Beautiful sight

[btroj]

On what will probably be my fathers last deer hunt we both found success.

http://i1348.photobucket.com/albums/p733/Btroj/Mobile%20Uploads/790F1968-9BAB-41EF-A8FA-938CDAC53505_zpswvvyaj3r.jpg (http://s1348.photobucket.com/user/Btroj/media/Mobile%20Uploads/790F1968-9BAB-41EF-A8FA-938CDAC53505_zpswvvyaj3r.jpg.html)

Mine is the near one, his is the far one. He got his Sat AM when the snow was just beginning in earnest. Mine was shot this morning in 10 degree temps with a strong wind giving windchills around 10 below. I was damn cold. Had I not had turkeys roosting near my to watch fly out of the trees I likely would have called it quits.

I had missed 2, yes 2, deer with the 375 and cast. Not sure if it was me, the lube, or the load but I lost faith in that rifle and load. I went to the old reliable Marlin CB in 45 Colt.

As I began packing this is what was left on my bed.

http://i1348.photobucket.com/albums/p733/Btroj/Mobile%20Uploads/48F53277-F408-4DF1-9F0E-B817C3CBACCD_zpsby1mq0ax.jpg (http://s1348.photobucket.com/user/Btroj/media/Mobile%20Uploads/48F53277-F408-4DF1-9F0E-B817C3CBACCD_zpsby1mq0ax.jpg.html)

I can assure you that the Hi-Tek coating does just fine in cold weather.

Now to finish the laundry and get stuff put away before the wife comes home.

[pworley1]

Great story. Congratulations.

[runfiverun]

what's the duck call for?

I'm gonna assume the rl load worked in his 0-6 then?

[btroj]

Not a duck call, a buck grunt call.

The 06 was a bust. I couldn't get it to shoot well enough in the time I had. I took the 375 H&H wand the above Marlin. The 375 was used to miss TWO bucks, I lost confidence in the load/rifle and went to old reliable.

The 45 Colt Marlin CB just works. The load was a 300 gr for a Lee group buy years ago, Hi-Tek coating, and 10.5 gr of Surplus 105. Runs 1150 in the rifle and shoots well.

[btroj]

Oh, I forgot to add the I was wearing more cold weather clothes than Ian owns! It was brutal, and I hate being cold. Sub zero wind chills are not my favorite. Pete can keep his cold weather, I'm over it.

[runfiverun]

heading to North Dakota here in a few minutes,,, siiigh.
I double checked the under-armor and wool sock supply as I packed.
we are working up on a ridge above the Missouri river, it's gonna be cold, and it's 2 months too early to be wearing my winter gear.

[MtGun44]

Congratulations, Brad.

Weird that the .375 was acting up. Need to get to the range and test that
load in the cold. Pretty darned cold here tonight. Going to break the record set in 1903.

Global warming is a PITA.

Bill

[MaryB]

Nice pair of bucks! And I know the cold well, sat in the stand in freezing rain one year that soaked everything then froze. Even froze up my 870 express to where I could not pump it for a second shot(luckily I didn't need it, dropped a nice little young buck for the freezer). Sat on the stand at -5 with a 20mph wind, in 3 feet of snow... fun and joy of Minnesota deer hunting. Even hunted in just a blaze orange vest over a tank top in 80 degree weather in Nov.

[btroj]

I know what you mean Mary. This was the first year I didn't make sure to have an orange baseball hat as it is often too warm for a knit hat.

Bill, I got stupid and changed alloy on a known load thinking it wouldn't make a big difference. I now need to go shoot them and see what is going on. Won't make that mistake again.

[MBTcustom]

Brad, I don't know if it's the same for you as it is for me, but my rifles shoot much different off the shoulder than they do off bags and a bench. I just got done burning 50 rounds through my Marlin 45-70 Saturday in preparation for my hunt this weekend. Interestingly enough, the same load that was shooting perfectly off the bench was impacting 10" to the right at 100 yards off hand. I made an adjustment and started giving the 6" plate absolute hell (shot it off the chains actually).
I'm using the RD 350 you sent me (absolutely perfect for what I need, and thank you again for it) and I hope to put a deer down with it in the coming days.
For the record, 24 grains of 2400 delivers 1500FPS out of that rifle right on the money.

[cbrick]

If indeed it was your dad's last hunt it's really great that he got his buck.

I was gonna go out yesterday or today but wimped out, was 13 here this morning and here is where it don't get that cold in mid November. By the end of the week it's only supposed to be 20 degrees below average normal in the mid 40's. Perfect! I'm gonna use a 45 Colt also but mine has a 7 1/2 inch barrel. :mrgreen:

Rick

[btroj]

I always sight in from field positions before hunting for just that reason. The Marlin was fired at 50 yards offhand. 20 rounds to make sure. The it got a complete strip down, cleaned, lubed, then fired 20 more to fouls the bore. That is the normal routine before deer season with that rifle, probably the only time it gets cleaned each year.

