Silvercreek Farmer
12-09-2020, 06:56 PM
Got an invitation to try out a new hunting spot. Probably around 5 miles from the farm I have been hunting for the last decade. I decided to give it a try. Two days before I get there, the last fellow to hunt it comes and takes his stand, without a replacement handy, I would have to hunt from the ground. Tried hunting from the ground early on in the last place, but never had any luck.
The spot was a long narrow field. Probably 100 yards wide, and 600 yards long. It was planted in soybeans this past summer, and harvested a few days ago.
On the way in, I saw some large deep tracks. Bigger than anything I had ever seen at the usual hunting spot. But due to the lay of the land, having to hunt from the ground, and the location of the owner's house, I wasn't able to set up in a way where I could see much of the field, probably just a 100x100x200 yard triangle, which didn't include the area where I had seen the tracks.
Further down the field, I found a down pine that I could use as cover and a rifle rest. I cleared a little bit of brush, got as comfortable as possible (not very) and settled in for the coldest evening yet this fall.
I didn't have very high hopes, between hunting on the ground and having a limited view. I could just imagine a herd of deer further down the field where I could't see. But, like nearly all of my hunting trips, with nothing to be seen for hours, and only a couple minutes of light left, a buck steps out of the woods directly in front of me, 100 yards out.
I am first and foremost a meat hunter. I'm happy with anything that eats, and generally shoot the first deer I see that presents a shot. I knew he was a decent buck, but didn't spend any time counting points, just trying to get settled in for the shot. At first he was head on, then he quarters slightly to the left. I put the crosshairs on him, but didn't like my rest, so I repositioned, crackly pine bark and all. He didn't seem to mind the noise, but he did turn a bit back to center leaving me with less target than I wanted. Seconds, which seemed like eternity, passed as I waited in hopes of a better broad side shot. He finally turned enough to the right where I felt like I had a good shot. I squared up on his shoulder and squeezed, sending 200 grains of wheel weights, Goodwill pewter, and scrap lead his way at 2400 fps out of my 358 Winchester.
He bolted, I had a brief sick moment, when one questions if it was a good shot. I watched him make an arc, roughly parallel to the edge of the woods, go down a little slope, and appear to go down in the brush at the edge of the field, perhaps 80-100 yards from the site of the shot. Wanting to give him some time to expire without pushing him, I waited a few minutes. After a bit, I decided to got to the site of the shot and look for blood. Looked for a few minutes but didn't see any so I decided to go look were I thought he went down, and there he was, stone dead.
After marveling at the size of him, I checked my shot placement. Hit him square on the shoulder, right where I was aiming. I looked for an exit, but instead found the bullet right under the hide, to the rear of the ribs. Later, while butchering, I found that the bullet cut the aorta, punched holes in both lungs, and the spleen. I am very glad I wasn't using any less gun. If he had made it back into the woods, even 50 yards, I would have had a much different experience without a blood trail.
Thankfully I was able to drive up to him to load. Loading him solo took a few attempts, but I got it done, drove him home, took a few pictures, caped, skinned and gutted him and hung him. In a few minutes, I will finish breaking him down and put him in the fridge. I called the landowner and apologized for killing his big buck, but he said he prefers the smaller ones anyway:)
The spot was a long narrow field. Probably 100 yards wide, and 600 yards long. It was planted in soybeans this past summer, and harvested a few days ago.
On the way in, I saw some large deep tracks. Bigger than anything I had ever seen at the usual hunting spot. But due to the lay of the land, having to hunt from the ground, and the location of the owner's house, I wasn't able to set up in a way where I could see much of the field, probably just a 100x100x200 yard triangle, which didn't include the area where I had seen the tracks.
Further down the field, I found a down pine that I could use as cover and a rifle rest. I cleared a little bit of brush, got as comfortable as possible (not very) and settled in for the coldest evening yet this fall.
I didn't have very high hopes, between hunting on the ground and having a limited view. I could just imagine a herd of deer further down the field where I could't see. But, like nearly all of my hunting trips, with nothing to be seen for hours, and only a couple minutes of light left, a buck steps out of the woods directly in front of me, 100 yards out.
I am first and foremost a meat hunter. I'm happy with anything that eats, and generally shoot the first deer I see that presents a shot. I knew he was a decent buck, but didn't spend any time counting points, just trying to get settled in for the shot. At first he was head on, then he quarters slightly to the left. I put the crosshairs on him, but didn't like my rest, so I repositioned, crackly pine bark and all. He didn't seem to mind the noise, but he did turn a bit back to center leaving me with less target than I wanted. Seconds, which seemed like eternity, passed as I waited in hopes of a better broad side shot. He finally turned enough to the right where I felt like I had a good shot. I squared up on his shoulder and squeezed, sending 200 grains of wheel weights, Goodwill pewter, and scrap lead his way at 2400 fps out of my 358 Winchester.
He bolted, I had a brief sick moment, when one questions if it was a good shot. I watched him make an arc, roughly parallel to the edge of the woods, go down a little slope, and appear to go down in the brush at the edge of the field, perhaps 80-100 yards from the site of the shot. Wanting to give him some time to expire without pushing him, I waited a few minutes. After a bit, I decided to got to the site of the shot and look for blood. Looked for a few minutes but didn't see any so I decided to go look were I thought he went down, and there he was, stone dead.
After marveling at the size of him, I checked my shot placement. Hit him square on the shoulder, right where I was aiming. I looked for an exit, but instead found the bullet right under the hide, to the rear of the ribs. Later, while butchering, I found that the bullet cut the aorta, punched holes in both lungs, and the spleen. I am very glad I wasn't using any less gun. If he had made it back into the woods, even 50 yards, I would have had a much different experience without a blood trail.
Thankfully I was able to drive up to him to load. Loading him solo took a few attempts, but I got it done, drove him home, took a few pictures, caped, skinned and gutted him and hung him. In a few minutes, I will finish breaking him down and put him in the fridge. I called the landowner and apologized for killing his big buck, but he said he prefers the smaller ones anyway:)