'nother day - 'nother 4x4
11-14-2007, 05:15 PM
#1
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
'nother day - 'nother 4x4
Yep, we went hunting again this morning... I was assigned the job of drive master, that is the title I prefer, Larry said I was his heard dog for the day...
The morning started off pretty un-eventfully... we reached the bottom of "deer draw" Larry then worked his way up the east side to the saddle, I hung back gave him a 20 minute head start. My job was to walk a big circle around the ridge to the west and drive deer towards him in the saddle, hence "drive master" As I made my way up the west ridge to "gobblers knob" (gat a turkey there a couple years ago) I had almost reached the top when I looked up and there polking out of the tall grass was the head and neck of a elk calf. She just watched me and did not react at all... I watched her for a few minutes then decided that I need back to my job. I took another couple of steps forward and all hell broke loose... 3 cows stood up in the grass on the knob looked at me - then they beat feet out of there - stupid route though I could have easily got a shot off at em... Anyway with that excitement over i continued on my route. I got about 2/3rds of the way up the ridge and Larry shot. Now Larry is a very good shot so I knew he had his deer down so I just turned and starting walking back to the truck to get the atv... I got about 1/2 way down the hill and he called said he had shot a buck but could not find him.... First thought in my mind D - - - PowerBelts... He shoots 295 copper covered HP's with 90 grains of T7-3f from his TC Hawken. Anyway he said he found the iniatial blood pool but could follow it. Both of are old and our vision is not what it use to be but he can not see small spots of blood on the ground - a color problem - I still can see it and see it well - so back to the top met Larry at the shooting site - lots of blood there - then I started following the blood trail. 30 yards later in the thick brush there was his buck - but he jumped up and started to walk off... I raised the White thinking I could at least take a shot - but Larry said he had and dropped the deer with another PB.
It was not all the PB's fault though - shot placement was not the best high in theleft hip. The PB penetrated through the hip on the left entered thecavity between the two hips and from there your guess is as good as mine... it did not comeout and we did not find it in there...
Anyway 'nother 4x4... we have declared the rest of the week as a truce on deer and will resume when the late controlled hunt elk season opens. We both have a doe tag left and I have an elk tag... so now we need the 21st to get here...
The morning started off pretty un-eventfully... we reached the bottom of "deer draw" Larry then worked his way up the east side to the saddle, I hung back gave him a 20 minute head start. My job was to walk a big circle around the ridge to the west and drive deer towards him in the saddle, hence "drive master" As I made my way up the west ridge to "gobblers knob" (gat a turkey there a couple years ago) I had almost reached the top when I looked up and there polking out of the tall grass was the head and neck of a elk calf. She just watched me and did not react at all... I watched her for a few minutes then decided that I need back to my job. I took another couple of steps forward and all hell broke loose... 3 cows stood up in the grass on the knob looked at me - then they beat feet out of there - stupid route though I could have easily got a shot off at em... Anyway with that excitement over i continued on my route. I got about 2/3rds of the way up the ridge and Larry shot. Now Larry is a very good shot so I knew he had his deer down so I just turned and starting walking back to the truck to get the atv... I got about 1/2 way down the hill and he called said he had shot a buck but could not find him.... First thought in my mind D - - - PowerBelts... He shoots 295 copper covered HP's with 90 grains of T7-3f from his TC Hawken. Anyway he said he found the iniatial blood pool but could follow it. Both of are old and our vision is not what it use to be but he can not see small spots of blood on the ground - a color problem - I still can see it and see it well - so back to the top met Larry at the shooting site - lots of blood there - then I started following the blood trail. 30 yards later in the thick brush there was his buck - but he jumped up and started to walk off... I raised the White thinking I could at least take a shot - but Larry said he had and dropped the deer with another PB.
It was not all the PB's fault though - shot placement was not the best high in theleft hip. The PB penetrated through the hip on the left entered thecavity between the two hips and from there your guess is as good as mine... it did not comeout and we did not find it in there...
Anyway 'nother 4x4... we have declared the rest of the week as a truce on deer and will resume when the late controlled hunt elk season opens. We both have a doe tag left and I have an elk tag... so now we need the 21st to get here...
11-14-2007, 06:02 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: southwest Ohio
Posts: 1,047
RE: 'nother day - 'nother 4x4
Way to go!
I know what you mean about being able to track & aging eyes. A couple years ago I had to switch from contacts to bifocals for a few months and had real problems. I could focus on something 10" in front of me, and I could focus on something 10' away, but my feet were a blur.
