Tough hunting season but thankful.

ShadeTree

Handloader
Mar 6, 2017
3,518
3,025
Deer sightings were few and far between. They just disappeared around here for whatever reason. Wasn't seeing them in the fields in the evenings in the area and even when crops were cut in the beginning and during the rut, zero activity. Some guys think a batch of coyotes has them run out of the area, could be, don't know.

Anyways only 1 buck seen and it wasn't legal.

The second week I spotted a deer bedded in some high weeds along a cut corn field. Put a stalk on it with the wind in my face and it worked out. Shot was 45 yds with my old 141 in 35 Rem that I load with 180 Speers. Entered right where I wanted tight behind the shoulder, exited through the off shoulder. Took out the heart and lungs, it went 10 ft.



The last evening with just a few minutes left of legal shooting light left I got a chance at a big doe. The smart thing to do probably would've been to be using a scoped rifle overlooking a field, but I carried the 141 until I killed a deer and did the same with this and stuck to the plan. Remington 7600 in 30-06 with a Skinner peep on it. Loaded with 150 sierra pro hunter. Shot was around 80 yds and was the reverse of the 141 deer. Entered forward shoulder, exited behind the off shoulder, took out heart and lungs. She ran 80-100 yds until she crashed as heart shots sometimes do.



Still like the 35 Rem cartridge at woods ranges even in it's slowed down form at low pressure in a 141. Deer are individuals but so far there's been no exceptions with that cartridge. Deer don't make it far, and very little bloodshot.
 
Great account that reminds each of us why this is hunting and not just harvesting. Great to see you using those fine firearms that seem sometimes to have fallen out of favour. It is a good reminder as to why they are classic rifles.
 
Congratulations on your tenacity. Your perseverance paid off with a couple of fine animals. Also, good shooting on your part.
 
Congratulations on your tenacity. Your perseverance paid off with a couple of fine animals. Also, good shooting on your part.
Thanks, it took it. There's deer in the county, just not here this yr for whatever reason. The second Thursday we had snow....I left my house and walked 3.5 miles on a loop on both sides of the ridge here. Cut 1 little deer track and I didn't even follow it because I figured a little deer by itself is a button buck, and I'm not intentionally going after a little deer.

Who knows, next yr there could be deer everywhere moved in. We had enough acorns, so I'm thinking too that maybe coyotes got them run out of the area. Deer were on public ground on the mountain across the valley from where I live.....heard a fair amount of shooting up there.

Very fortunate to get what I did. We were out of deer burger. Could've easily ate tag soup this yr, killed the only 2 deer I had an opportunity at.

Got late flintlock season yet and got a buck and doe tag left, but I wont be hunting here.
 
That’s a really nice deer!
Ive always hunted for meat, but getting a big Buck is always the goal if possible.
I’ve hunted more this year than I’ve ever hunted before, I only saw six deer total, and they all were Doe.
The sixth one went home with me for the freezer.
Congratulations on a fine Deer!
 
Congratulations on getting your deer with the rifles you wanted to use. Know what that is like. Understand your deer situation. Family farm where I hunt has some deer pass through but doesn't seem to hold them like it used to. We did get a few but the ones we had pictures of before season with exception of 2 disappeared. That happens. Dan.
 
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