pro hunter starting to earn its keep(updated) answers and range pics

[hunting junkie]

This is my third doe with the new gun sorry about no pics on the other
two,i was sitting in a pocket between the woods and a thickett i seen
her coming through the woods to my left the wind was blowing right
to the opening she was coming too she gets there stops i was already
on her and i shoot, she jogs 35 yards and stands for 30 secounds
and falls straight over.I had 250 grain sw 100 grains pyro.powder.
the blood trail was not much to talk about i hit her a little back
clipped back of lungs and gut,gut closed the hole on other side,bullet
holes were the same on both sides.the other two was with 270 pb 150
grains t7 pellets first one 60 yards through one shoulder out the other
not much diff. in size,blood was decent 45 yards piled up.Second one was with the same round 30 yards she turned as i squeezed hit her in the top of her hip dropped right there blood everywhere had to finish her off with a knife,told butcher save the pb for me it exited out of a spot only women have he said the entry hole was huge.i am having mixed feelings about the sw to be honest the doe in the pic. was the fourth one i shot last week the otherthree got away,i know they were all shoulder shots as they dropped in the front as they took off had blood for two miles on both just was not enough to finish them.That is why pic doe was hit a little back.im not bullet bashing i want it to work as i am gonna get the bdc ret. next year .Maybe take it to a 150 grain?

[hunting junkie]

oh yea sorry about the bad pic as she was frozen couldn't do much with her, wind chills was -35

[LaneNebraska]

Congrats on the downed deer!

Looks like you're getting in close, less than 100yard shots. I might suggest you go with a 348g PowerBelt and 80g of powder put that load behind the shoulder from 20-120yards and it's lights out Just get yourself some of those 30g pellets ta go with your 50grainers and you're all set.

I also like the 200g Shockwave in the Blue sabot, made for the 50cal rifle. If this will group good for ya, then put in 100g of powder and let fly! Acts like a 30.30 on steroids

Are those 250g shockwaves u are using the ones with the Yellow or Blue tips?

[MountainDevil54]

i'd rather see 3 pellets with the 338 platinum and see the hole it leaves.

[UncleNorby]

You say you lost 3 deer with shoulder hits and a 250 gr shockwave with 100 gr Pyrodex?

It sounds like the bullets were not penetrating, and to me that means they were coming apart, not failing to penetrate because of a lack of powder. But, I have not heard that the SWs come apart. So it is strange to me.

Give FPBs a try. They will penetrate and give you two holes. Better for tracking on a marginal hit, and if you hit the shoulders, the deer should not go even a 100 yds, let alone 2 miles.

[bronko22000]

I don't doubt your story on the 3 deer but it does sound strange. I'm just wondering if you did hit shoulder or just leg. Did you shoot that load on paper at those cold temps? How far were the shots? Did the animals show any sign of bedding down? Did you go right after them?A lot of questions to sove your delima. I would think that if a deer was hit in the shoulder and bullet did not penetrate into the vitals, if not pushed will want to bed down and take care of its wound - allowing a hunter to sneak in later and finish it. Or at least give it time to stop bleeding and escape.
Stories like this is the reason I do not aim for the shoulder. I always shoot just behind it. There is a lot less bone to go through (a rib on each side at worst) and the vitals will be hit giving a quick kill. There will also be less meat damage.
But anyway - congrats on your deer.

[cayugad]

congratulations on your deer.. that's a nasty wind chill. Makes them stiffen up quick.

[gregrn43]

Many years ago I use to shoot for the shoulder cause I didnt like to track them, reckon I was to lazy. To much meat damage going for the shoulder. I shoot right behind it, they wont run far. For years I shot the 425gr buffalo bullet out of my 54 cal TC Hawken, the only deer that I lost with that gun was a 11pt that i made the classic gut shot with. I found that buck several weeks later about a half mile away during gun season. Then i bought a white shooting system 50 cal and used 430gr super slugs, I cant recall every losing a deer with that gun. Now im shooting a Optmia elite 50 cal and using 250gr bondedshock waves. I have only shot one deer with the sw's an 8pt at 50 yards and it preformed perfectly. Time will tell. I still kind of new to the sabots myself, I have always thought if it aint broke dont fix it. I do like playing around with different bullets and loads now.

[hunting junkie]

ORIGINAL: bronko22000

I don't doubt your story on the 3 deer but it does sound strange. I'm just wondering if you did hit shoulder or just leg. Did you shoot that load on paper at those cold temps? How far were the shots? Did the animals show any sign of bedding down? Did you go right after them?A lot of questions to sove your delima. I would think that if a deer was hit in the shoulder and bullet did not penetrate into the vitals, if not pushed will want to bed down and take care of its wound - allowing a hunter to sneak in later and finish it. Or at least give it time to stop bleeding and escape.
Stories like this is the reason I do not aim for the shoulder. I always shoot just behind it. There is a lot less bone to go through (a rib on each side at worst) and the vitals will be hit giving a quick kill. There will also be less meat damage.
But anyway - congrats on your deer.

bronko the first deer i hit ,waited 20 min tracked her, she only laid down
once,bleeding out both sides,after laying down no more blood,secound one
laid down twice after about 2 miles and two roads over had enough, third
was hit, hair all over snow and about 5 disturbed scratches on the ground
dug in could not find anything she ran tracked her for 2 miles at least through the refuge she stopped bleeding.this was all on snow,here is a target i shot at 100 yards two hours before the first one.wind was left to right 5-10mph gust,top three was held at bullseye4 others were held 2 inches low all the deer was 75 to 90 yards

[stretch56]

congrats on the deer