....... MR. SPIKE ..............

Friday was opening day here in IL. and I was lucky to bag this guy. I want you all to know it wasn't and easy shot. The day started out at 9*s with a 12 to 15 mph wind but clear skies. I sat from and hour before dawn to about 0930 without seeing anything but birds, squirrels and chipmunks. I was really lucky to get this blind in a small clearing surrounded by hardwoods. Great place. I had a straight shot of about 200 yards or so but it was only about 45 to 65 yards wide. The blind was brand new and so was the chair. The chair.... Yes the chair...... It was one of those fold up chairs that you close up and slip into a bag with a draw sting. It even had cup holders in the arm rest. It was very comfortable but once my fat ass molded itself to that canvas chair I couldn't move. So at 0931, 2 deer broke from the woods from my left and I tried, really tried to get out of that chair but it was a gruesome battle. I finally managed to get into position in case and another deer broke from the woods. I was ready this time but he crossed the field in seconds but stopped at the edge of the woods before entering. He stopped behind a tree that had 2 trunks. His head was blocked from my view and the other trunk was covering his vitals. Only shot was his neck. As soon as the FIRE DOT hit his neck I squeezed the trigger. The deer was lost in a cloud of smoke. I reloaded and slowly approached the spot where I knew he was standing. That's when I saw he was a spike. I really thought he was a doe.
The shot was 93 yards and the opening that I had for that neck shot was only 8"s wide. I used my CVA MR and I'm really glad that I didn't have my Hawken .58 instead of my MR. I would have never been able to make that shot. Maybe for some it wouldn't have been a problem but me, my comfort zone with the Hawken is about 60/70 yards max.
My load was 110 grains by VOLUME of Black horn 209 with a Parker Ballistic Extreme 275 grain bullet with a Harvester EZ-LOAD Smooth Sabot and to get it all going Fiocchi Primers.
Picked him from the processors this morning and I was told that the deer weighted in at 145#s or so. I'll be leaving for 2nd season in 10 days and then ML'er ONLY season right after that. Hopefully I can tag another............Good luck everyone :!: :!: :!:


Ray.............. :yeah:

Congrats Hawg-that'll be good eating!

Good shooting :!: Well done :applause:

Congrats! artyman:

I don't know about you but in the freezer I sure can't tell if it's a spike or a 10 point... Meat is meat good job. I've taken a lot of grief the last few years because I had a stretch of a few years in a row of shooting button bucks that sure is heck looked like does before I shot. But I see nothing wrong with shooting one with roasts you can cut with a spoon lol.

That is a nice sized spike. Congratulations on the deer and also on the shot. Shooting under those conditions.. you know chair stuck to your butt, wind in your face.. makes you glad to be a man and out there in the woods. :mrgreen: Now in all honesty... pulling off a SHOT like that has to do something for your confidence in your abilities, your rifle and your load. Good job, and good eating!!

Thanks gents for all the replies :!: My family and I are sure going to enjoy this venison. Last season my freezer was empty. I still have 13 more days left and maybe I'll get a chance at another.
Have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL and good hunting :!: :!: :!:

Ray.......... :yeah:

Congrads on the Deer and the hunt. Those are the ones you really remember too. :wink: Yea I know exactly what you mean about those chairs, I tried one and never again in the blind. :lol:

Good shot. Good eats. I know what you mean about the bag chairs. Comfy to sit in but not to good for shooting. With the arms you cannot turn to the right or left very much. It is why I went to the three legged bag chair. Seat is shaped like a triangle. Not as comfortable but works better for shooting with more mobility. Better than a bucket for the long haul.
Don

03mossy said:

I don't know about you but in the freezer I sure can't tell if it's a spike or a 10 point... Meat is meat good job. I've taken a lot of grief the last few years because I had a stretch of a few years in a row of shooting button bucks that sure is heck looked like does before I shot. But I see nothing wrong with shooting one with roasts you can cut with a spoon lol.

Click to expand...

Congrats Ray!! Not sure I could have made that shot. 8)

I feel your pain 03mossy, I put not one but two button bucks in the freezer this year, not trying at all, hate it actually but thought they were does and that tender meat is very good any way you fix it!! :yeah:

toytruck said:

..........I put not one but two button bucks in the freezer this year, not trying at all, hate it actually but thought they were does and that tender meat is very good any way you fix it!! :yeah:

Click to expand...

Me, i would much much rather kill button bucks, and put them in the freezer, than kill a doe. Just me.. Around here deer are scarce, and we are sharing what little there is, with lion, coyote, white men, but hopefully not wolves.

Good shootin' Ray!

Congrats on your harvest. :yeah:

ronlaughlin said:

toytruck said:

..........I put not one but two button bucks in the freezer this year, not trying at all, hate it actually but thought they were does and that tender meat is very good any way you fix it!! :yeah:

Click to expand...

Me, i would much much rather kill button bucks, and put them in the freezer, than kill a doe. Just me.. Around here deer are scarce, and we are sharing what little there is, with lion, coyote, white men, but hopefully not wolves.

Click to expand...

We have plenty of does around here Ron, we get to kill 5 deer west of the blue ridge mountains, two bucks then three antlerless deer. We get the whole month of Oct. for anything goes during archery, then one day for does in early muzzleloader and the last week of Nov. for rifle seasons. Late muzzleloader is back in now with buck only till Dec.29th-Jan 3rd for doe days.

We have coyotes here as well and one place I hunt have seen cougars, actually finding young deer carcass up in trees. I haven't seen them and don't care to....

Nice read..like the pictures too. CVA MR is one of the best muzzleloaders going.