I know what you mean about being able to track & aging eyes. A couple years ago I had to switch from contacts to bifocals for a few months and had real problems. I could focus on something 10" in front of me, and I could focus on something 10' away, but my feet were a blur.
11-14-2007, 06:16 PM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: River Ridge, LA (Suburb of New Orleans)
Posts: 10,917
RE: 'nother day - 'nother 4x4
I could focus on something 10" in front of me, and I could focus on something 10' away, but my feet were a blur.
OOPs! Forgot to add - Congratulations sabotloader. Sounds like a fun hunt with a buck as a bonus.
11-14-2007, 07:43 PM
#7
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location:
Posts: 5,180
RE: 'nother day - 'nother 4x4
That was a far back shot. Where did the final shot hit him?
Poor bullet? No, Just a poor shot. But the bullet DID put the deer down within very reasonable distance. If t he blood trail was that good, That deer was dead even with the shot being that far back.
Poor bullet? No, Just a poor shot. But the bullet DID put the deer down within very reasonable distance. If t he blood trail was that good, That deer was dead even with the shot being that far back.
11-14-2007, 08:14 PM
#8
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
RE: 'nother day - 'nother 4x4
lemoyne
Second shot was in the neck - it worked fine there..
FG
He and I both agree with you on that one...
It did exactly that, so you are right... My complaint as it has been in the past is the desenegration of the bullet when it hits something hard. But that is quite common for all lead bullets (thecopperthe PB's is just an electro-plated covering - it not a copper jacket) and often leads to the time worn phrase shoot a "bigger bullet". Guess that is also why I have gone to the 460 Bull Shop when it comes ML time here in Idaho. That certainly is a big enough all lead bullet and it will be really tough for it to desenegrate...
It still comes down to shot placement but not every shot you make is going to end up exactly where you want it to go. This particlular bullet may have even been deflected some by brush. My only problem is that I know that there are bullets out there that will perform so much better than a PB even in marginal situations or shots, and I do not want to sound like a do gooder... but I think we owe that to the animals that we harvest
mike
Second shot was in the neck - it worked fine there..
FG
That was a far back shot. Where did the final shot hit him?
But the bullet DID put the deer down within very reasonable distance. If t he blood trail was that good, That deer was dead even with the shot being that far back.
It still comes down to shot placement but not every shot you make is going to end up exactly where you want it to go. This particlular bullet may have even been deflected some by brush. My only problem is that I know that there are bullets out there that will perform so much better than a PB even in marginal situations or shots, and I do not want to sound like a do gooder... but I think we owe that to the animals that we harvest
mike
11-14-2007, 08:26 PM
#9
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location:
Posts: 5,180
RE: 'nother day - 'nother 4x4
90 grains T7 is a stiff charge. Have him back it down to 80 grains T7 and that will do a perfect job. I used 80 grns T7 this year with the 225 grain powerbelt and that deer didnt go over 5 yards.
That Looks like a pretty good sized deer, And with an open sight traditional rifle! Can he be my buddy to?
That Looks like a pretty good sized deer, And with an open sight traditional rifle! Can he be my buddy to?
11-14-2007, 09:03 PM
#10
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
RE: 'nother day - 'nother 4x4
FG
Actually in a 54 cal - 90 grains is not that big of a charge - and he could go down to 80 also.... The point is I do not believe it would have made that much difference - it still would not have penetrated the pelvic on the other side. Getting through the one on the left side was tough enough - it energy was expended there... but had it made it through or even into the oelvic on the other hip both back legs would have been disabled and he would not have been able to move the way he did.
All of this is really a moot point had the bullet hit where it was intended to hit and it is a shame that it didn't but sometimes ???? happens... And like I said this guy is a very good hunter and an excellent shot with that Hawken - he regularly shoots the heads of grouse with it.
Actually in a 54 cal - 90 grains is not that big of a charge - and he could go down to 80 also.... The point is I do not believe it would have made that much difference - it still would not have penetrated the pelvic on the other side. Getting through the one on the left side was tough enough - it energy was expended there... but had it made it through or even into the oelvic on the other hip both back legs would have been disabled and he would not have been able to move the way he did.
All of this is really a moot point had the bullet hit where it was intended to hit and it is a shame that it didn't but sometimes ???? happens... And like I said this guy is a very good hunter and an excellent shot with that Hawken - he regularly shoots the heads of grouse with it.
