After working a 12 hour night shift I "roughed it" (oh man, let me tell ya!) out to the hunting spot this AM.
I always tell myself "I'M GOING TO......hold out for a biggun" HA! Guess Im just not trophy buck hunter material. I JUST LIKE SHOOTIN" EM!
Bright sunshine forecast, 5 mph wind, 30 degrees at sunrise and it sounds like "war of the world" is starting here on opening day in Indiana! So much shooting within hearing distance I about wore my neck out trying to look everywhere at once. History of hunting this spot since 1976 tells me THEY CAN COME FROM ANYWHERE....and FAST!
An hour into season and I see a buck nosing three does in the neighboring field, back and forth, back and forth then I lose them in the creek bottom I'm sitting in but still on the neighboring property but within minutes I see one of the does outlined down in the cover right at where the fencerow and the creekbed meet.
Im sitting on a swivel seat with my "shooting sticks" (homemade) facing NE and they are straight east down the creekbed but the slight wind is SE, so I'm good so far.
The does come up out of the creek on the other side of the fence then pop over to my side and head south. I see antlers coming up behind them so......I'm ready.
This NOT where I wanted them to be...... :lol: Imagine that! This is actually the side closest to the road where I walked in from and I'm only 200 yards off the road. If they head that direction.....I have no shot, safety wise so when the buck hits ground on my side.....its now or never.
Off goes the safety as I see his haunches drop to hop the fence and I follow him in the scope (were talking a CLOSE shot here boys) and when his feet hit the ground.....WHAM!
At the shot he staggered, made a half dozen half hearted bounds covering about 40 yards in the does direction and drops.
Naturally the does stand their hooving their nose at me at 80 yards broadside.....since I cant shoot. :roll:
I was shooting my "short range" loads there of a Speer 180 (aka cheaper) since max range in this ground stand is about 150-175 yards. 100 yards probably average.
Mostly facing me the bullet hit right in front of the shoulder and ended up under the skin on the off ham. You can actually see the "dimple" on his hip in the one photo before I cut it out.
Friend Jim, also shooting the 350JR shot a duplicate sized 8 point (Eastern count) and stayed to shoot two does so we are four for four for the 350JR for opening day. He sits 25 feet up and had a shooting gallery around him going most the morning.
FIRST BLOOD FOR THE 350JR!!! :grin:
Not a bad start. Now for the does......out again in the AM. Weather is to be a carbon copy of today.
God Bless
Steve
I always tell myself "I'M GOING TO......hold out for a biggun" HA! Guess Im just not trophy buck hunter material. I JUST LIKE SHOOTIN" EM!
Bright sunshine forecast, 5 mph wind, 30 degrees at sunrise and it sounds like "war of the world" is starting here on opening day in Indiana! So much shooting within hearing distance I about wore my neck out trying to look everywhere at once. History of hunting this spot since 1976 tells me THEY CAN COME FROM ANYWHERE....and FAST!
An hour into season and I see a buck nosing three does in the neighboring field, back and forth, back and forth then I lose them in the creek bottom I'm sitting in but still on the neighboring property but within minutes I see one of the does outlined down in the cover right at where the fencerow and the creekbed meet.
Im sitting on a swivel seat with my "shooting sticks" (homemade) facing NE and they are straight east down the creekbed but the slight wind is SE, so I'm good so far.
The does come up out of the creek on the other side of the fence then pop over to my side and head south. I see antlers coming up behind them so......I'm ready.
This NOT where I wanted them to be...... :lol: Imagine that! This is actually the side closest to the road where I walked in from and I'm only 200 yards off the road. If they head that direction.....I have no shot, safety wise so when the buck hits ground on my side.....its now or never.
Off goes the safety as I see his haunches drop to hop the fence and I follow him in the scope (were talking a CLOSE shot here boys) and when his feet hit the ground.....WHAM!
At the shot he staggered, made a half dozen half hearted bounds covering about 40 yards in the does direction and drops.
Naturally the does stand their hooving their nose at me at 80 yards broadside.....since I cant shoot. :roll:
I was shooting my "short range" loads there of a Speer 180 (aka cheaper) since max range in this ground stand is about 150-175 yards. 100 yards probably average.
Mostly facing me the bullet hit right in front of the shoulder and ended up under the skin on the off ham. You can actually see the "dimple" on his hip in the one photo before I cut it out.
Friend Jim, also shooting the 350JR shot a duplicate sized 8 point (Eastern count) and stayed to shoot two does so we are four for four for the 350JR for opening day. He sits 25 feet up and had a shooting gallery around him going most the morning.
FIRST BLOOD FOR THE 350JR!!! :grin:
Not a bad start. Now for the does......out again in the AM. Weather is to be a carbon copy of today.
God Bless
Steve
