Lyons7STW
Well-Known Member
If all goes well I head back in the middle of november for bymule deer.
New rig ready for first blood?
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Lyons7STW
Well-Known Member
Well the muley hunt came down to the end. 8 days of hunting one of the best areas in the nation for record muleys. I saw lots of deer. Had fleeting oppurtunities at some very respectable bucks early on, but was holding out for a 180 range buck. Saw one first thing opening mornin. Sittin up on a point I call coyote ridge cause the sage flat falls away for nearly 600 yards in ever direction. While I was glassin I hear the rocks rattle below me and out from behind me, bounds a good one. He must have been bedded, when a couple dogs from a neighboring ranch, that were obviously out rabbit hunting jumped him up. He was moving fast, I tried to set up in anticipation of the pause for a last look back that is typical of muleys. He did, ever so briefly, but with vitals obscured by brush.
The week rolled on and I moved into rougher country. Ran into a guide hunting a big one for himself. He agreed we were in the right spot, but was dubious about the odds. He suspects we are missing an age class of deer due to some previous bag winters, hence the over abundance of "dinks".
Hopes begin to dwindle. Last two days and a blizzard rolls in. Nothing is moving. My spotter and I go out and glass any way on the last morning. 20 mph winds, snow blowing sideways, no one else out at all. Low and behold spotter finds one in the aspens over a mile up the mountain. A little luck, my spotter got the better look at him and next thing I know we are humping it up the mountain at break neck speed. We crest a ridge overlooking the draw he was in and see three does bedded. We are exposed to the blizzard up on the ridge while they are cosey down in the timber. The buck is no where in sight. We figure he moved 80 yards or so up where the dark timber starts. We decide to make a move before we freeze. I stay put to cover the draw whilre my spotter moves up hill for a look. Low and behold when he moves up there are at least fifty unseen deer bedded in the timber and the stampede is on. Deer leave in all directions, and at every speed from hauling tail to reluctantly moving out. Then my spotter breaks into the clearing, waving like his *** is on fire. The big one snuck out the back, through the dark timber with his head down and one big doe beside him. He was the very last to leave and let my spotter walk within 30 yards then snuck out. My pardner swears he was over 200. And he has seen more of them than most. He has a
The week rolled on and I moved into rougher country. Ran into a guide hunting a big one for himself. He agreed we were in the right spot, but was dubious about the odds. He suspects we are missing an age class of deer due to some previous bag winters, hence the over abundance of "dinks".
Hopes begin to dwindle. Last two days and a blizzard rolls in. Nothing is moving. My spotter and I go out and glass any way on the last morning. 20 mph winds, snow blowing sideways, no one else out at all. Low and behold spotter finds one in the aspens over a mile up the mountain. A little luck, my spotter got the better look at him and next thing I know we are humping it up the mountain at break neck speed. We crest a ridge overlooking the draw he was in and see three does bedded. We are exposed to the blizzard up on the ridge while they are cosey down in the timber. The buck is no where in sight. We figure he moved 80 yards or so up where the dark timber starts. We decide to make a move before we freeze. I stay put to cover the draw whilre my spotter moves up hill for a look. Low and behold when he moves up there are at least fifty unseen deer bedded in the timber and the stampede is on. Deer leave in all directions, and at every speed from hauling tail to reluctantly moving out. Then my spotter breaks into the clearing, waving like his *** is on fire. The big one snuck out the back, through the dark timber with his head down and one big doe beside him. He was the very last to leave and let my spotter walk within 30 yards then snuck out. My pardner swears he was over 200. And he has seen more of them than most. He has a
Lyons7STW
Well-Known Member
He has a 193 of his own on the wall and been present for the taking of several others in that class. I have never seen him excited like that before. He knew it was a really good one through the spotting scope but saw it was exceptional up close. It was exhilarating to know I was within 80 or so yards of the monster. We tried to track it and found the print. You could tell it was more like an elk print. But with a track every six inches in that draw from all those deer we couldn't stay with iit.
So we are exhausted and frozen, decide to head back for lunch. We warm up, eat and decide to set up an ambush at the mouth of the draw. We find a sheltered spot about 800 yards down from the monsters original bed and wait for the deer to feed down. About ten does do just that. Last day of the season and shooting light is fading fast. With just minites left a buck steps out of the sage at 266 yards... 7mm STW speaks. Bang, Flop!
To bad he wasn't the big one! Better than tag soup I suppose!
