Have you ever had a what the h--l shots?

OK…..another! I do hope that the statute of limitations has expired on this one….I didn’t (ignorance is no excuse) think about it being a fur bearer! ☹️

This was around February of 93/ (I think), Morning temperatures in single digits, the area snow covered, the roads ice covered, and I’m on my way home from a 12 hour night shift at a gas plant.

I was carrying my .375 AI, which I carried with me all the time.….my constant companion. Yes, we still enjoyed some freedoms at that time…..and we could have a firearm locked in our vehicle on the job site! My AI was loaded with my cast bullets, which I used for plinking/varmints…..hoping to see a Jack Rabbit or two while traveling home.

I was in a very (VERY) rural area, “haul‘n the mail” in my old 84 Ford F 250…..when pretty far ahead, crossing the ice covered road, something small and black crossed the roadway at a pretty good ”clip”. I hit the brakes, sliding to a stop, dragging my Ackley with me as I exited the truck onto the ice as quickly as possible.

By the time that I had made my way to the front of the truck, and “not” bust my arse”, the small, black object of my interest was probably at a distance of 70 or 80 yards moving straight away in a “porpoise“ like movement. I quickly found it in the lens of my 2 1/2 - 8 Leupold, which was very likely on 2 1/2 power…..and “touched off” a shot! The ”porpoising” ceased immediately! I hurried over to claim my quarry, to find a Boar Mink…..hit squarely in the back of the head by a 285 grain cast bullet!

Upon getting home, I skinned out the Mink and took the hide to a local taxidermist…..making the prettiest little Mink rug you’ve ever laid eyes upon!


Was luck involved ……heck yes! But, I also believe that you can improve you luck through practice. This is the primary reason that I promote the use of one rifle for the vast majority of your shooting!

When a rifle is carried nearly everywhere you go and used for almost all of your shooting…..plinking/varminting/hunting, you will very likely be “as one” with your rifle!

When I pick up my rifle…..I want it to fit like a “well worn” pair of jeans! memtb
 
23 years ago I was on a 9 day desert Muledeer bow hunt North of Van Horn Texas and on day 8 one of the hunters was so depressed after several blown stalks and a couple of missed shots he refused to go out that afternoon saying, what’s the use. Then one of the other hunters said; “go out with me…I’m a good luck charm. I’ve hunted with 6 other hunters and all of them scored a buck.” He reluctantly agreed and they did find a 120” 4x4 buck but it wasn’t what he was looking for so Mr Goodluck charm said he’s not too small for me and he started the stalk from the hillside below with the other hunter up high where he could observe and give hand signals. The buck must have sensed something was wrong and started running Up the draw to edge of a huge vertical wall canyon we call “The Hole”. Our depressed hunter was about 200yds away several hundred feet above. He decided to try and stop the buck by shooting an arrow out in front of the deer hoping to stop or turn him so the stalker could get a shot. He held so high he couldn’t see the deer in his sights then swung over to what he thought was about 30yards in front of the deer. As soon as he released the arrow the buck stopped and looked up at him. The wind caught the arrow and he hit that buck in the right eye And the arrow went under the skin of his neck, without hitting vitals. However, the buck lost his footing and stumbled and tumbled all the way to the bottom of the hole. They quartered him and packed him out in their coats. Mr good luck charm was 7 for 7 and he finally killed a doe himself on the last day of the hunt.
 
Was hunting with a buddy about 10 years ago. Spotted a nice 4x4 buck with binoculars 350 yards away. Buddy shoots it with his 270. Drops like it was poleaxed. Make our way over and it’s definitely down. No blood visible. Buddy pulls out his knife and slits its throat. Blood pumps out like crazy. Up until this point I’d always kinda made fun of him for always spitting the throat on dead animals. Well, this one wasn’t dead! Field dressed it and found no bullet wounds or damage to the organs. Wasn’t until we were dragging it to the truck we noticed it was now a 3x4. He hit the antler and knocked a time off. It was out cold. I quit making fun of him slitting throats lol.
 
