CB 8pt Buck

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Got this fellow in the last second of legal shooting light. He meandered more or less straight at me from 200 yards away. When he got to around 125 or so, he turned broadside and froze in the alert position. I hoped he would resume his path and offer a closer shot, but after 10-15 seconds he still hadn't moved and it wasn't getting any brighter, so I decided to let it fly.

He took off running and disappeared from view near a fence line. I assumed he had jumped the fence. Then I heard a strange noise come from the woods in the direction he ran, maybe 150-200 yards from the shot. None of the deer I have ever shot have "cried out" before death, but the strange sound had me looking in that vicinity for the deer. After 20 minutes or so of looking (now dark), I found no blood or other sign of the deer near the source of the sound. The land owner joined me with his two dogs, a golden retriever and Aussie shepherd, hoping they might help out. Still no luck, so I decided to return to the place of the shot, which by now, was a bit vague as it was in the middle of an 8 acre hay field.

This time I walked right up on him. Greatly relieved, we "reverse tracked" him to the place of the shot, or at least as close as we could, which turned out to be only 50 yards away. Turns out my shot was perfect, his heart was destroyed. The hole in the rear of the shoulder was quite impressive as well. Load was Lee 309 170gr, 80/20 AC COWW/SOWW pushed by 21 grains of 2400 in my 30-06 for around 1800 fps. Not the biggest buck ever, but he'll eat fine! I've got some neck in the pressure cook as I type.

Still not sure what the noise I heard was. Maybe another deer? Maybe just an echo off the hill?

[c1skout]

Good job!

[pressonregardless]

Good shooting & some fine eating too !!

[dverna]

Well done.

I helped track an 8 pt last night that one of the guys in the camp next to my place shot at the end of the day. He hit it with a 180 gr jacketed bullet at 40 yards. Gut shot it. He has a reputation for being a lousy shot and "excitable" hunter. We found him just 100 yards from the first shot.

It pains me to see poor shooters in the field as I know that there is a good chance the game they shoot will be wounded and die slowly. I was really surprised the gut shot buck died that quickly as none of the vitals were hit.

You made a fine shot...nice job. And it goes to show most deer can be taken with a .30/30, and there is no need for hyper velocity whiz-bangs. My example last night showed that if someone has no marksmanship skills, why do they even bother buying calibers that are made for long range work.

[CastingFool]

Congrats on your buck! I'll write down your load, as I have the same mold, rifle and powder.

[Jeff Michel]

Good work, congratulations!

[Brad Cayton]

Congrats on getting it done!

[Friends call me Pac]

Good shooting. Getting one with a cast of your own is special. I haven't hunted with anything other than cast for deer in 4 or 5 years now. There are limitations in range but that's fine with me. I certainly enjoy the extra challenge & satisfaction when it comes together. I bet you do too.

[blikseme300]

Congratulations on your hunt. Isn't it amazing how far a deer can go even though the heart is destroyed?

[Beerd]

Very good!
..

[white eagle]

excellent you are going to enjoy that for sure
that load of 21 gr is a good one
works real good in my sons 35 Whelen
and my 358 win
actually he did the same as you did last night
shot a doe his made a 40 yd run

[richhodg66]

Was going to use that same load with the RCBS 180 grain FP in my '06, but I tagged out today with the crossbow. Could onlt get two tags this year and the one with the .45-70 during the early antlerless segment filled the other one.

Nice job, that's a good deer with a good rifle and load you developed yourself.

[runfiverun]

I have heard deer make some odd noises at times.
Littlegirl punched one through the shoulders with her Argie and a hybrid copper/cast bullet I make.
it dropped like a rock then made a baaa sound like a sheep as it hit the dirt.
I think it was just expelling all the air out of it's lungs from the drop and it's throat/jaw was constricted from the nerve damage.

[Rainier]

Fantastic shot in low light - That's "Gittin er done" good work!

[CASTER OF LEAD]

Congratulations to you sir. The feeling of satisfaction that you get from killing a deer with a boolit that you made, loaded, and carried into the hunting woods and successfully harvested a deer with is a rush like no other. Great job, and it will eat well I am sure.- CASTER

[TXGunNut]

Good job! And yes, deer can be vocal on rare occasions. I've heard deer cry out or bleat at times and heard a buck grunt on my last trip.

[TCLouis]

A friend of mine had a deer he shot "vocalize" as it died several years.
Neither his family of his wife's (both are big time hunters) had ever heard of such.

[Shuz]

Nice job! I've heard deer make all kinds of funny noises from grunts to bleats to baaaaas, and stuff in between!
Sunday night I think I heard one belt out,"Hey buddies, the coast is clear...season's over!"

[Smoke4320]

Got to love it when a plan comes together !!

Congrats

[500Linebaughbuck]

congratulations!!!!