Im about a week back from a trip home to Molokai. Its been about 4 years since we last went.
My wife and kids flew up a few days before I did, and I took the opportunity to get out and do some hunting with a few of my coworkers.
We were hunting one of the easier access areas, and started about 3pm. We actually saw quite a few animals on the way in, but they were either in zones that we weren't allowed to hunt or moving quickly and not affording us a chance to set up to shoot.
At the large grassy area thats produced for me before we decided to stop and waited for a while. After maybe 15-20 mins a small herd of sheep moved out of the scrub brush to our left, and down into a boggy open area.
My buddy Jack, scooted out away from our little base camp and set up on a small rise forward and a bit and to our right, while we waited at the tree I usually use as a hiding spot.
On Jacks shot, which dropped a decent size ewe, the herd ran a bit and stopped on a rise allowing me to hit the second one with my newly completed .257 Mauser build.
My buddy Brian was also along, and insisted on carrying my SBH, so he went off into a Kipuka (heavy forest patch in the middle of open lava), some ways before we got to where we shot. He didnt see anything, or didnt shoot, cant remember which.
After taking them apart we headed out, reaching the trucks about 8pm I think. Cant complain about a day that ends that well.
I flew out to Molokai a few days after that.
For this trip I was using my Christmas present to myself, my new Sako S20 in 7Mag. Ive not spent a ton of time behind this gun, but its shot well every time ive had it out.
I did notice I shoot the Precision stock a bit better than the Hunter, but for what I was doing on Molokai I left it configured with the Precision forend, and the Hunter butt.
I also got to use the really nice Spartan tripod, that @MCMXI very generously gave me a while back, for the first time.
The afternoon of our first day, my FIL and one of my nephews on my wifes side took a cruise up to where he usually hunts.
I only had enough time to just get set up before a medium size doe climbing the other side of the near ravine finger i was watching.
My nephew had come with me, and we watched her for about 5 mins before there was some shooting farther down from another group of hunters. Our deer didnt seem concerned tho, so I waited to see what ran up.
Not long after, a half dozen or so does came trotting into view along the far side of where the ravines collected, at about 440yds. They didnt appear any larger than the doe we were watching so I decided to go ahead and take her since the shot was only about 175yds. The tripod came in super handy as I had to stand to see over the brush and small trees.
Shoulda ducked.....
He volunteered.........
The next day we hunted a different area with some of the family and friends, and I shot another decent size doe, this time i didnt take any pictures of the animal....mostly cause i forgot.
We drove aways up the mountain afterwards and checked a few spots. I saw more deer, but they were down in a valley I really didnt want to traverse.
The day after we hunted another area, one i havent been in a very long time, but again nothing I really wanted to shoot that was in range. I did watch a few deer thru my scope, and fell off a rock dinging up my new gun lol.
Nicks and dings!
Theres a deer in the picture i swear.
My wife and kids flew up a few days before I did, and I took the opportunity to get out and do some hunting with a few of my coworkers.
We were hunting one of the easier access areas, and started about 3pm. We actually saw quite a few animals on the way in, but they were either in zones that we weren't allowed to hunt or moving quickly and not affording us a chance to set up to shoot.
At the large grassy area thats produced for me before we decided to stop and waited for a while. After maybe 15-20 mins a small herd of sheep moved out of the scrub brush to our left, and down into a boggy open area.
My buddy Jack, scooted out away from our little base camp and set up on a small rise forward and a bit and to our right, while we waited at the tree I usually use as a hiding spot.
On Jacks shot, which dropped a decent size ewe, the herd ran a bit and stopped on a rise allowing me to hit the second one with my newly completed .257 Mauser build.
My buddy Brian was also along, and insisted on carrying my SBH, so he went off into a Kipuka (heavy forest patch in the middle of open lava), some ways before we got to where we shot. He didnt see anything, or didnt shoot, cant remember which.
After taking them apart we headed out, reaching the trucks about 8pm I think. Cant complain about a day that ends that well.
I flew out to Molokai a few days after that.
For this trip I was using my Christmas present to myself, my new Sako S20 in 7Mag. Ive not spent a ton of time behind this gun, but its shot well every time ive had it out.
I did notice I shoot the Precision stock a bit better than the Hunter, but for what I was doing on Molokai I left it configured with the Precision forend, and the Hunter butt.
I also got to use the really nice Spartan tripod, that @MCMXI very generously gave me a while back, for the first time.
The afternoon of our first day, my FIL and one of my nephews on my wifes side took a cruise up to where he usually hunts.
I only had enough time to just get set up before a medium size doe climbing the other side of the near ravine finger i was watching.
My nephew had come with me, and we watched her for about 5 mins before there was some shooting farther down from another group of hunters. Our deer didnt seem concerned tho, so I waited to see what ran up.
Not long after, a half dozen or so does came trotting into view along the far side of where the ravines collected, at about 440yds. They didnt appear any larger than the doe we were watching so I decided to go ahead and take her since the shot was only about 175yds. The tripod came in super handy as I had to stand to see over the brush and small trees.
Shoulda ducked.....
He volunteered.........
The next day we hunted a different area with some of the family and friends, and I shot another decent size doe, this time i didnt take any pictures of the animal....mostly cause i forgot.
We drove aways up the mountain afterwards and checked a few spots. I saw more deer, but they were down in a valley I really didnt want to traverse.
The day after we hunted another area, one i havent been in a very long time, but again nothing I really wanted to shoot that was in range. I did watch a few deer thru my scope, and fell off a rock dinging up my new gun lol.
Nicks and dings!
Theres a deer in the picture i swear.
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