300WSMMAD
Well-Known Member
Hi folks,
I thought I would share a little success we had last month.
I say we because my wife accompanied me this trip with the hope of securing her first deer.
Just for a little history
Now my wife had NO shooting let alone hunting experience at all so I knew this may not be a easy task to undertake so with a little bit of encouragement and practice with my 223 at the range she quickly sorted out hold, squeeze etc.
So on to the 708 she moved with scary results for a novice (she actually like the boom)
With relative ease she was consistently shooting 2" groups @ 200 yrds off a bipod prone, a great start I thought, but I did know that shooting and hunting are two different beasts and with only two weekends before our trip I had to get her on the board with an animal.
Goats, this was going to be her first experience in "hunting" I organised with a mate to go out and find some for her to shoot on his place, so after a quick sortie on four wheelers we found a mob, a short easy stalk we got her to 147 yrds a young nanny presented nicely, quartering but facing us "base of the neck" was the call, BOOM goat down! The hillside exploded with goats and she quickly found another one in the cross hair at 190 yrds "Hold on shoulder" was called, BOOM number two down, she was AMPED!!!
Goat number one.
The following weekend two days before we went away I organised for us to go onto another property for more goats, different this time, up close!
We found the goats easily and lady luck was on our side with a good breeze in our faces we carefully cut the gap to 34 yrds "Neck" was whispered BOOM! Billy down!
The mob bolted and then stopped just out of view around 70 yrds but a curious nanny turned took two steps back BOOM! Perfect neck shot!
OH what have I done!!! I've created a monster!!!
This was a massive boost for her confidence for the up coming trip which was the idea, but as a added bonus she also got a feel for why I love hunting so much !
Off to Makapua Station. This is a gem of a place on the East Coast of the North Island
3500 acres of working farm with an added bonus of Red Deer owned by Colin and Marg Baynes, and may I add two of the most wonderful people I know.
After a 4.5 hr drive we arrive to a bucket of coffee and a bite to eat.
Being the height of summer at the time we waited until around 5pm before we ventured out and it didn't take long before we found deer, but something found us too WASPS we were both badly stung all over but a small amount of "she'll be right" from Colin we persevered and 5 minutes later action stations!
Up hill and 211 yrds a red spiker was feeding quartering away and getting dark quick the pressure was mounting. After a few bipod adjustments the target was found BOOM! Thump, the deer staggered then crumpled.
Says it all aye !!
The next morning it was my turn after a reckie around we picked up some deer up at over 1000 yrds but they seen us too and weren't interested in sticking around, this surprised me a bit but however, we carried on and things were a bit scarce for the rest of the morning.
It was getting up around the 28C with 95% humidity with the added bonus of wasp stings (13 up my right arm alone) I was feeling uncomfortable and after one last look into a basin I found a red Hind 588 yrds feeding on a steep face, she fed into some scrub which gave me the chance to get the Lapua set up.
A few minutes passed and she stepped out of the scrub and the 300gr SMK was on its way to her shoulder,it hit with authority but facing downhill she bolted, 15 yrds she folded but picked herself back up, 20 yrds folded, picked herself up again then disappeared into thick bush, dead on her feet.
After a little look we found her 60 yrds from where she was shot, small entry hole into shoulder but due to angle bullet had exited quite a way back which caused extensive internal damage, but still dead!
Hot,stung and loving it
The evening came around and we headed out again hoping to find one a little further out this time but unfortunately the only one we found was a red hind bang on 500 yrds which the 338 Lapua made short work of and after a 50 yrd run she crumpled.
The next morning we departed with stings in our arses ,a boot full of venison, and memories forever.
Regards 300WSMMAD
I thought I would share a little success we had last month.
I say we because my wife accompanied me this trip with the hope of securing her first deer.
Just for a little history
Now my wife had NO shooting let alone hunting experience at all so I knew this may not be a easy task to undertake so with a little bit of encouragement and practice with my 223 at the range she quickly sorted out hold, squeeze etc.
So on to the 708 she moved with scary results for a novice (she actually like the boom)
With relative ease she was consistently shooting 2" groups @ 200 yrds off a bipod prone, a great start I thought, but I did know that shooting and hunting are two different beasts and with only two weekends before our trip I had to get her on the board with an animal.
Goats, this was going to be her first experience in "hunting" I organised with a mate to go out and find some for her to shoot on his place, so after a quick sortie on four wheelers we found a mob, a short easy stalk we got her to 147 yrds a young nanny presented nicely, quartering but facing us "base of the neck" was the call, BOOM goat down! The hillside exploded with goats and she quickly found another one in the cross hair at 190 yrds "Hold on shoulder" was called, BOOM number two down, she was AMPED!!!
Goat number one.
The following weekend two days before we went away I organised for us to go onto another property for more goats, different this time, up close!
We found the goats easily and lady luck was on our side with a good breeze in our faces we carefully cut the gap to 34 yrds "Neck" was whispered BOOM! Billy down!
The mob bolted and then stopped just out of view around 70 yrds but a curious nanny turned took two steps back BOOM! Perfect neck shot!
OH what have I done!!! I've created a monster!!!
This was a massive boost for her confidence for the up coming trip which was the idea, but as a added bonus she also got a feel for why I love hunting so much !
Off to Makapua Station. This is a gem of a place on the East Coast of the North Island
3500 acres of working farm with an added bonus of Red Deer owned by Colin and Marg Baynes, and may I add two of the most wonderful people I know.
After a 4.5 hr drive we arrive to a bucket of coffee and a bite to eat.
Being the height of summer at the time we waited until around 5pm before we ventured out and it didn't take long before we found deer, but something found us too WASPS we were both badly stung all over but a small amount of "she'll be right" from Colin we persevered and 5 minutes later action stations!
Up hill and 211 yrds a red spiker was feeding quartering away and getting dark quick the pressure was mounting. After a few bipod adjustments the target was found BOOM! Thump, the deer staggered then crumpled.
Says it all aye !!
The next morning it was my turn after a reckie around we picked up some deer up at over 1000 yrds but they seen us too and weren't interested in sticking around, this surprised me a bit but however, we carried on and things were a bit scarce for the rest of the morning.
It was getting up around the 28C with 95% humidity with the added bonus of wasp stings (13 up my right arm alone) I was feeling uncomfortable and after one last look into a basin I found a red Hind 588 yrds feeding on a steep face, she fed into some scrub which gave me the chance to get the Lapua set up.
A few minutes passed and she stepped out of the scrub and the 300gr SMK was on its way to her shoulder,it hit with authority but facing downhill she bolted, 15 yrds she folded but picked herself back up, 20 yrds folded, picked herself up again then disappeared into thick bush, dead on her feet.
After a little look we found her 60 yrds from where she was shot, small entry hole into shoulder but due to angle bullet had exited quite a way back which caused extensive internal damage, but still dead!
Hot,stung and loving it
The evening came around and we headed out again hoping to find one a little further out this time but unfortunately the only one we found was a red hind bang on 500 yrds which the 338 Lapua made short work of and after a 50 yrd run she crumpled.
The next morning we departed with stings in our arses ,a boot full of venison, and memories forever.
Regards 300WSMMAD
