stellarpod
Member
Finally got a deer yesterday. After three fruitless weeks of bow hunting I was beginning to get depressed. There were four of us hunting a couple of small wheat fields on a new lease. We all had radios with headsets. I was hunting with an iron-sighted Encore (blackpowder). One of the guys sitting south of me called saying there was a big buck heading my way. I was set up in the treeline on the west side of one of the wheat fields that runs north and south. It’s a narrow little planting, about 100 yards across and 800 yards long. I was about mid-way up the west side sitting in the treeline on a stool in the tall weeds. I saw him coming about 200 yards south of me, meandering along the treeline from south to north. Fortunately there wasn’t any wind this morning or he probably would have winded me and run.
He crossed the wheat field diagonally from my right to left. When he got about half way across (which put him at about my 3 o’clock) he saw my breath (it was cold this morning) and started running. I had my Encore on shooting sticks and was swinging with him. I was trying to decide whether to take the 100-yard running shot when he abruptly stopped on the other side and looked at me, giving me a perfect broadside. When he did this, my momentum caused me to swing past him, right to left. I then swung back and squeezed the trigger just as I was passing his shoulder.
Through the smoke I saw him jump and take off through a clearing in the trees and up the hill to the east as if I’d missed him. The guys all got on the radio, wanting to know who shot and whether I got him. “He acted as if he wasn’t hit. But, I don’t know how I could have missed”, I told them. I waited about 15 minutes and went over to check for blood. To my dismay I saw NO sign of blood or hair at all – just a bunch of torn up ground where he took off. “Damn!” I just couldn’t believe I missed him, as I felt pretty calm and collected when I pulled the trigger.
Once the tracks reached the clearing and the tall grass I lost his trail, but followed up where I saw him run regardless. And there he was, piled up about 80 yards up the hill. I had hit him good, on the left shoulder, passing through the right and exiting. An inch or two further back and it would have been absolutely textbook. Rangefinder indicated a 95-yard shot. I checked my sights yesterday at 100 yards, shot once, hit 1-1/2” left and above dead center and called it good. I guess my shot today confirmed it. I’m shooting a 200gr T/C Shockwave ballistic tip with two Pyrodex 50-grain pellets. I decided on the 200gr because I wanted to flatten my trajectory as much as possible. I’ve been second-guessing that decision, concerned that it wasn’t enough bullet, but apparently it’s adequate.
The buck looked to be a 3-year old, with only seven points (thought he was an eight-point when I saw him). But he was fairly big. This picture does not do this fella justice. He field-dressed at 165 pounds. No trophy here. The rack is nothing to write home about, but the meat will be in the freezer nonetheless. Guess I’m out of the game until rifle season, which is fine because I’m ready to sleep in a few weekends.
stellarpod
He crossed the wheat field diagonally from my right to left. When he got about half way across (which put him at about my 3 o’clock) he saw my breath (it was cold this morning) and started running. I had my Encore on shooting sticks and was swinging with him. I was trying to decide whether to take the 100-yard running shot when he abruptly stopped on the other side and looked at me, giving me a perfect broadside. When he did this, my momentum caused me to swing past him, right to left. I then swung back and squeezed the trigger just as I was passing his shoulder.
Through the smoke I saw him jump and take off through a clearing in the trees and up the hill to the east as if I’d missed him. The guys all got on the radio, wanting to know who shot and whether I got him. “He acted as if he wasn’t hit. But, I don’t know how I could have missed”, I told them. I waited about 15 minutes and went over to check for blood. To my dismay I saw NO sign of blood or hair at all – just a bunch of torn up ground where he took off. “Damn!” I just couldn’t believe I missed him, as I felt pretty calm and collected when I pulled the trigger.
Once the tracks reached the clearing and the tall grass I lost his trail, but followed up where I saw him run regardless. And there he was, piled up about 80 yards up the hill. I had hit him good, on the left shoulder, passing through the right and exiting. An inch or two further back and it would have been absolutely textbook. Rangefinder indicated a 95-yard shot. I checked my sights yesterday at 100 yards, shot once, hit 1-1/2” left and above dead center and called it good. I guess my shot today confirmed it. I’m shooting a 200gr T/C Shockwave ballistic tip with two Pyrodex 50-grain pellets. I decided on the 200gr because I wanted to flatten my trajectory as much as possible. I’ve been second-guessing that decision, concerned that it wasn’t enough bullet, but apparently it’s adequate.
The buck looked to be a 3-year old, with only seven points (thought he was an eight-point when I saw him). But he was fairly big. This picture does not do this fella justice. He field-dressed at 165 pounds. No trophy here. The rack is nothing to write home about, but the meat will be in the freezer nonetheless. Guess I’m out of the game until rifle season, which is fine because I’m ready to sleep in a few weekends.
stellarpod
you may decide to skip 4 wheelin an pick up a bow instead
