Getting ready for mule deer season.

[ammohead]

There has been a serious shortage of pictures to look at on this page. So here is what I intend to hunt with in 4 weeks.

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/brucerfrechette/DSCF2709_zps07bdccb2.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/brucerfrechette/media/DSCF2709_zps07bdccb2.jpg.html)
I just finished making a lead boolit swage for my 38-55. They drop right at 235 gr with a nice hollowpoint and a recess in the base for tucking the paper up into. No target results or velocity info yet. Maybe tomorrow.

[white eagle]

looks like a winner
to me

[krag35]

Nice !!!

[quilbilly]

No snow on the Schell Mtns yet. The Forest Service has its webcams back up near Murray Summit.

[dlbarr]

No snow on the Schell Mtns yet. The Forest Service has its webcams back up near Murray Summit.

WEBCAMS?!?! What is the purpose of that...locating poachers?

[micky_blue]

How do you hunt mule deer with a 38-55? All the mule deer hunting I have done is spot and stalk and the deer were shot at 200+ yards. Do you do the same but just get closer or are you chasing them in a heavier cover? Just curious.

[ammohead]

How do you hunt mule deer with a 38-55? All the mule deer hunting I have done is spot and stalk and the deer were shot at 200+ yards. Do you do the same but just get closer or are you chasing them in a heavier cover? Just curious.

I didn't say it was easy!

They have archery and muzzleloader seasons for mule deer in every state out west. Some even for antelope. The 38-55 is a much better venue than either of those. Especially on follow-up shots with my model 94. And with any luck I will be hunting in the peak of the rut when the bucks come find the does. And the does will be hanging out wherever there are mahoganys and bitterbrush. Just poke along slow down on the benches near the routes to water wearing full camo and scent cover.

Very few of the mule deer I have taken in Nevada have been at more than 100 yards. You have been watching too much "Best of the West". Many of the shots taken on those types of hunting shows could be stalked much closer. But that wouldn't sell the long range stuff now would it. Not to say I have never taken a long shot. I do prefer the short ones though.

Easy Peasy.

[quilbilly]

Those web cams are at air quality monitoring stations. At that site in Nevada there are two cams. One facing east and one west. fsvisimages is the site name I believe. There are more than a dozen of those sites around the U.S. all with incredible (!!) views many of designated wilderness areas. Ammohead is right about those distances. My Nevada biggest typical mule deer buck (B.C. 182)was taken with a muzzleloader at a distance of about 75 feet and he was with four other magnificent bucks when the trigger was pulled. All but one of my shots at mule deer up here in Washington and Oregon have been at less than 80 yards even when I hunted with modern rifles sighted at 200 yards. dbarr - There is one webcam overlooking the Pasaten wilderness and I watched that catastrophic fire progress on that cam this summer as it almost took the webcam.
BTW Ammohead - I think we are telling people wayyy too much about Nevada.:mrgreen:

[dlbarr]

BTW Ammohead - I think we are telling people wayyy too much about Nevada.:mrgreen:

I have heard that NV is a pretty "user-friendly" state in many ways....I get the itch to move fairly easily. :mrgreen:

[micky_blue]

I didn't say it was easy!

They have archery and muzzleloader seasons for mule deer in every state out west. Some even for antelope. The 38-55 is a much better venue than either of those. Especially on follow-up shots with my model 94. And with any luck I will be hunting in the peak of the rut when the bucks come find the does. And the does will be hanging out wherever there are mahoganys and bitterbrush. Just poke along slow down on the benches near the routes to water wearing full camo and scent cover.

Very few of the mule deer I have taken in Nevada have been at more than 100 yards. You have been watching too much "Best of the West". Many of the shots taken on those types of hunting shows could be stalked much closer. But that wouldn't sell the long range stuff now would it. Not to say I have never taken a long shot. I do prefer the short ones though.

Easy Peasy.

I don't really find 700 yard shots much of hunting. The time I have been out in Montana and Arizona hunting the shots were 2-300 yards. Getting inside of a hundred would have been quite a challenge, but I guess that is most of the fun.

[Harter66]

My long shot was 350yd . About 500 ft above the tree line in the Desatoyas . The other 5 would have been ML shots pretty easy. A short best of about 35yd.

[Afro408]

There has been a serious shortage of pictures to look at on this page. So here is what I intend to hunt with in 4 weeks.

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/brucerfrechette/DSCF2709_zps07bdccb2.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/brucerfrechette/media/DSCF2709_zps07bdccb2.jpg.html)
I just finished making a lead boolit swage for my 38-55. They drop right at 235 gr with a nice hollowpoint and a recess in the base for tucking the paper up into. No target results or velocity info yet. Maybe tomorrow.

