, but...

Since I've already got deer in the freezer, I'm hunting gravy now. Anything extra is just that, extra. On the other hand, the idea here is to bring something home. If I just wanted to walk in the woods, I'd leave the guns behind.

So, given the above, what would YOU do? Mind you, I already know what I'm gonna do, but I'd like to hear from you guys, just to satisfy my curiousity.

 

[critter]

DO NOT under any circumstaces take that handgun into the deer woods! It will absolutely RUIN you forever!!! Handgun hunting is an addiction second to none!!!! Hehe.

Nah, seriously. I'd just have to give the Ruger a run at it. The fun is in the 'hunt' and you already have some nice eating. Take the Ruger, spend some time really hunting and enjoy the trip. You'll never regret it.

 

[Bob F.]

Take the Blackhawk! Gotta think that slug in the boiler room will result in DRT (dead right there) as someone above said! Seriously thinking 'bout picking up a used Blackhawk 6" .357 Friday for a woods gun, kinda all around.

 

[Echo23TC]

Well, here's the update... I took off work a little early on Friday, grabbed the Blackhawk and went.

The area I've been focusing on is a side channel of the river thats just got a trickle flowing through it right now. The bottom is pretty muddy in most places, but there are a few spots where gravel bars give pretty good footing and a person or deer can cross easily. About halfway in to my spot, I bounced some deer out of their beds. Never saw them, but the crashing got my heart rate up. I moved on to the same spot I got the buck and unfolded my chair, all backed into some willows about 50 yards from the bar. Settled in about 3:15 and waited.

Right at sunset, a doe came out of the willows and walked down the bar to get a drink. I held halfway up, right behind the shoulder and let the first one go. The doe just stood there, looking away from me at the echo of the shot. It's hard to describe my thoughts at that point. Suffice it to say, I was a bit confused! OK, let's try that again! Second shot, same result. This time, the doe started walking towards me, evidently to get away from whatever was making that loud noise in the bushes on the other side of the channel. She closed the distance to about 35 yards before she figured out there was something sitting in the willows. By this time, I was laughing at myself and her and didn't take another shot. She flounced back into the willows so I got up to go see whether I'd hit her, even though I was sure I hadn't. I'd gone about 50 feet when I spotted her coming back! She was REALLY curious about that thing sitting in the willows! She closed in to about 20 yards or so and we just stared at each other, me over the sights. For whatever reason, I didn't shoot. It might have been that it was getting dark, or I didn't trust myself and the pistol, or maybe I just figured I'd taken two shots already, or I was just happy to watch this silly doe. Probably a combination of all those and more.

She finally bleated and headed back into the willows. I got up and went maybe another 5 feet when here she came again. Same thing. This time, she went into the willows for good.

I alternated between chuckling and wondering all the way back to the truck.

I'd sighted the gun in a couple of inches high at 25 yards, I figure it was maybe 6 high at 50. I bet I went right over her back with both shots. Didn't go under, I could see water underneath her and there was no splash. Same for left and right. Time to make another trip to the range, I guess.

That was probably the funniest thing I ever saw a deer do, though. I don't regret missing her.

Lessons (re)learned from this episode:

1. Shoot the gun and load at real hunting distances, idiot. Even a look at a ballistic table would have shown that I was pretty high at that distance. Especially with open sights, I need to have the bullet land close to the point of aim and restrict my shots to those ranges.

2. Deer can be wonderfully funny, stupid creatures.

3. I can be a funny, stupid creature.

I'll give it a few days, and then I'll go back.

 

[critter]

Can't say I didn't warn you! Now, you are hooked! hehe
Have fun cause handgun hunting is a blast! Good luck with it.