We wrapped up a successful 2022 Deer season last weekend. I managed to connect on several with the 30-30 contender and it performed as expected. The only difference was neither of these deer left a blood trail, but the 40 yard tracking job wasn't a problem. The second buck was a nice 8 pt (see links below). I was trimming when it was skinned and quartered, but it looked like the bullet (110gn black tipped barnes bullet) created a lot more entrance wound damage that typical (it exploded?) and the exit would was closer to caliber size. I didn't get any pictures while cleaning or skinning.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8u0tkipn8z2imb3/20221112_170108.jpg?dl=0https://www.dropbox.com/s/ozkxix4axyeirw5/20221112_170810.jpg?dl=0The one I was most excited about was a nice button buck that walked by our elevated woods blind right around sunrise didn't realize he was a button buck until i saw him on the ground). I had picked up a 4" redhawk 45colt/acp in the classified forum a couple years ago and finally located some Barnes 225gn copper bullets last spring. I found a load that was deadly (with me shooting) to ~30 yards at (~1300fps if I remember correctly) and connected with the young deer at ~ 13 yards with iron sights. Complete pass through, took the top of the heart off and shredded both lungs. He only ran ~30 yards and left a blood trail a blind man could follow.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/u5w8bw5uhcsfo9n/20221112_081730.jpg?dl=0First deer with iron sights and first deer with a revolver for me. As a kid, I always shot with a scope and never really developed an eye for iron sights. I only started shooting them regularly with pistols in the last 5 years with a goal of gaining proficiency and hunting accuracy to (eventually) 50 yards. Not sure i'll ever get that range, but i'll have fun practicing. I am making an effort to have my son shoot iron sites on a regular basis (rifle and pistol) when we go out.
All in all, it was a great season. The best part was that my wife, 8 yo son and I were out in the blind together when I shot the larger buck and my son's favorite part of the weekend was helping skin it.