So we are exhausted and frozen, decide to head back for lunch. We warm up, eat and decide to set up an ambush at the mouth of the draw. We find a sheltered spot about 800 yards down from the monsters original bed and wait for the deer to feed down. About ten does do just that. Last day of the season and shooting light is fading fast. With just minites left a buck steps out of the sage at 266 yards... 7mm STW speaks. Bang, Flop!
To bad he wasn't the big one! Better than tag soup I suppose!
Lyons7STW
Well-Known Member
WildRose
Well-Known Member
Great story my friend glad it all came together at the end even if "the monster" got away.
He'll be there next year and your confidence level with the rifle will do nothing but improve.
Congrats.
He'll be there next year and your confidence level with the rifle will do nothing but improve.
Congrats.
Who do you know in limon CO? Some of my really good friends live there. Wow! Small world.. That is where I hunt yotes,deer, and antelope.
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Lyons7STW
Well-Known Member
Thanks WildRose, it was a great experience. I expected better since both my previous bucks in that area were better. But the big ones get big for a reason, huh?
I do need to spend more time with this rifle. If it wasn't so hard on yote hides I would use it exclusively for a while.
I do need to spend more time with this rifle. If it wasn't so hard on yote hides I would use it exclusively for a while.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
Well a fellow who was forced into early retirement from the prison due to a heart attack. He'd been their marksmanship trainer for years, ran the armory, and then became their dog handler. His wife remains working for the PS and got moved up to a supervisors job in Pueblo so they moved about a year ago.
Great people.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
Yep the old big boys don't get to be "the old big boys" by being stupid.
As for the Yotes, no more than the hides are worth I wouldn't worry about it.
I know with my STW if you hit them at the last rib at under 500yds with the 140's it'll literally cut them in half HA!
Sure cuts down on suffering!
You could probably try something with far less expansion like the swift A frame or something similar though if the hides really matter to you.
Lyons7STW
Well-Known Member
Well, the wife wants a coyote blanket. She saw a comforter made that way. It had like thirty prime hides, professionaly tanned in it. Down here I don't come across that many good ones. I took up self tanning... what a chore. And have a half dozen good ones so far this season Wish I'd kept more of em in the past instead of giving em to any buddy that asked.
Good thing the wife is "petite" hah..might finish it in the near future.
I hate to change any part of the equation on this gun.. Really want it to become second nature..drops and all. It is definately an effective system as is, if I do my part.
I might just take up stitching and keep using it! Lol
Good thing the wife is "petite" hah..might finish it in the near future.
I hate to change any part of the equation on this gun.. Really want it to become second nature..drops and all. It is definately an effective system as is, if I do my part.
I might just take up stitching and keep using it! Lol
WildRose
Well-Known Member
You sir have a perfect excuse then to buy a .204 Ruger "for the wife"gun)Afterall it'll gurantee you great hides for her project HA!
I suggest the CZ 527. Drop dead killers straight out of the box. I've killed coyotes with mine out to 800yds on a calm day.
Lyons7STW
Well-Known Member
I like the way you think! Suggestion noted! 
I've got my little 22-250 dialed in with 40 grn v-max loads and its been very good to me. It's not bad on hides with the light bullets at 4000+ fps. You gotta clip one to even get an exit. That set up is already second nature, which as you know is invaluable on the predators
I've got my little 22-250 dialed in with 40 grn v-max loads and its been very good to me. It's not bad on hides with the light bullets at 4000+ fps. You gotta clip one to even get an exit. That set up is already second nature, which as you know is invaluable on the predators
WildRose
Well-Known Member
Yep not even having to think about what you are doing really makes a difference.I like the way you think! Suggestion noted!
I've got my little 22-250 dialed in with 40 grn v-max loads and its been very good to me. It's not bad on hides with the light bullets at 4000+ fps. You gotta clip one to even get an exit. That set up is already second nature, which as you know is invaluable on the predators
Most of my coyote shooting is done on the run across open ground and the .204 really rocks on them.
I've been trying to make up my mind what to do with mine as I've pretty much shot it out and when it went, it did so all in about five rounds at most.
I have a couple of hundred rounds for it so I'm probably just going to send it to Kreiger, cerakote the whole rig sand, drop it in an HS Precision stock, and see if it won't last another hundred thousand miles or so.
Till then I guess I'll just have to keep making due with the new .220 swift Rem 700 VS SF... .gun)
