You a card player? AH full house being 3 of one kind and 2 of another. Thought I'd try something a little unusual this year- get 3 bucks and 2 does during hunting season- all with different weapons and/or loads.
Well, in WV you can only 2 bucks with a gun or bow and the 3rd with the other weapon. I saw an average 8 point on my farm several times, so I took my cross bow to my stand. After several days he came by!
32 yards, double shoulder, with complete penetration. ) I said bang! That count?) Used a cheap Wal Mart fixed blade Allen broadhead. Used these for 35+ years. Always shoot double shoulder, always complete penetration. Why by the expensive ones when this works so good?
Now, for the good stuff. Gun season. First day saw me in my super nice ground blind with PaMike. 10 minutes after day light 8 does filtered in my 400X300 yd. field. 10 minutes later 4 spikes, a 3 point, 4 point and 5 point filtered in. 15 deer in this field. Wow! I let Mike go first- HS 7mm SAUM, 188 yds, 5 point, DOA. The deer jumped a little, but stayed. I had a new bullet to test-250 gr. TTSX in my .375/.284 XP. The 4 point turned broadside.
He jumped about 4 ft. straight up at the shot. He ran a little. Hit at the front edge of the shoulder.2 1/2" exit, 3 1/2" of internal damage. It's an OK bullet. Good for bear, elk, big African plains game.
The next few days I went elsewhere, but had lots of problems due to the brutal rain we were getting. Couldn't get to my #1 farm and several others. You know it's bad when 4WD won't work.
Finally went back to my farm, barely. Had 3 does come out at 350 yds. I was getting ready for my Carmen Mtn. whitetail hunt, so I wanted a long shot with a 6.5 NPT in my 6.5/.284.. I really wanted a buck. Just before I pulled, a broken up 6 point on my neighbor's farm jumped the fence and ran to the does. They weren't ready for love, so he fed with them. He turned broadside at 353. Double shoulder. Dropped! 1 1/4" exit, 1 3/4" internal damage. Never used this bullet a lot. Gets my seal of approval.
None of theses bucks were trophy quality. They rarely exit in WV. I just love shooting deer. All the meat is give to older or needy people.
So there's my 3 of a kind. Now for does. My next weapon of choice was my 6" S&W .500 Mag with UltraDot and 275 gr. Xs. Went to my bow stand one morning. 30 minutes after daylight a large doe came eating acorns. She got broadside at 50 yds. Edge of both shoulders, thrown to the ground. Instant death. 3 1/2" internal damage, 1 3/4" exit.
One to go. Went out on our late doe season. I heard about the Sierra Game Changer. Had GaSixgunner send me a few that his brother-in-law had. Went to the farm that I got shot on 20 years ago- a weird anniversary. At 4:40 a nice heavy, wide 4 point came out the woods. Should be nice next year. At 4:50, almost dark, 3 does came out. The Game Changer shoots 5" higher than my ABs and BTs in my 6.5/.284 XP (10"twist). I held on the very bottom of the doe's belly at 131 yds. She ran to a steep hill and down it for 75 yds
I'd hit dead center the right shoulder and exited behind the left shoulder
Notice the small 1 1/4" exit with a rib showing. That's pretty small for a tipped bullet, and much less damage than a BT.I was not thinking good things about this bullet as I was cleaning this deer in the dark on the steep hill.. As far as I'm concerned this is a NON Game Changer. A Sierra Game King causes 2-3X the damage of this bullet. Better rethink this bullet Sierra.
Mission accomplished. 5 deer, 5 different loads( well, sort of). Deer season was good, but the total year was not. Only took 58 deer this year. Way substandard thanks to the rain. Maybe next year?
