strictlyRUM
Well-Known Member
Well it has been a year for the books. I started the year loosing one of the best duck dogs. Lost a pregnancy to miscarrage. Lost my father about two and one half months ago. Two car wrecks since then(neither was my fault). Two pain block injections in my lower back. The list goes on. I had eastern oregon tags but wasnt in the mood for a large scale hunt after loosing my father. I did however have an Oregong Mackenzie unit doe tag along with one of my good friends who has since moved out of state. He called and we made arrangements to stay at my house and go out with 4 year old Aydn in tow. With my back surgery eight days earlier I wouldnt be doing much walking. This has brought me to an understanding as well as a good defense for this sport I love so much. The days of practice and thousands of dollars I have spent, over the last 10 years, on this addiction of ours would allow me to hunt off landings and overlooks instead of just driving around and shooting deer that run accross the road the way SOOOO many western hunters do. That being said here comes the vallidation part. I can bust milk jugs out to 1500 yards and sometimes beyond. I have busted rocks out to 2300 yards now. I have never shot an animal over 400 yards. I believe it is our job to get as close as conditions allow. I have always been able to get closer. Well the first clear cut we came to this saturday morning was bare. I scanned down to the bottom opening 1000 yards away and there were two mature does feeding away. After watching for a while to make sure there were no little ones we manuvered down the ridge to the lowest flat I could get to, and have an open shot on them. Mike was calling range while got the gun level and conditions off my handheald weather station into the palm pilot. 925 yards to the snag that they were standing just infront of. 3% downward angle on the angle indicator. 2-3 MPH head wind that I guessed to be a thermal draft actually coming up and accross the mountain. I entered all this into the exball ballisic program on my palm and it told me to dial 14.75 minutes of angle into the scope. I did this. Settled into the gun. Breathed. Shot. The 176 Cauteruccio from my 7mm ultra mag entered just back from my hold by about 4 inches. Instead of getting high shoulder I got double lung. The little blacktail did the death march to the bottom of the clearing in about 3 seconds. At the shot the other deer ran to the left. Out of sight. We sat for about 45 minutes and she fed back out. With no change in conditions I had Mike saddle up the old 7 once again. BANG! FLOP! His shot hit just about 6 inches forward of point of aim in the neck. No death run there! We were extatic. Like I said I have been shooting at distances in excess of 500 yards for ten years now. I have been machining for 17 years now. Been building rifles for 3 years pretty steady now. I have not had the satisfaction of putting everything together till now. I now know what it is like to shoot an animal with a rifle I built, at a distance I have practiced for for years. In a condition most wouldnt leave the couch...... I was able to hunt. I was only able to do this with the help of good friends also. Making me get out, and also packing my meat out. It was about a mile pack since we couldnt find a road that went to the bottom? Thanks to Mike and Jeremy. Jeremy is another very good friend of mine that came out at a seconds notice to help pack meat. Sorry I kept you from mowing your lawn man. I know its not one of the big bucks that you guys are pulling out right now, it is a trophy to me though. Its right up there with my antelope buck I shot with a bow. Here is some pics for you. My pic came out a little over exposed but in the picture of Mike you can look between the barrel and his head and might be able to see the maroon tundra up on the landing. We shot from about half way down from there. There is also a picure of the rifle pointed at the clearing the deer were in just after the fact. Oh yeah and one of our future long range hunter checking things out after the shot. Thanks for looking. Oh yeah Friday we went to the doctor and my wife Leslie is 10 weeks pregnant. Saw the little heartbeat. Its gonna happen this time. We have been trying for 2 years now. After all the losses this year we are in need for good things to look forward to.
Jason
