ss7mm
Well-Known Member
Today was the last day of the general deer season here in Washington. I received my new 7mm Allen Magnum late Wednesday and spent most of Thursday breaking it in and testing. Friday and Saturday brought more of the same this season has produced. That is lots of deer and lots of small bucks. This is not a trophy area and I'm not a trophy hunter but we were down to the last day.
At day break this morning we had a small spike/2 point, a doe and 2 fawns come across in front of us but other than that the morning was a little slow. At shortly before 9:00 a.m. all of that changed.
The buck in the pictures was spotted across a canyon and after getting the glass on him I determined that he would do for a last day buck. It took a little time but he finally presented a doable shot.
I ranged him at 862, 864 and 862 yards. I put the 862 data into Exbal along with the previous data I had entered from the Kestrel 3500. I dialed the Nightforce for the necessary elevation and settled into the shot.
The buck was facing straight away and was standing on a hillside, head uphill. The sun was at my back and there was absolutely no wind. Conditions were perfect and even though it isn't my favorite shot angle, I knew that if I did my part the 7mm Allen Magnum I had just received from Kirby would be up to the task at hand.
I got the gun settled on the bipod and the rear sand sock and found that I had an absolutely rock solid setup and the crosshairs were locked on his spine just about at the middle of his ribs. This should take the spine and heart as well as possibly lung/s.
I got my breathing and heart beat where I wanted them and started the trigger break. At the blast I saw what I really wanted to see. The shot centered his spine and poa was poi. The sequence was bang, whack, flop. At impact I saw through the scope what seemed like a shock wave hit the buck and most of his body reacted to the impact. The buck's rear feet sucked up, his hind quarters dropped and he came over backwards. He was dead before his body hit the ground. When he came over backwards he fell slightly sideways and never twitched a muscle. I quickly got ready for another shot if needed but it wasn't necessary.
My buddy was spotting for me and after the shot sequence and having the buck on the ground, we just looked at each other and grinned like a couple of kids.
The big 200 grain Wildcat ULD RBBT had taken out about 4"-5" of his spine as well as his heart, exiting into the ground. I would have liked to have recovered it but couldn't find anything. I wear earplugs for shots when hunting and had put them in. Even at 862 yards with earplugs in, the resounding whack was clearly heard. It was something that I would have loved to have captured on video but I have it clearly etched in my mind and I'll never forget seeing him suck up, come over backwards and fall, never twitching a muscle after the impact.
I know he's not trophy size but under the conditions and especially getting to use the new gun on the last day of the season, I'll take the results any day.
The load I was using was just a fire forming load but it has proven amazingly accurate and I had full confidence in it. Now to get some full tilt loads worked up this week, because elk season opens here next Saturday. Maybe another bang, whack, flop??????
Thanks Kirby and Richard for everything. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
At day break this morning we had a small spike/2 point, a doe and 2 fawns come across in front of us but other than that the morning was a little slow. At shortly before 9:00 a.m. all of that changed.
The buck in the pictures was spotted across a canyon and after getting the glass on him I determined that he would do for a last day buck. It took a little time but he finally presented a doable shot.
I ranged him at 862, 864 and 862 yards. I put the 862 data into Exbal along with the previous data I had entered from the Kestrel 3500. I dialed the Nightforce for the necessary elevation and settled into the shot.
The buck was facing straight away and was standing on a hillside, head uphill. The sun was at my back and there was absolutely no wind. Conditions were perfect and even though it isn't my favorite shot angle, I knew that if I did my part the 7mm Allen Magnum I had just received from Kirby would be up to the task at hand.
I got the gun settled on the bipod and the rear sand sock and found that I had an absolutely rock solid setup and the crosshairs were locked on his spine just about at the middle of his ribs. This should take the spine and heart as well as possibly lung/s.
I got my breathing and heart beat where I wanted them and started the trigger break. At the blast I saw what I really wanted to see. The shot centered his spine and poa was poi. The sequence was bang, whack, flop. At impact I saw through the scope what seemed like a shock wave hit the buck and most of his body reacted to the impact. The buck's rear feet sucked up, his hind quarters dropped and he came over backwards. He was dead before his body hit the ground. When he came over backwards he fell slightly sideways and never twitched a muscle. I quickly got ready for another shot if needed but it wasn't necessary.
My buddy was spotting for me and after the shot sequence and having the buck on the ground, we just looked at each other and grinned like a couple of kids.
The big 200 grain Wildcat ULD RBBT had taken out about 4"-5" of his spine as well as his heart, exiting into the ground. I would have liked to have recovered it but couldn't find anything. I wear earplugs for shots when hunting and had put them in. Even at 862 yards with earplugs in, the resounding whack was clearly heard. It was something that I would have loved to have captured on video but I have it clearly etched in my mind and I'll never forget seeing him suck up, come over backwards and fall, never twitching a muscle after the impact.
I know he's not trophy size but under the conditions and especially getting to use the new gun on the last day of the season, I'll take the results any day.
The load I was using was just a fire forming load but it has proven amazingly accurate and I had full confidence in it. Now to get some full tilt loads worked up this week, because elk season opens here next Saturday. Maybe another bang, whack, flop??????
Thanks Kirby and Richard for everything. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
