nksmfamjp
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2004
- Messages
- 3,200
Hunting in Montana was successful again this year. Great time with family and friends.
This deer hunt started out with a medium hard rain and fog that morning. It was also starting out as an elk hunt since the elk were typically in the flats first thing in the morning. With sunrise, our optics showed us the elk were not in the flats. It cleared to a light rain. Since I always wear waterproof/windproof gear, I took a couple of walks in the rain. I was feeling pressure. Big storm coming and the camper owner was not wanting to pull through 6-8" snow on the pass or wait it out for 3-5 days! This walk was new to me, but BaseMap showed me a nice path between 2 points, so I went for it. As I wandered from open field to the top of a small ravine, I saw a grayish fallen log that wasn't quite right at 30 yards.
So I lifted my binos and saw it was a deer body with legs and head obscured by brush/trees. The deer was looking at a tree trunk so I think he couldn't see me well.(figured that out later) Wind was in my favor too. I recognized deer hair through the binos and tried to see antlers. I saw one half of the rack, so I put binos down, put steady sticks in left hand and drew my pistol to fire. Quickly, cocked it and moved hammer to C. Then I placed the duplex just right behind the right front leg, although the leg was partially obscured by a bush. I was likely 20s from seeing deer to firing. Just slow and smooth. The Buck was slightly quartering to me. I was looking at its right side.
After my 30 Herrett Contender sent a Hornady SST 125gr, the deer took off like I missed. I walked after it, but then thought, let's do this right. So I went back to the place the deer was standing originally. No blood, no hair. Did I miss? I followed the bucks escape tracks as far as I could…..maybe 20 yards. Then started walking back and forth looking for tracks and deer. I scanned around with binos and kept walking around a big bush. There he was laying in the dirt, dead. Thinking back, I think I heard him make final scrapes when he fell.
Then the work began! I started gutting. I found bits of bullet jacket from my 125 gr Hornady SST on the outside of the ribs. The bullet entered, hit lung, liver and stomach. Exit hole was ok, but not huge. Bullet performance with dead deer is hard to call bad, but why did I find 2-3 jacket chunks? At 2250fps, I would expect a nice mushroom vs blowing up. Hmm. In the second pic you can see where it bled out the exit. No meat ruined, so I'm happy!
Well not a record deer, but a big one for me. This 30 Herrett has earned its keep!
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