Some of you may remember a couple years back when me & one of the grandson's got on a couple of nice bucks, he nailed his first ever muley & it was a dandy, since then we've talked about it many times.
Also since then him & his dad have managed to get Ridge another muley, an antelope & a very nice black bear, he's off to a very good start in his young hunting career.
This year we've been hunting for several days, seen a lot of deer, passed on a couple & had some great fun, him, his dad & one of my other son's have really been enjoying our time in the great Idaho outdoors. We've even found a little time to eat!
One day I saw 31 deer, another day I saw 26, but when you're hunting with an iron sighted 44 maggie you don't actually get many real shot opportunities. Its much like archery, you can hunt the whole season for one shot, thats what happens in this game we play with revolvers on big game, especially on public land.
I've been trying something different this year, at least as far as cast slugs are concerned, I've been testing some of the MiHa 240 gr HP's in my Ferminator 10 1/2" 44 maggie that Fermin had changed over to a Bisley, I love it!
A couple of days ago we were headed back to our hunting camp along the river when we spotted 2 mature bucks crossing a field, we had to change directions & go about 2 miles to an area where we hoped the bucks might cross. This usually never works because mule deer don't really know where they're going so its hard to second guess them.
This time we got very lucky, just as we got up to a little high spot in the field both bucks almost ran right up to us. I had left my Barranti shoulder rig behind & was carrying my 44 in my hands, Ridge was carrying his 243.
When the bucks saw us they slammed on the brakes & milled for a split second, I was on them quick but had to wait, there's no way I could explain to his dad & his uncle why I shot first!
Finally Ridge shot the buck on the right, a nice double lung shot but the muley stumbled 10 yds before going down. Now my buck whirled to run & I got very lucky, I dumped him in mid stride with one of the 70/30 alloy HP's & he never took a step. Later my son ranged the shot at 97 yds offhand, not my favorite position but this time the hunting gods smiled down on an old fat boy & that buck actually ran down that HP & intercepted it right though both lungs.
This is me & 14 year old veteran Ridge Thompson with our bucks.
There's also some dandy trout fishing if you get bored, there's some real arm yankers in the river where we camped.
Here's our campsite, nestled deep inside the worlds biggest playground....Idaho!
Muley bucks love shale slides & heavy cover, soon the snow will force them out into the open a big more where its much easier to spot them.
Its amazing what an under powered, iron sighted sixgun can do with a simple cast bullet when you download 240 grs of lead posioning through both lungs. Again, this was a lucky shot, the combination of a good sixgun & a good bullet, placed in the right spot isn't luck.
Yup, wearing my trusty Croc's, I'm still wearing a brace on my right foot, caused by the back surgery, besides, everyone knows a good buck hunter wears Croc's!!
Great times spent with 2 of my son's & several of my grandkids, I'm lucky & I know it.
Dick
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