OK…..another! I do hope that the statute of limitations has expired on this one….I didn’t (ignorance is no excuse) think about it being a fur bearer! ☹️

This was around February of 93/ (I think), Morning temperatures in single digits, the area snow covered, the roads ice covered, and I’m on my way home from a 12 hour night shift at a gas plant.

I was carrying my .375 AI, which I carried with me all the time.….my constant companion. Yes, we still enjoyed some freedoms at that time…..and we could have a firearm locked in our vehicle on the job site! My AI was loaded with my cast bullets, which I used for plinking/varmints…..hoping to see a Jack Rabbit or two while traveling home.

I was in a very (VERY) rural area, “haul‘n the mail” in my old 84 Ford F 250…..when pretty far ahead, crossing the ice covered road, something small and black crossed the roadway at a pretty good ”clip”. I hit the brakes, sliding to a stop, dragging my Ackley with me as I exited the truck onto the ice as quickly as possible.

By the time that I had made my way to the front of the truck, and “not” bust my arse”, the small, black object of my interest was probably at a distance of 70 or 80 yards moving straight away in a “porpoise“ like movement. I quickly found it in the lens of my 2 1/2 - 8 Leupold, which was very likely on 2 1/2 power…..and “touched off” a shot! The ”porpoising” ceased immediately! I hurried over to claim my quarry, to find a Boar Mink…..hit squarely in the back of the head by a 285 grain cast bullet!

Upon getting home, I skinned out the Mink and took the hide to a local taxidermist…..making the prettiest little Mink rug you’ve ever laid eyes upon!


Was luck involved ……heck yes! But, I also believe that you can improve you luck through practice. This is the primary reason that I promote the use of one rifle for the vast majority of your shooting!

When a rifle is carried nearly everywhere you go and used for almost all of your shooting…..plinking/varminting/hunting, you will very likely be “as one” with your rifle!

When I pick up my rifle…..I want it to fit like a “well worn” pair of jeans! memtb
In the old Green Nosler Reloading Manual on the 270Win, a farmer from Nebraska saved for years to go to Africa. He owned ONE RIFLE, his 270. 17 shots,, 17 dead critters…..
 
My dad started taking me hunting with him when I was about 6 years old. One of my earliest memories was when my mom ragged him enough about it he brought her along with us.
While sitting in a makeshift blind archery hunting, about 5-6 deer came into view feeding while walking by us left to right at about 25 yards. My old man was a die hard recurve bowhunter and strictly hunted for meat. He picks the biggest doe, waits for the proper shot, pulls his bow back and lets one go.
Just as he does, a deer so small it had just lost its spots, comes running by and jumps and catches his wooden arrow right in the eye. Deer falls out of the air dead. I’ll never forget the look on my moms face and her saying “ WOW you weren’t lyin, you ARE a good shot!
 
My dad started taking me hunting with him when I was about 6 years old. One of my earliest memories was when my mom ragged him enough about it he brought her along with us.
While sitting in a makeshift blind archery hunting, about 5-6 deer came into view feeding while walking by us left to right at about 25 yards. My old man was a die hard recurve bowhunter and strictly hunted for meat. He picks the biggest doe, waits for the proper shot, pulls his bow back and lets one go.
Just as he does, a deer so small it had just lost its spots, comes running by and jumps and catches his wooden arrow right in the eye. Deer falls out of the air dead. I’ll never forget the look on my moms face and her saying “ WOW you weren’t lyin, you ARE a good shot!
I had a gray squirrel running flat out across a limb and I was just trying to get him to stop when I shot. The bullet went right through his head as he jumped from one limb to another.
 
In the old Green Nosler Reloading Manual on the 270Win, a farmer from Nebraska saved for years to go to Africa. He owned ONE RIFLE, his 270. 17 shots,, 17 dead critters…..
💖💗💓read the same thing from Dave Pedsil hundreds of times myself❗
Ill Guarantee the same has been for the 06'
 
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