I've not been real active on here in a while, but this group was invaluable helping me get set up with my muzzy in the first place. I thought I'd share my latest muzzy hunt.
I'm shooting a Traditions Pursuit Ultra light that I got a couple years ago, dirt cheap online. I'm using BH209 and 260gr Harvester Scorpions. I settled on a 110gr. load. It's a lot of recoil, but it's accurate.
I've taken on another "padawan jaeger", and wanted to show him how it's done, so we set up at the bottom of a path through a choke point, with the wind and thermals in our faces. Basically, if the deer want to move North to South or vice versa with cover, they have to cross that path. The shooting lane is about 120 yards long. Some places, it's quite narrow.
So, we got there just at first light, and set up. It has been warm so the grass and weeds are up. Visibility to the sides was poor. Still, we had our plan and sat. The next problem was that there was a branch down in front of me, but I was able to adjust myself so that the top of the path was an un-obscured frame. Anything closer and I'd have to be mindful of branches.
Multiple times, I thought I heard deer but I was afraid to stand up to get a look lest they see me first and bolt. I waited, trusting in my plan that if they were coming they would cross my lane.
Well, at 7:53 I saw a bit of white at the top of the path. I quickly acquired it in my scope, and found that the front shoulder was just behind a honeysuckle branch, and the deer was moving off. I knew my gun so I aimed right at the tight edge of the branch right about an inch behind where I estimated his elbow was. It was then or never, so I squeezed the trigger.
As the cloud of smoke dissipated I was hearing the sounds of wood falling and saw branches waving. Had I not seen a branch through my scope? My heart sank, but I stood and reloaded. If I hit a branch and hit that deer, he could be in any kind of shape. As I reloaded, though, I thought, "Dude, you're no rookie. You set that exact shot up. It was clear on all sides." I looked up, and thought I saw a little sliver of white. I felt relief pour over me, but I still continued reloading as I may have simply spined the deer. As I was putting a primer in, I looked up the hill to see a large white belly present to me as the deer rolled over.
That was a good sign and one my young padawan was impressed by. We quickly walked up the hill, to survey our prey. As we approached, it was clear the deer was very dead. My shot was perfect, right behind the "elbow". The devastation was clear, with lung tissue coming out of the ENTRY hole. It was a button buck, that never knew what hit it. A perfectly clean kill and a perfect shot.
Next up, getting my padawan to the range for a bit of practice.
I'm shooting a Traditions Pursuit Ultra light that I got a couple years ago, dirt cheap online. I'm using BH209 and 260gr Harvester Scorpions. I settled on a 110gr. load. It's a lot of recoil, but it's accurate.
I've taken on another "padawan jaeger", and wanted to show him how it's done, so we set up at the bottom of a path through a choke point, with the wind and thermals in our faces. Basically, if the deer want to move North to South or vice versa with cover, they have to cross that path. The shooting lane is about 120 yards long. Some places, it's quite narrow.
So, we got there just at first light, and set up. It has been warm so the grass and weeds are up. Visibility to the sides was poor. Still, we had our plan and sat. The next problem was that there was a branch down in front of me, but I was able to adjust myself so that the top of the path was an un-obscured frame. Anything closer and I'd have to be mindful of branches.
Multiple times, I thought I heard deer but I was afraid to stand up to get a look lest they see me first and bolt. I waited, trusting in my plan that if they were coming they would cross my lane.
Well, at 7:53 I saw a bit of white at the top of the path. I quickly acquired it in my scope, and found that the front shoulder was just behind a honeysuckle branch, and the deer was moving off. I knew my gun so I aimed right at the tight edge of the branch right about an inch behind where I estimated his elbow was. It was then or never, so I squeezed the trigger.
As the cloud of smoke dissipated I was hearing the sounds of wood falling and saw branches waving. Had I not seen a branch through my scope? My heart sank, but I stood and reloaded. If I hit a branch and hit that deer, he could be in any kind of shape. As I reloaded, though, I thought, "Dude, you're no rookie. You set that exact shot up. It was clear on all sides." I looked up, and thought I saw a little sliver of white. I felt relief pour over me, but I still continued reloading as I may have simply spined the deer. As I was putting a primer in, I looked up the hill to see a large white belly present to me as the deer rolled over.
That was a good sign and one my young padawan was impressed by. We quickly walked up the hill, to survey our prey. As we approached, it was clear the deer was very dead. My shot was perfect, right behind the "elbow". The devastation was clear, with lung tissue coming out of the ENTRY hole. It was a button buck, that never knew what hit it. A perfectly clean kill and a perfect shot.
Next up, getting my padawan to the range for a bit of practice.
