2007 Antelope and Elk

[getsmart]

I shot over 300 rounds between June and October and got my APS .300 Weatherby dialed in. To get the BC of the .210 SMK I shot through a chrony at 10 feet and put a second one at the target at 300 yards. This received some strange looks at the range, but I managed not to blast the instrument. The BC of the .210 grain SMK at my range is approximately .645. I fit the velocities from Exbal to the velocity measured at 300 yards. This BC worked where I practiced at 600 and 800 yard across local canyons at various elevations so I figured I was close.

I purchased this rifle for some long range elk hunting where we camp in the Beaverhead Mountains of Montana after watching bulls disappear into Idaho out of range year after year. That did not happen this year, but my first goal was to shoot an antelope out beyond 600 yards and I achieved that goal.

I hunt antelope just northwest of Glendive, MT. Some call it West Dakota. We meet at my friends shop and head north a mile. We are not in the middle of the second section when we see a buck and two doe, about a third of a mile off. I grab my stuff and climb through the grass to the edge of the field and set up.

The buck is at 647 yards and staring at me, this thing crawling off of the road. I check the drop from the print of the JBM Trajectory online output (yes, I left my PDA and Exbal at home) and give it 2.6 mils elevation. The wind is about 10 mph at 9'oclock so I give it about .5 mils windage. The pronghorn grazed about 5 to 10 more yards away from us then stood broadside. When I check where the crosshairs met from the .5 mil windage, I cringed at the picture of them square on the rump.

I squeeze one off as the sun is breaking the horizon and get back on the target as the bullet hits the buck and dirt kicks up in the pasture behind. It half reared up and fell over. It was the neatest thing seeing the bullet hit. My first thought was, "I am glad the wind did not change." My friends from out east there were cheering and one exclaimed he would not have believed it if he hand not of seen it. I know it is not super long range, but it is still pretty far.

I was told that I need to clean up my hands and some of the blood so that the picture is more presentable. I will do that next time, sorry.

 

[screech]

nice job, where is the elk though.

 

[getsmart]

I should also mention that this is my first time shooting beyond 400 yards. And I realize now that my previous 400 yard shot with my .30-06 and holdover had quite a bit of luck involved.

I carried this 14lb rifle to several spots during elk season where we usually can see bulls across the canyon. No luck this year. Lack of snow and warm weather have allowed the bulls to stay in the high areas and dispsersed, at least in the Sapphire Mountains by the house. I also realize that I need to find some kind of pack to carry this rifle so that the weight is distributed and it is more protected from sliding off a shoulder when traversing steep slopes.

Here is my elk story. I leave work early to hunt whitetails along the river. There is a spot I can set up above the Clark Fork River where I can see up to 500 yards. On my way home, my wife calls and says there are elk in our river bottom pasture. When I ask about bulls she says that there are several spikes and about 10 cow. I am excited anyway that maybe a 6 point I saw during bow season is around. As I hit the driveway, my 6 yr old daughter calls and says, "Daddy, there is a huge bull in the pasture." I ask how big and I can hear her mother say 5x5. Huge is all relative. This is the first time in 15 years that a bull elk has crossed the river during rifle season.

When I get to the garage, I can see them down by the river, but I can not see the bull. I grab my gear and do a low crawl to some apple trees with high grass. Sure enough this small 5 point hops the fence and is standing broadside at about 275 yards. I let the first shot fly and aim just behind the front shoulder. I get my scope back on him and he does not appear to move. The other elk begin to hop the fence and the bull turns to join them. I asked my wife if she saw the hit and she said no.

Now I am really nervous, thinking I missed so I pumped a second shot in him. This time I see him stretch and begin to gasp. He lied down, but then got up as the cows and spikes began to trot away. He immediately lied back down and rolled on his side.

The first shot penetrated both lungs and lodged under the hide on the offside. The second shot hit the back of one lung, then hit the kidney, nicked the stomach (yuck) and exited. The 200 grain accubond looked like the Nosler advertisements and weighed 134 grains (67% retention) after being cleaned up.

 

[getsmart]

Here is a picture of the 200 grain Accubond I recovered from under the elk hide.

134 grains after being cleaned up.

 

[getsmart]

I need to acknowledge that the possibilities of precision rifle shooting were unknown to me before I started reading this forum. I also learned a ton by reading the posts and discussions on bullets, ballistics and calibers. It was all contained here on this site.

As most of you know it is very important to get a rifle that is built for this type of shooting. Kirby builds a fine rifle and that has been said many times. I would recommend an APS rifle to anyone who decides they want to hunt and shoot long range. Kirby also provided encouragement after that first day I shot the rifle a 1200+ yards near Fort Shaw and only managed to hit the target 3 or 4 times out of 10.

Now if you all would just come up with a cook book, 1,2,3 recipe for doping the wind.

eric

 

[Takman]

How about a few specs on the rifle? Good job and congrats.

 

[Slopeshunter]

Congrats Eric! Way to go!!

How about a few specs on the rifle? Good job and congrats.

Link: http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f23/300-weatherby-aps-24204/

 

[mikenc]

Don't worry about the blood. I guess some people forget that the blood is part of the event and forget about the animal being dead.

Mike

 

[Takman]

Thanks for the link Slopeshunter.

 

[Buffalobob]

but my first goal was to shoot an antelope out beyond 600 yards and I achieved that goal.

As a person who sets goals myself, I congratulate you on achieveing yours. That is a very nice shot.

so that the picture is more presentable. I will do that next time,

That is funny but so very real. Lot more to being a member of this forum than just knowing how to pull a trigger.

 

[jmden]

Great stories. Thanks!

In reference to a way to pack your rifle. You might consider the Kifaru Gun Bearer. It can be attached to most packs and it's only a few bucks. My brother purchased one this year and put it on his Lowe Alpine pack for elk hunting and says it's just night and day in terms of how comfortable it is to carry a gun that way. I've had the Kifaru Long Hunter Hauler pack for several years on which the Gun Bearer comes standard. You would have to haul me kicking and screaming to go back to a shoulder sling. So much less overall effort and so much more comfortable to deal with the Gun Bearer. I believe that it is faster and quieter to get the rifle onto your shoulder this way as well. Check it out at kifaru.net.

 

[davewilson]

congrats on everything. it's very rewording when all of the work and effort finally pay off.