Nice looking boolits, Ammohead and good luck with the hunting.
How about showing us the swage tools that you made. I'm interested :)
What alloy are they made from?

[ammohead]

The boolits are pure lead with a small amount of tin for mould fillout. I want them soft for expansion. The swage alloy is just high carbon 7/8-11 allthread. I am not swaging copper just very soft lead so no need for oil or water hardened steel die body. The hollow point/extractor pin is turned from water hardening drill rod that I hardened to keep it from bending when tapping the boolit out of the body, and the plunger is just cold rolled round stock. I will post some pictures soon. No time for cameras tonight.

I got about a 1 3/4" group at 50 yards and averaged around 1740 fps. The extreme spread was quite high. I should try some different powders. But for the time have left to get ready...these will hunt. A friend with a lion tag will hunt with me and carry my 270 in case a monster shows up outside of 150 yards, but I really want to take my buck with these babies.

[Grendel99]

Those look like they would definitely get the job done. Good luck with the hunt! Is the swaging tool for HP'ing the bullets?

[NVScouter]

You know I was trying to not not play with my 38-55 until after season. Now I'm warming my mold.......

[ammohead]

Those look like they would definitely get the job done. Good luck with the hunt! Is the swaging tool for HP'ing the bullets?

The mould is not exactly the same shape as the final product. So the swage forms the final shape of the boolit, installs the hollowpoint and puts the dimple in the bottom for folding the paper into. With soft lead it will shape from moulds that are waaaay off shape. It will flatten lube grooves but not eliminate them entirely. They can still be seen but no way effect the shape.

[ammohead]

Sorry this has taken so long.

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/brucerfrechette/DSCF2725_zpsb5a2b866.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/brucerfrechette/media/DSCF2725_zpsb5a2b866.jpg.html)
To the left is the ram that mushes the boolit into the die body pictured to the right of ram. The slender pin forms the hollowpoint in the nose and is used to remove the boolit from the die with light tapping with a hammer. (More than light tapping if you forget to lube the boolit before it goes in the die!) At the top of the die and barely visible is a spring plunger set screw. It applies light side pressure to the top of the pin to keep it from falling out of the die when you remove the completed boolit.

I went to the range today and after shooting found this spent boolit in soft sand. It started out at 235 gr and weighs 217 gr as shown. Not bad for a dead soft projectile. If it performs this well in a live Nevada mule deer buck I will be pleased and tagged out. After some adjustment the sights are set to dead on center of bead for 150 yards. At 200 sight with bottom of bead. and at 100 use the top of the bead for a 6:00 hold. Anything under 100 yards aim for a heart shot and call it good. This is with a tang aperature sight.

I head for Ely a week from Wed. Some snow would be nice but I am not holding my breath.

[Afro408]

Thanks for showing the tools, Ammohead.
Did you harden them? Especially the die?

[CastingFool]

Good luck on your hunt, Ammohead. Sounds very exciting. Looking forward to pics and stories.

[ammohead]

Afro408,

Only the pin has been hardened for making the hollowpoint and pushing the boolit out of the die with light taps from a hammer. I bent the first one so I hardened this one. I am using dead soft lead with only a small amount of tin to help with mould fill out. I seriously doubt that i will ever wear out the die. It is made from 7/8-14 allthread from MSC. I looked them all over in their big catalog and picked the one that sounded toughest and hardest. The plunger is cold rolled steel. I need to remake the plunger about .004 larger as it leaves a skirt around the bottom if I really put the pressure to it. It is easily removed with a fingernail but I would like to try one that fit better. I hope to perfect the method and have some for sale some day. I have about 6 years left to retirement and hope to supplement my meager SS with projects like this similar to what Buckshot is doing now. I have a way to go before going commercial but it is fun to learn and plan for the future.

[ammohead]

Good luck on your hunt, Ammohead. Sounds very exciting. Looking forward to pics and stories.

The hunt starts next Thursday for me. The rut should just be starting then.

[quilbilly]

I see on the webcams that your mountains finally are getting some snow. Must be too late. Maybe next year.

[Lex]

I shot a mule deer with my 38/55 marlin cowboy.I used the 255 cast bullet from rcbs and smokeless powder.the bullet went in the back leg all the way threw and came out the front shoulder he never took a step.

[warboar_21]

BTW Ammohead - I think we are telling people wayyy too much about Nevada.:mrgreen:


Doesn't matter what you tell people about the state. The draw pretty much takes care of hunting on a regular basis. One thing about Nevada though is when you are lucky enough to draw a tag there are some serious trophy class Deer and Elk. It's just drawing that tag. Now if you are only hunting doe and cows it's a different story.

