Had a date to cull another doe at the same ranch as last Sunday. So, I took the 15" MGM Barreled Encore Pistol in .30-06 Springfield to the range this morning to get her zeroed with the new loads I's made. Sighted it in for 2" high @ 100 yards. That gives me a center hold to about 275 yards and only 6.7" low at 300 yards.
That'll do.
Met my rancher friend at his work shop at 3:45 this afternoon. Hung out and visited for a bit. He knew I was intending to use my pistol and one of the first things he asked was to see my "Pocket Pistol". He was rather impressed. Anyway................he liked the Encore pistol. Had never seen anything like it before but figured it would do. Asked why I didn't just go ahead and build it in .300 WM. I reminded him of the point of diminishing return and he laughingly said he wanted a night time pictures of me shooting this gun.
Anyway, after visiting, we set out to the stand he wanted me to hunt from. Having no clue what time the feeder went off, he poured corn out underneath the feeder for good measure and we climbed up in the box stand.
That is the stand in the background.
I had brought a tripod to put my camera on in order to film the shot. But, I was anticipating shooting from the ground with a bipod. Being in the box blind with a window shelf........I needed a rear support. So, I had to use the top of the tripod for my rear support and my rear bag as a front rest. The bipod would have been too tall for the window. Improvise.
I'm not a box blind/feeder fan. Too cramped and limited. But...........when in Rome..............we aim to please. Fortunately, we only waited 5 minutes before a doe showed up. He said, "That's a shooter." Hell! I hadn't even gotten my GUN out of the case! I told him I'd shoot her if she was still there when I got set up. Dragging my feet to enjoy the time and sun set..........I finally got ready...........and she was still there.
Oh well. Guess it was time to go to work. Besides.......this was a cull hunt and the man wanted her gone. When in Rome...............we aim to please.
Now, I'd handed him my camera and asked if he could film the shot. He is an old school individual. Great guy. Great shot. Absolute gun nut!!! He and I get along great! But..........he ain't a camera guy. We waited for the doe to finally quarter away and I told him I was ready. He started recording..........shakily. The doe was right at 100 yards away. I held slightly low on the chest and slightly back to account for the high zero and quartering shot.
BOOM!!!!
The doe jumped in the air and began to stumble away. I reacquired her in the scope as she hobbled towards the brush. I knew she was going down as she was doing the death run..........lower......and lower.....and lower to the ground like a plane losing altitude before a crash. All her effort was put into making the brush. Which, she did. And immediately tumbled over. Making it maybe 30 yards after impact.
The video? Yeah. There is one. You see the deer. And at the shot............the ceiling..........the floor........and then the deer again as she stumbles for the brush line. The rancher cussing at her the whole way. As if the increased level of profanity would somehow prevent her from making the brush. Then, when she did make the brush.........he emphatically expressed his displeasure with that result..........and finished with "I hope this doesn't have sound." Yeah..........it does.
So, you won't get to see the video. Not much to see anyway. Just a few shaky clips of the deer before the shot. Then the blind. Then a few frames of the deer running. Then the blind. All cemented together by cuss words. I like the guy. A lot! He ain't a camera man. God love'em!
I told him she was down just inside the brush and we got down from the blind. Walked over to the impact point and then followed (just because) the rather large blood trail to the edge of the brush.
And right over the cactus............
The exit hole as she fell.
And the first game animal with my new MGM Barreled Encore.
Nothing special. Just a brush country doe. But, being out and about with friends and guns surrounded by beautiful scenery is what it's all about.
Loaded her up, filled out the MLD Tag (Management Tag), thanked my friend...........and took her home. About 5 minutes away. It was rough, I tell ya.
Bullet: 125gr Hornady SST
Muzzle Velocity: 2,964 fps
Distance to Target: 100 yards
Placement: Quartering Away Through Both Lungs
Impact Velocity: 2,660 fps (estimated)
Distance Traveled: Approximately 30 yards
Entrance:
Entrance Under Hide:
Entrance Under Shoulder: (broke 2 ribs)
Entrance Ribs Removed:
Entrance Left Lung:
Path through Lungs:
Exit Right Lung:
Exit to Ribs:
Exit Through Ribs: (broke 1 rib)
Exit Under Shoulder:
Exit Under Hide: (Behind Shoulder)
Exit:
It was like a bomb went off inside her. According to Hornady, the top end of this bullet's velocity threshold is 3,200 fps. That would be something to see. Because at just shy of 2,700 fps........it turned her innards to soup. I'd say it worked.
Short hunt. Fun hunt. Educational hunt. No worries.
