Still had two doe tags......had an XP in 6mm Ackley Improved that I had never blooded....hadn't killed a deer with a handgun this year.......so it got the call to duty.......thought I'd try to set up for a long shot, so I hunted the biggest field on the place.....still could only shoot out to 325......does came across the field this morning and wouldn't stop long enough for a "long" shot......had to shoot this one on the move at about 75 yards before she busted me (sitting on the ground at the edge of the field).......perfect heart shot.....thought she was going to run over me
.....she came within 20 yards of me on a death run and fell about 40 yards away........I reloaded and tried to get on one of the other big does in the group that was standing at 275 yards but a yearling spooked and they got gone before I could do the deed........I haven't shot this pistol much and was using new unformed brass, 45.5 grains of IMR 4831 and a cheap 100 grain Rem core lock bullet.....a mild fireforming load that produced a sub 1" 3 shot group in testing........killing does is not a bad way to fireform brass but I think I'll have a good load, with a better bullet, worked up in formed brass before I hunt with it again!!
I stayed seated after I shot the doe and, about 45 minutes later, I had a half rack buck come in.......I saw him earlier this year during bow season and thought he was broken off on one side......well, I watched him at less than 40 yards for 10 minutes and he isn't broken off, he just doesn't have an antler base on the right side! He walked within 10 yards of me several times and I could have easily killed him with a bow......he looked me over at least a dozen times but couldn't figure out what I was.....he circled the dead doe a couple of times......while this was going on, I studied his head with binoculars , looking to see why he only had one horn......after I saw that he only had one pedicle, I watched closely as he walked away and it looked like he only has one testicle???? I watched him work a scrape as he left, so I'm guessing that he can breed, but he needs to be culled....unfortunately, I'm out of buck tags for the year!