[quilbilly]

Doesn't matter what you tell people about the state. The draw pretty much takes care of hunting on a regular basis. One thing about Nevada though is when you are lucky enough to draw a tag there are some serious trophy class Deer and Elk. It's just drawing that tag. Now if you are only hunting doe and cows it's a different story.
These days it has become much tougher in Nevada to get a B&C mule deer than a B&C bull as the elk gradually crowd out mule deer in many areas. I had breakfast with several outfitters in Belmont, Nv on a ski trip a few years back and they said as much to explain why they charge twice as much for a trophy mule deer hunt as for a B&C elk hunt. The wildlife biologist who spearheaded the introduction of elk into Nevada many years ago, George Tsukamoto was his name if memory serves,and who later went to work for the Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife before he retired told me at a legislative hearing that he thought the biggest mistake he ever made in his long storied career was to introduce elk into Nevada. No one really understood how elk and deer interact. Up here I learned long ago that if I wanted find good deer hunting for our local black-tails, avoid anyplace with elk sign. Hunter success spreadsheets from our agency clearly show that our best elk hunting units east of the Cascades are invariably the poorest deer units.
George did tell me at the same hearing that, even though he had suspicions at the time, the RMEF was not an outfit to resist politically. I think that political reality is changing
in Nevada as more Nevada hunters want their mule deer back. I don't know if that is possible.
Nevertheless, there are some B&C trophy mule deer to be had. I found my typical near Mt. Grafton and those outfitters in Belmont told me where a non-typical could be found. Who knows? I might get there some day but it is so remote, even I am a bit intimidated.

[butch2570]

Good luck to ya , good looking rounds too..

[44 flattop]

A couple years ago I took a dandy antelope and an even dandier mule deer with a 280gr cast my Marlin Cowboy in 38-55! Both were spot and stalk, both were DRT. Then in my home State I took a nice bull elk with my .444 and a 300gr cast.

Last year was a really nice buck with my .44 Marlin Cowboy using a 260gr cast and another elk with the .444.

This year one buck with my .44 Cowboy and the same 260 cast and I'm out every day right now with my .444!

[ammohead]

Quick update.

Quilbilly was right the snow came too late for me. I have to be back to work today so left yesterday morning. For 10 days the weather was too warm. Does and babies feeding on the benches all over the country. Saw at least 60-80 everyday. But no matter how hard I glassed I could not put horns on any of them. Saw one 3 point Friday but could not get to him because I had to pick Jane up from work. Wasn't really looking for a 3 point on a 111 late tag. I did get my steel garage delivered and set up so the week was productive. Now I can begin moving things in the general direction of McGill NV to plan for retirement some day.

[GoodOlBoy]

Very nice!

As for how you hunt mule deer with a X. If you can get close enough to kill it with a bow, I can danged sure get close enough to kill it with my gun.

GoodOlBoy

[ammohead]

Went to work this morning and both my manager and the president of the company said "What are you doing here? You have 3 days left." So 4 hours to Ely, this evening and 2 days to fill my tag. Wish me luck!

[micky_blue]

congrats and good luck

[Harter66]

Luck Ammo.

[andrews10]

Wonderful Time

[quilbilly]

You will get a good one, no sweat. I heard it was 14 degrees a day ago. That should move the good ones around.

[ammohead]

So I packed my stuff and headed back to Ely. I got there about 2 pm and headed to a good spot and started walking. I spotted one buck sniffing a doe and chasing her around. Then found another group of does in the distance with what appeared to be a buck chasing and sniffing. I watched them until dark.

The next morning I started after the second group that I saw on foot but was preempted by a Dodge Pickup that was going to see them before I could get anywhere near them so I diverted to the first buck I saw the night before. Soon I saw white butts then whole does but no buck. So I put the sneak into their backyard. The wind was perfect and I thought I was stealthy enough but after getting to the top of the ridge I heard some deer bounding off rather close. So I double timed it and got to a clearing in time to see the buck heading straight away about 175 - 200 yards. I wasn't about to let him get away so I took the Texas heart shot. He turned and went downhill (towards the road, yay!) I shot a few more times to no effect and then I lost him right out in the open. I glassed for awhile and found him laying next to a tiny pinon. I tried to put the nail in the coffin but instead hit him in the antler right at the tip instead. He got to his feet bot only for a few steps then layed back down. Then I just waited him out. He fell 40 steps from the road.
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/brucerfrechette/DSCF2776_zps875c6a18.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/brucerfrechette/media/DSCF2776_zps875c6a18.jpg.html)

It was a long walk back to the truck but only a short drag. 26 1/2" 5 point if you count the eye guards. Some do some don't. I don't care he is my biggest so far and will be tough to beat. No cast boolit, but I bet I won't hear many complaints about using a model 99 Savage in 284 Winchester.