[btroj]

Rick, this is the bullet I used.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?10595-Cayoots-Wide-Flat-amp-Kinda-Heavy-45

Best 45 Colt bullet I have found. I waited almost 2 years for that mould. I need to see if Tom can make me a duplicate.

[geargnasher]

Good times, get 'em while you can.

Gear

[cbrick]

If ya want to see what bullet I'm using see my avatar. :mrgreen: CWW+ 2% Sn, air cooled @ 280 gr. It's the RCBS 45 270 SAA from MP.

Rick

[btroj]

I'd use my avatar but the hat doesn't fly so well.......

[btroj]

Good times, get 'em while you can.

Gear

You have no idea how true that is. I can remember a time when he dressed deer for me, now it is the other way around.

Imused to think it was silly when older people talked about "where did the years go", now I understand. The kid is 21 this Friday and I may have had my last deer season with dad. Where did the years go?

[cbrick]

Ok Brad, I just gotta ask. How come ya shot yours in the ear? Hmmm? [smilie=1:

Rick

[btroj]

Lets just say that was the final shot as he laid in a 10 foot deep gulley he had fallen/run into after the first shots. I can't say here what I said when he ran into the gulley. I fired one into the chest at that point and all it did was spur him to move farther down and into a deeper gulley. I then put the final one into his head, something I didn't want to do as it messes up the rack in some cases.
At this point I was cold and just wanted to be done. I left him there, went and got Dad, and came back to dress him out and drag him out of the gulley and to a place where I could get the truck. That was easier than I expected but still took well over an hour.

I can assure all you southerners, it is quite easy to sweat your butt off in sub zero wind chill. That was after I stripped down my clothes in anticipation of sweating.

[TXGunNut]

Sounds like a great hunt, thanks for sharing the story. Nice bucks. My dad was never much of a deer hunter, not sure why he bothered to bring a rifle because I'm pretty sure he never loaded it.

[freebullet]

Congratulations!

[RugerFan]

That is a nice pair of bucks. Congrats!

[GabbyM]

My father keeps talking like it's the end. He is 88.
My job is to figure out a way to squeeze in another event.
My daughter did a good job of that a couple months ago. Gave him his first great grand child.
I'll never top that one.

I'm only 59 years old. But know enough to know that spending quality time with family is the best thing in the world. Weather you're young or old. Just that when you are young you may not realize it for a few decades.

[popper]

I can assure all you southerners, it is quite easy to sweat your butt off in sub zero wind chill. That was after I stripped down my clothes in anticipation of sweating. Yea, thanks. 21F & 40 mph north wind kinda broke the record from 1890s. Guess I forgot to shut the gate. You do know why they cal it a 'blue northern', cause yall turn blue from the cold. Guess I didn't move far enough south. But dang, I froze in Corpus the winter Carla hit.

[starmac]

CARLA you be giving away your age. lol

[Plate plinker]

Yep, dragging a carcass out of a field sure will take the sap out of a guy. Even Bambi will do it to you when the snow is waste deep.

[leeggen]

I bet if we were to hear the dads side of the story he would say he shot the one closest to us.LOL Glad you get to have a hunt with your dad. Graet lasting memories. Around here you shoot a deer on top he will run down the wrong side from the truck. Shoot one at the lower area and they want to run over the top, atleast it seems like it.
Congrats on the shooting, to your dad also. I miss hunting in Fl. in T shirt and levis.
CD

[leeggen]

Btroj you remind me of a time when I went hunting in Georgia. It got cold enough it frooze my boots to the wood deck on the tree stand. Burrrrrrr!!! Took 10 minutes to break them loose.
CD

[southpaw]

First off, congrats!!

This means more than you can possible know right now... As GabbyM said, find something else. As long as he is here you can still make memories. Enjoy the time you have left. It won't hurt any less when he is gone but you will have more to reflect on. Something as simple as stopping in and having a beer and bsing will mean something. Anything, just enjoy the time you have with him.

Again, congrats on the duo!

Jerry Jr.

[MaryB]

Shoot a deer here and they always go die out in the middle os a section of muddy field. Walk a 1/2 mile out with 30 pounds of mud on each boot, grab deer, drag back out with 50 pounds of mud on each boot...

[smoked turkey]

Good hunting story with a great ending. Boy that's what memories are made of. As they have said get em while you can. I hunted with my two sons and grandson last weekend. I really cherish those times. They come to the house here and we always have a good time. It is nice to shoot a few deer but that is really secondary to what is important. I don't know if my boys know that part of it yet. Someday they will.

[Possumcop]

10 degrees!

Wind chill of 10 below!

My DEEP FREEZE. doesn't get that cold!

I really feel like a wimp now.

I didn't hunt Monday morning because it was 22 degrees.

Mind you, I've got to take the boat a couple miles to get to my good spots.

But his dad is 88 YEARS OLD!

Yep, I'm a wimp. :oops: