This year has been one of the best deer hunting seasons I've personally had. Although I struck out during bow season, I was able to connect with a doe during muzzle loader and 2 small bucks during rifle season. Additionally, one of my friends gave me a buck that he shot so I could have the meat. It will be nice to not have to buy meat for quite awhile.
Warning, there are some graphic pictures below.
Muzzleloader Doe:
- NEF Huntsman 50cal
- Arsenal 432-250 TC (H&G 503 Clone) in a Sabot
- Powder Coated Water Quenched COWW
- 80g 777 powder @ 1600fps (estimate based on hodgdon data)
I had been sitting on the ground in a pretty thick part of the woods on the property I hunt. I have had pretty good luck there during prior muzzleloader seasons. After a couple hours, I decided to try and slip to a different location. I decided to go check out an old tree stand location I had built about 10-15 years ago. I don't think I've hunting out of that stand in the better part of 5 years. I climbed up in the stand and gave a few fawn bleats to see if any does were in the are. About 10 minutes later, 2 does slipped in across the train tracks. One of the does jumped the fence onto the property that I hunt. She was almost head on, slightly quartering at about 40 yards. I felt good about the shot & decided to take it. Entrance was left front shoulder low & exit was offside rib cage. Clipped her lungs & unfortunately the stomach a little. The weather was a very overcast and misting/light rain. By the time the smoke cloud cleared, I didn't see which way she had run. The other doe with her took off across the train tracks. I went to the spot where I shot and found hair & blood. Due to the wet ground and rain, tracking wasn't super easy. After about 30 mins I was able to find her about 40 yards from where I hit her. When I got to her she was still alive, so I put a finishing shot into her lungs. The boolit performed very well, unfortunately placement on my first shot was not as good as it should have been.
https://i.ibb.co/J57JrMZ/PXL-20221105-150144211.jpg
First Shot:
https://i.ibb.co/mNCwpk1/PXL-20221105-191129402.jpg
Second Shot:
https://i.ibb.co/jDjqBN6/PXL-20221105-191133724.jpg
Second Shot:
https://i.ibb.co/jWKM4VC/PXL-20221105-191200875.jpg
Lungs:
https://i.ibb.co/6gBtxrP/PXL-20221105-155524074.jpg
First Rifle Buck:
- 350 Legend
- NOE 360-232-RF (Cup Point)
- Powder Coated COWW
- 19.5g Buffalo Rifle @ 1794fps
I was sitting in a little makeshift ground blind that I made out of pallets several years ago. I was just sitting there reading with my rifle in my lap. I decided to throw out a few soft grunts to see if there were any curious bucks in the area. I was looking up from my book every few minutes. All of the sudden, I looked up and saw a deer staring straight at me about 30 yards away. He was perfectly broadside, but very aware that something was out of place. He started stomping his right front foot. I held steady hoping he would turn his head for just a second. As luck would have it, he looked away from me just long enough that I could get my rifle up. He looked back at me & snorted real big. It was cold enough that I could see the steam from his snorting nostrils. I held on his front shoulder and let one fly. He stumbled forward and took off running up the hill. He ran about 20 yards up the clearing, then went back in the woods. I heard him crash not long after he got in the woods. He made it maybe 40 yards total from point on impact. Boolit performed very well clipping the top of the heart & the lungs. He was a spike, but I don't believe he was a young deer based on his face & body size.
https://i.ibb.co/0Y8MRnz/PXL-20221212-140214027.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/72fXRFw/PXL-20221212-185310823.jpg
Entrance:
https://i.ibb.co/7gvNY4R/PXL-20221212-194939140.jpg
Exit:
https://i.ibb.co/ry2MszS/PXL-20221212-194949046.jpg
