We are now into the second and last week of our early doe season, and i finally got some shooting at doe on government land. Saw 2 a long way off, and pulled a sneak. Crawled on my belly for quite a distance, but couldn't get close enough for a shot. Back crawling is a weird thing; pant legs go a way up to knees, Lane's Tubes fall out of vest and are lost, shirt comes out of jeans and crawls up to chest. Dropped a way down and circled back to them doe. Was too intent on them doe, so when i stumbled on 2 more, jumped them up without a shot. Finally found a route down wind, and walked right up to within 50 yard of doe, was too excited, and missed the shot.
Headed back to truck, and moving carefully, managed to see a doe feeding toward me. Circled up away, and went around a knob, hoping to get a good shot. Plan worked, using the bipod fully extended, stood about 103 yard away, and somehow managed to squeeze the trigger. 270g Speer hit tops of both lungs and barely clipped the backbone. Deer dropped, and quickly expired. It turned out there were two deer, and the second doe ran off a short distance and stopped allowing for a second shot. Went to reload, and had no powder in my vest; Lane's Tubes had fellen out whilst back crawling. Doe stood, and stood, and stood, but finally ambled away giggling, because i kept looking and looking for powder. I hate it when deer laugh at me.
The entry hole.
The innards.
Last season i had to drag a deer, from near the same location, on a sled. That was a miserable experience, that i hope to never repeat. This year, GPS say deer was 0.6 mile from truck. I walked to truck, and drank 3/4 quart of water, dumped rifle, binoculars, cap, and hunting vest. Put the 'cart' together, and pulled it up to to the deer. That wasn't so easy, but the hopes i had for a decent return with a loaded deer kept me some happy.
The deer was killed at the upper right of the last picture, in front of the last ridge, and behind the next closest ridge. The trip out was many orders of magnitude easier this year than last, because of the game cart. GPS say i walk 4.6 mile total. Had 3 pieces of bacon on toast for breakfast, and never ate again until 3:45 in the afternoon. Wasn't really hungry then; wondering if it was because i was dehydrated. Drank the rest of the water from the Korean War Canteen, and a can of 'the dew', and 2 cups of coffee before i made it to the driveway at the house.
The rifle was the Triumph, and the load was 105g BH209, 270g Gold Dot, Harvester Crush Rib, W209.