Leaving for Texas in the AM

[Desert Fox]

Any luck yet DF? Scotty

Guys, weather was pretty crappy today, very windy. No such luck with hogs either. We moved to another ranch 60 miles north for deer and again, no such luck! all does and no buck. We will try again tomorrow.

 

[SJB358]

Good deal. Can't wait to hear more and see some pictures! Scotty

 

[Desert Fox]

DF,

This sounds very good. Congratulations. I'm looking forward to the pictures.

DrMike, I'll post it as soon as I get back in Kalifornistan. It's a young buck, nothing spectacular but it's my first whitetail and first kill with my 6.5.

 

[Guy Miner]

Well congratulations! Looking forward to the hunt photos!

 

[Desert Fox]

Well congratulations! Looking forward to the hunt photos!

Thanks Guy. I'll post lots of picture as soon as we return to Kali. The deer is in the butcher shop to be process and I'll have lots of sausage and jerky by christmas.
Missed on a nice 8 pointer this morning. It was only 310 yards and I had a good rest a top the elevated blind. The 6.5 zero probably shifted when I fell this morning on my way to the blind, at the end of a wheat field. It was so dark that I failed to notice an old barb wire strewn right in my path. I fell hard and the rifle flew a few feet away from me. No chance to check rifle zero for the afternoon hunt, so I retired the 6.5 and pulled the 338 out of the case. Did not see a single deer the rest of the day. I have doe tags but have no desire to shoot one. Frank have the same luck. He missed on a nice deer this morning that will easily score 150. I jokingly told Frank not to look at the antler when pulling the trigger. We will try our luck again in the morning.

 

[FOTIS]

Looking forward to the pictures

 

[DrMike]

Bummer about the spill. Good that you weren't hurt, but it is disturbing when our scopes take a beating.

 

[SJB358]

Bummer about the spill. Good that you weren't hurt, but it is disturbing when our scopes take a beating.

You aren't kidding there. I had my 300WM Ruger take a big fall onto rocks and other hard stuff while in Idaho one year. Had to drop over a far ridge and reverify zero! I hate to think about scopes being knocked off, so I try and buy the toughest stuff I can.

The zero was still dead on though! Hard to beat Ruger rings and Leupolds most of the time! Scotty

 

[bullet]

That is the very reason that I always take a back up rifle on a hunt that is out of my local area. Six years ago in Arizona I fell off a short ledge and crushed the scope on my 7mmSTW as I moved the rifle forward to protect my head from a rock. It was a good thing that I brought my 7mm Rem along which I used for the rest of the hunt.

 

[DrMike]

The toughest scopes are only as good as the bases and rings and screws attaching them. Mike is right to suggest bringing along a backup for those times when things go wrong. I feel naked without at least two rifles, even when going to the range.

 

[Desert Fox]

I'm glad too that nothing harm happened to me, just a little bruise in my right knee. The rifle and the scopes seems okay too even though it hit the dirt really hard. Not sure however how tough the Vortex internal component are. I'll find out as soon as I can get to the range when I get back.

We're on our way home. Not a successful hunt by any means... Frank never shot a deer. There were no pigs in the properties that we'd hunted on either, since farmers stop planting peanuts 10 years ago due to shortage of water. We were however able to met some of the nicest people around, and were able to secure 5 more properties to hunt in the future. The key is to come early as soon as the season open. We're already planning for next year.

 

[bullet]

Sounds like you two are having a lot of fun even though Frank did not get one. Always love to hear about you two hunting. Next year should be a good one now that you know what to expect. Thanks for sharing and don't forget to post a picture to the deer you got. Sure hope the scope is ok.

 

[DrMike]

DF,

Sounds as if you made some valuable contacts. That can prove as important, or more so, than dropping game. I'll be interested in hearing how the Vortex fared after the spill. I suspect that they are able to take the slam.

 

[Desert Fox]

Sounds like you two are having a lot of fun even though Frank did not get one. Always love to hear about you two hunting. Next year should be a good one now that you know what to expect. Thanks for sharing and don't forget to post a picture to the deer you got. Sure hope the scope is ok.

Mike, Frank and I just got home today and I was just looking forward to post pictures of the hunt when I realized, I left my camera at Franks car. I won't see him probably until Friday. I have some interesting picture of the remains of the 140 grain Berger VLD that I recovered after dumping all of the 1400 ft/lbs of energy on the deer at a distance of 603 yards. Actually, I only found the jacket, just under the hide, on the left side of the deer. Never recovered the lead core however... not sure where it went. I did not see any visible exit wound. It did however made a puréed out of the deer internal organs. The deer dropped as if it was hit by a sledge hammer.

 

[Desert Fox]

DF,

Sounds as if you made some valuable contacts. That can prove as important, or more so, than dropping game. I'll be interested in hearing how the Vortex fared after the spill. I suspect that they are able to take the slam.

DrMike, I have Picatinny base and rings on the rifle. It's pretty robust. I'm concern that the scope might have been damaged. It was an easy shot that I missed! The shot I made the previous day was much more challenging and at twice the distance. I'll find out tomorrow.

 

[bullet]

DF, looking forward to seeing the pictures and I am glad you had a good time. I love hunting trips, they are just cool.

 

[nodak7mm]

DF,

Thaks for keepn us in the loop during your hunt, kinda kool play by play. Looking forwards to the pix and hero pix.

Rod

 

[Desert Fox]

Well, here's my first white tail. Nothing spectacular but I can't be picky.

Here's what was left of the 6.5 -140 grain Berger Hunting VLD... just the jacket. Lead core was nowhere to be found.

Our host Ken had been carrying the deer in his truck for 2 days.

Here's more pictures

My buddy Frank

Here's my favorite place. None showed up here. I think something scared the deers away

896 yards towards the tree line

over 1K at the farthest

Here's what scared the deers away

More picture to come

 

[DrMike]

Yup! Looks like Texas. The condition of the Berger is interesting. On a 600 yard shot, that is interesting. Did the bullet penetrate the entire body? What is your muzzle velocity? How were the wind conditions? Good show. Great pictures that help make the hunt real for me way up north. It sure does look warm!

 

[bullet]

Love it, great country and it was fun and something for you guys to remember.