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/brucerfrechette/DSCF2787_zps29f3447d.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/brucerfrechette/media/DSCF2787_zps29f3447d.jpg.html)

[Idaho Mule]

Great job ammo!!! Very nice buck and a short haul to the rig is always welcome. I have next week off so hope to show a pic of a cow moose then. Take care. JW

[ammohead]

Great job ammo!!! Very nice buck and a short haul to the rig is always welcome. I have next week off so hope to show a pic of a cow moose then. Take care. JW

Gonna use that big bore 94 John?

[Idaho Mule]

You betcha!! JW

[quilbilly]

awesum!!!

[Afro408]

Congratulations on your successful hunt, Ammohead and a good write up too.

[onceabull]

I thought I remembered reading earlier that you were so disappointed with that BB 94 356 W,that you were about to try to return it to the XXXXXX that stuck you with it ! ! ! [smilie=p: Onceabull

[Idaho Mule]

I thought I remembered reading earlier that you were so disappointed with that BB 94 356 W,that you were about to try to return it to the XXXXXX that stuck you with it ! ! ! [smilie=p: Onceabull You just have to realize when I picked that little rifle up, it was pretty well down- trodden, neglected, flea- bitten, etc... In other words, it had not seen much love. Now, when I took control of it, then things changed drastically. With love and nurturing, and proper feed and many hours spent she is now like a 3-bell mule, pack-ride and drive. Nice and soft in the mouth too. SOOO, what I am getting at is that it is now worth at least twice what I paid for it, but if you want it back.... JW

[onceabull]

Well,just XXXX !! Now I have get busy polishing inside and out on the one(s) I was figuring to lay off on you next spring...!! Is there a report on your moose hunting available somewhere ??? Oh ,yeah, that lovely Mex.Mauser 284 W. with the high grade wood went away to a happy repeat customer @ the recent Filer,Id.gunshow ..It would have made a fine whitetail/coyote rifle for you and or the Mrs.... Onceabull

[Idaho Mule]

I saw a great big older cow about 3 (??) weeks ago on a Thursday evening right at the end of shooting light. She was over 800 yards away and there was no way I could get to where I figured she was headed in time, so I did the next best thing. I called my boss the next morning and explained the situation. He is also a hunter and readily understood, and since we were not terrible busy he gave me the day off. That morning Lagene had the day off too so she came along in hopes of finding a deer to shoot. I figured I knew where that old cow would bed down for the night and we were there at first light, but the cow was no where to be seen. This bedding area is real close to a ridge-top, prevailing winds from the SW, and our approach was from the NE and headed up the hill. As said before the old cow was gone, but we did jump a couple white tail. The doe headed South to an open field and 10 seconds later the buck jumped up but paused to figure out what was going on. We were VERY close-- like 20 feet, Lagene was packing the 356 at that time (I had the 303) and she popped him once in the back of the neck, dropped like the proverbial sack of taters. So, looks like I am still hunting and she is done. I put a good stalk on another moose yesterday morning, turned out he had little paddles about a foot long. I still got time Bill, so don't give up hope yet. How did you and Don do on the elk?? I hope it went well. JW

[onceabull]

JW: I had hoped someone with a lesser ego investment had informed you of the "2014 debacle in the Devils",,,,no luck there,I guess,so lengthy PM will follow... Onceabull

[Idaho Mule]

JW: I had hoped someone with a lesser ego investment had informed you of the "2014 debacle in the Devils",,,,no luck there,I guess,so lengthy PM will follow... Onceabull Still waiting to hear this story Bill. I have seen some pretty amazing things in "the Devils" before. Was attacked by a squadron of Cub Scouts once, over-run by a herd of goats once, and even had a mule fall in love with a llama one time while'st into the Devils, but not sure I have experienced a true "debacle in the Devils". I do look forward to hearing the tale. JW

[obssd1958]

JW,
I'm sure he would rather I tell the tale, but I'm not sure how much detail he wants me to fill in...

[smilie=1:

[Idaho Mule]

Thanks for the reply Don. I sure hope no innocents were hurt or killed in this "debacle" that we speak of. Seems there must be some deep dark secret lurking tho and I can't wait to hear the true story. That is some mighty tough country to hunt, hell it's tough just to back-pack in there. It is very pretty country tho, and still pretty rich with game. JW

[onceabull]

all right,guys (and Mrs.JW) ..the PM is composed ,edited,and out there,so Don can feel free to fire off his own summary...I did my best to avoid blaming EVERYTHING on him...[smilie=p: ONCEABULL

[quilbilly]

I would rather hear all about this at NCBS possibly over a picon punch.

[onceabull]

Hopefully we will all be there to oblige,although one doesn't need to travel that far(from here) to enjoy that libation fttt.......Onceabull:popcorn: