First cast deer (pic)

[300savage]

the chest cavity would need to fill with blood first before it leaks out. with a ground blind it takes a bit longer than if you were elevated so the exit could be lower on the body. but no worries,with shooting like that they just expired before that could happen.when you can hear them crash, and about see them from the spot they were standing at the shot is as good as it gets.
congrats.

[another gunslinger]

Hehe .... touche....

I hunt in the Ozark mountains of SW Missouri and I KNOW what a tough drag is.... so, I understand ya. But somehow, its ALL worth it.

I'm at the other side of the MO Ozarks, but I'm glad to see another 10mm fan here in the hills! As far as the work goes, I'm told the work starts as soon as you pull the trigger.

[Grendel99]

Mike in Peru, I'm not sure what the meplat is on the Keith SWC (Lyman 429421) in .44 cal. I'm sure some of our more experienced casters know it off the top of their head. Lefty SRH, you have quite a few good revolvers to choose from! I wouldn't mind a .480 Ruger Encore barrel and a .41 Mag Blackhawk one day!

I didn't think about the bullet path compared to a tree stand shot. I imagine the deer would bleed out a lot faster with an exit wound much lower on the body.

[pmer]

Those shots look great. This fall I'm hoping to do likewise with a Redhawk 45 Colt. It has a 2 power scope and is shooting Cast Performance 300 grain LFN lights out with 18.0/2400. They are as hard as rock but should work fine if I do my part.

One year I had one run over a 100 yards without damage to its heart or lungs, with a exit hole over the right jugular at the base of neck (down Low). Not much blood on the ground but its cavity was full of blood. No dragging that one because I was able to drive the tractor with the loader bucket right up to him!

[richhodg66]

Great job! Does the deer season down there in the low country still begin August 15th? I used to wonder why they ever bothered to close the season.

[Grendel99]

Yeah, in most game zones the season opens August 15th. It's buck only until September 15th, then it's either sex in my game zone. It's the longest deer season in the country! Some of the other game zones toward the north west part of the state open a little later though.

pmer, you should have no issues with that load I bet. I used to have a 2X scope on this gun but didn't like it at all. It now wears a Simmons 2x-6x and I really like it. The 2X did nothing but have a crosshair for aiming. It doesn't even look like it magnifies! Some people really like them though and don't want a bunch of magnification. I usually have my scope on 4 power when hunting. It's amazing how far deer will run sometimes without a heart, lungs, or blood.

[Lead Fred]

See flat or round nose, dead is dead

[44man]

Yeah, the SBHH is a fantastic revolver. I do prefer the plain Jane Ultra Dot to a scope, I wiggle too much.
I never used a Keith but I have shot many deer with the Lee 310 and 320 LBT and had huge blood trails. I made a 330 gr WLN and it also works. I don't know if the boolit weight helps or not. Sounds like your load is fine.
Anyway great job, you will soon forget rifles. I don't even want to use my ML's anymore.
The front shoulders are very good for BBQ pulled meat or a roast. I like to smoke them a little first.
I bone my deer and if you take a roast, cut into nice steaks, coat heavy with seasoning like Emeril's, toss into a blazing hot cast iron skillet with a little oil, 4 min a side, you will be in Heaven.
It spatters so I do it on the side burner of my grill.

[OnHoPr]

Fine shootin there for the vittles. I have shot deer in the same general area with the 44 and have not seen blood either on snow, but for a couple of pepper sprinkles later in their run. I thought possibly that the lungs could have been collapsed quicker and resting in the bottom of the chest cavity for the 100 yard run after the shot. Basically, in essence there wouldn't be anything near the entrance or exit holes but the actual ribs wounds to bleed from and the hair soaking up the blood from them.

[nickE10mm]

I'm at the other side of the MO Ozarks, but I'm glad to see another 10mm fan here in the hills! As far as the work goes, I'm told the work starts as soon as you pull the trigger.

Yep, you're right! And yes, I'm a big 10mm fan, too ... I've taken three deer now with a 10mm in one form or another. Hoping to snag one with the SBH .44 this season (in addition to poking one with an arrow).

Be safe, hunt hard!
Nick

[Grendel99]

44man, I'll have to try the steaks that way! I know you were using a different bullet, what were you shooting from a tree stand or on level ground? I wonder how the position of the exit wound effects the trail?

[HiVelocity]

Nice start to filling the freezer. Mmmmm, cube steak with mushrooms, yummm.

HV

BTW- I'm in Columbia.

[RugerFan]

Very nice! My son has the same pistol. That's a fine sidearm.

[sixshot]

I've used that exact same bullet on many deer & also 4 elk, sometimes fat or lung tissue can plug the hole for a short distance, its never the same. But, a deer can cover a lot of ground in 3-4 seconds, heck I've had back surgery & I can be hard to track!
I've also seen some odd reactions back in my rifle days, you just never know whats going to happen. Just remember, with a sixgun its really exciting no matter if its a doe, a buck or a bull, great job.

Dick

[Wolfer]

Most of my deer hunting is done with a Ruger new Vaq in 45 colt. I started with the lee 452-255RF but the several deer I shot acted just like yours. Skimpy blood trail but not very long. Bought a Lyman 452-424 and results were a little better on the blood trail but the end result about the same. Sent it off to Eric and had one cavity made into a hybrid cup point. Definitely get bigger exit holes and a usable blood trail that's about 30 to 50 yds long.
I've come to the conclusion if you hit em right it doesn't much matter what you hit em with. However when I go deer hunting the gun is loaded with the HP.
I'm running about 1050 fps. Faster than this and HPs can get pretty destructive.

[sixshot]

This is a large cow elk I whacked a few years ago with an old 3 screw Ruger 45 with 7 1/2" barrel. My load was 23 grs of H110 & the 260 gr Keith slug, the shot was on the long side but because of the white background I could see her as if she was sitting in my lap. You'll notice there is quite a bit of blood, she covered maybe 30 yds.



Dick

[Bo1]

That is what I'm talking about sixshot....
I'm gonna bring my 45LC, and my 44Mag next year on my Elk hunt...
Thanks for sharing,
Bo

[**oneshot**]

Awesome!!! Great shooting, good eating!