With a Bang, not a Whimper

[Patocazador]

This is the last week for the deer gun season in Florida. Usually, it ends for me with seeing nothing and wasting my time. However, this year was an exception, I killed two deer the other day in 5 minutes.

The first was a small doe that came right to my stand and I shot her in the neck from 8 yards. As I was gutting her, I looked down the road and a buck was walking towards me about 200 yds. away. I stood up and crouched back down and he must have thought I was a doe because he started running towards me. I lost sight of him and stood up and then he turned broadside to go into the thick stuff. I squeezed off a shot offhand and saw him kick with his back legs .. a good sign.
I went down there trying to determine just where he was when I shot and found a fresh track. I followed it in and found blood and looked up. He was lying 20 yards ahead shot through both shoulders.

That might have been the longest offhand shot I ever made. It was ~ 160 yards.



Luck is where you find it!

 

[earlthegoat2]

Nice twofor.

And, I can barely tell that one is a buck.....no, I am not making a joke about the size of the antlers. I dont care about that. Its the camera angle.

That is a sweeeeet tractor too.

 

[BigBore44]

Congratulations man! Doubles are always awesome. First double? What was the rifle? 160 yards offhand, for me, might as well be a mile. I think my farthest offhand shot has been about 30 yards. I still get “buck fever” BAD, even if it’s a doe.

 

[Patocazador]

Congratulations man! Doubles are always awesome. First double? What was the rifle? 160 yards offhand, for me, might as well be a mile. I think my farthest offhand shot has been about 30 yards. I still get “buck fever” BAD, even if it’s a doe.

1st double? - No. I've killed several doubles before but the deer were together .. not in separate places.





What was the rifle? - Ruger 77 in .25-06 with 115 Nosler Partitions. The rifle came with a bull barrel that was way too heavy to carry around. I had my late gunsmith buddy flute the barrel which made a huge difference with no sacrifice in accuracy. I shot a 3/4" group at 230 yards with it off a bench about 3 weeks ago.

 

[Bacon buster]

It’s nice to bring home groceries but there’s a little magic in the air when it’s more than one

 

[Patocazador]

We cut them up today and besides the steaks, roasts, etc., we had 13 packages of backstraps and tenderloins. The freezers are full.
I can't wait until next deer season. I hope I'm still above ground.

 

[Bull Nutria]

Speaking of Doubles I had my first on deer on the second day of either sex season. I sat in a double ladder stand on Saturday from before daylight to after dark no deer no nothing. Next day I sit in box stand from before daylight till about 11am. no deer. well I am bummed out and then my buddy calls on the cell phone. i am siting there whispering to him and visiting and much to my amazement out walks a deer at about 80yds. I drop the phone pick up my rifle find it in the scope and wait for a clear shot. I squeeze the trigger and the 35 Whelan barks deer runs off!!

Well I gather my things and head out the the direction the deer ran. at first nothing no hair no blood nothing. then about 10yds beyond where the deer was standing I find a wad of blood and bone fragments. As I knew the direction I followed along and found a small tree with blood off the ground. I find the dead spike about 30 yards from the first sign of blood. I take a photo and reach for my dragging rope. I glanced back toward the box stand and to my right I see a deer walking very fast in my direction. I got my gun up and she turned and came right to me. I shot her at about 25 yds DRT. I had decided I was leaving at noon! Persistence and luck do pay off!!

Bull

 

[PonyKiller]

Outstanding! Lucky man, I hunted til last light on the last day of the season, only deer I laid eyes on was small enough to carry out in a 5 gal bucket.