It was extremely dry and windy for Va's opener, at least in Patrick County. I sat in my stand in a laurel thicket until almost lunch time without seeing so much as a squirrel. I had scent out in effort to entice a cruising buck, but no such luck. I walked back towards the house into a headwind, but still slowly trying to avoid making noise. Often times deer will feed in the meadow behind the house....before I made it to the meadow I heard noise and saw a couple of does bound off the ridge below me and across the hollow towards the house. I froze and glassed them with the binocs knowing full well that they were does. They started to feed, and after a couple of minutes another, larger deer bounded across the hollow. I perceived respectable antlers and a relatively large body, and it stopped with its head hidden. The does tuned in, opted to just say no, and ran directly towards me. I realized that it was going to get lively, and don't recall cocking the hammer....the buck started after the does and ran maybe 20 yards before stopping with its head behind a white pine. He was quartered towards me about 60 yards away, and I had no option for a rest, so took the shot offhand.
The entrance was between the neck and shoulder behind my hunting bag and exited behind the far shoulder. .62 flintlock, 330gr PRB over 120gr fffg Goex, dropped like a rock! Notice how large his head is...mature mountain deer!
The entrance was between the neck and shoulder behind my hunting bag and exited behind the far shoulder. .62 flintlock, 330gr PRB over 120gr fffg Goex, dropped like a rock! Notice how large his head is...mature mountain deer!
