Well, after a mediocre season, I was finally able to get out and hunt during our Iowa late muzzleloader season. It's legal here to hunt with a handgun during this season, plus it's a little longer than most, so I wait until its cold and head out.

I had only been able to get out and spot around a couple of mid-days and hadn't seen anything to get too excited about. Well Christmas night, my wife gave me a kitchen pass and I was able to locate one that was worth getting excited about. I shoot 44 specials, and I know that I am part of a little cult, but I just love the round and love shooting it and know its limitations. So the Freedom Arms 97 that I bought this off-season and topped with a Leupold 2.5x8 made the trip with me. I had a Python on my hip in case one got super close, but it was all for naught.

The temp in Iowa was about 17 with 15 to 20 mph winds, about 6 inches of snow on the ground, perfect. I was able to get into a terrace about 40 yards short of where I wanted to be when I spotted deer coming down the fencerow at me. I was stuck. After a short wait and being perfectly still, the little bucks and does fed off. As the last of the deer I had seen bugged out, I look up and see a dandy in the timber 200 yards out. He gave me about 10 seconds of wonder-lust and disappeared. Crap! God bless the neighbor, he missed the deer I had been watching 5 minutes later and he came blasting out 150 yards in front of me. At least he was still alive, but gone for the day.

December 26, I got off work late and subsequently am late getting to my fencerow. As I pull into the cornfield to glass, then get dressed, I see one deer out. It's him! I can't get dressed fast enough or low enough behind the pickup, but finally get it done and off I go. He's at 200 yards and moving my way. I tuck behind the drifted over fence and start his way. As I peek over the top to check him, he's at the end of the terrace that I wanted to be in, 125 yards away. Ugh! I sneak about 10 more steps and check again and he has stepped away from the terrace, 102 yards away, but straight on. Well, I thumb the FA and wait. He takes 2 or 3 steps, and turns broadside. I remember the recoil, but never heard the gun go off. A big classic kick/buck and he off. He went about 150 yards, stopped, stood there for about 5 minutes, then bedded. I snuck up and put a finisher in him taking out a shoulder. My biggest buck ever, and by far with a handgun.

It was truly a Merry Christmas for me. Hope the pics turn out on here okay. Pythonhunter

VERY NICE!!!! Congratulations!!

Outstanding! If we could only use handguns in our BP season...

monster buck at 100yrds with a 44special....that is special!

Congrats on a very nice buck! Well done.

Excellent Buck and great shot!

Very nice buck. Great shootin'.

Thats awesome...Congrats

Wow! Great hunt and awesome deer! Congratulations, man!

Fantastic deer and great shot! Congratulations!

MERRY CHRISTMAS INDEED !!! Very Nice. WHAT A RACK !!

Man what a bruiser good job and congratulations!

Congrats! That's a stud!!!

Congrats on the awesome buck.

SLAMMER, great shot.

Wow, what a great buck! Congratulations, thanks for sharing!!!!

PH, what's the details on your load and gun? A pic of the M97 would be nice.

Awesome buck, great shooting!

Great buck!

Now I remember why I was thinking on moving to Iowa (in my dreams!). Great buck.

Congrats, that is indeed a very nice Buck. You done good! Some day I am going to have to get me one of those rotary guns and try that instead of my single shots.

Larry

PythonHunter

Not sure if I missed something, did you take your deer with the .44 Spl., if so what sort of load were you using?

A very nice deer.

To bad your hunt was not filmed as your trophy surely is excellent.....

Pythonhunter,

Thats a super buck and some good shooting. Congratulations.

Outstanding buck! Nicely done

Thank you all for the kind words. I will have to work on photos of the gun, I can't seem to locate any here at home. It's a factory too cool Freedom arms 97 with a 5.5" barrel and the roundd butt option in 44 special. I topped it with a Leupold VariX III 2.5x8, though I never took it off 4x other than during sight in. The load is a factory Speer 200 gr. GDHP that the gun absolutely loves. I can't seem to find the magic with handloads, though it gives me something to work at in the off-season.

Anyway, more pics to come and thanks again.

PH