Got invited to go on my nephew Mitch's limited entry Utah antelope hunt. He doesn't like his 30.06 and asked to borrow my 7mm08-which I took, but also tossed in my new 7mm stw. The big 7 is a serious work in progress especially since I have been tinkering with the ablr hoping to make the stw my "long range hunting rifle." The night before I explained the advantages or drawbacks of both rifles and he decided to use "little Frank" if the shot was 300 yards or under and the big 7 if things went beyond that range. The higher powered scope was the true determining factor.
We spotted a nice buck and made a careful stalk. We spotted the buck as he looked in the wrong direction, already broadside but unaware of our prescence. At 350 yards I was glad we had brought the bigger gun as he laid it on the tripod sticks. It seemed like he took FOREVER to pull the trigger and the buck dropped in my binoculars before I even heard the shot. He spined the buck so can't really say how the bullet performed except to say it did what it is supposed to do.
This is Mitch's first big game animal and the first animal for the stw and the ablr's I have loaded for it. It was a great experience with a good stalk, a great shot and a very nice antelope with good mass, length and shape. Great way to spend a Saturday, can't wait for my own chance to use that setup sometime soon!
We spotted a nice buck and made a careful stalk. We spotted the buck as he looked in the wrong direction, already broadside but unaware of our prescence. At 350 yards I was glad we had brought the bigger gun as he laid it on the tripod sticks. It seemed like he took FOREVER to pull the trigger and the buck dropped in my binoculars before I even heard the shot. He spined the buck so can't really say how the bullet performed except to say it did what it is supposed to do.
This is Mitch's first big game animal and the first animal for the stw and the ablr's I have loaded for it. It was a great experience with a good stalk, a great shot and a very nice antelope with good mass, length and shape. Great way to spend a Saturday, can't wait for my own chance to use that setup sometime soon!
