Leaving Idaho left me feeling kind of empty, and sad. Sad in that I'll never know when I'll see my new found friends, or those great mountains again. Empty, in the sense of not knowing when I'll ever get another huckleberry shake. The bigger addiction I left with, is the deep desire to blast another critter with a sixgun. What a way to wet the appetite, by killing a big old 750 +/- lb. cow elk, for your first handgun kill.
A week after I got back from Idaho, I left for my annual trek to WVa., for a few days hunting with my cousins. What rifle to bring, NOT ! The Bisley Hunter got the nod, again. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to hear her bark. All I saw was a lone doe, at 30 yds. I lined the ole' irons snug behind her shoulder, and cocked the hammer, for practice, with my left thumb infront of the hammer, for safety sake. She never knew I was there. When out of sight, I eased the hammer back down.
Today was opening day, in my home state. The county I hunt is shotgun only, but allows handgun ! YEE HAW !!
. Time for another fix. I normally used my muzzleloader, during the shotgun season, to put the hunt back in the hunt. This year, I had something better. Mr. Bisley .45 colt. As sixshot told me several weeks ago, you never master the sixgun. This has resounded thru my head, since I heard it, over and over.
I got in my stand 40 minutes before dawn. It was really windy, and on the chilly side. My tree was swaying back and forth. Usually around this time, I asked myself, what the heck am I doing here, sitting in a tree, in the dark, freezing my tail off. As I watched a beautifull sunrise, and started hearing shots in the distance, I KNEW why. Around 8:30, a bunch of does were grouped up, and entered the wood thicket I was in. The thicket is a finger of woods, between 2 large corn fields. They were coming my way, fast. The lead deer, was the biggest. When she got 25 yards from me, I was ready. I already turned in their direction, when I first saw them, and cleared leather. When the first deer stopped, I lined up the sights, just inside her right shoulder, she was facing me. I then pulled the trigger, and watched Elmer's finest, 454424, strike her. She dropped at the shot, convulsed a few times, and the woods were still again.
About an hour later, I saw a buck working the wood line, heading my way, about 70 yds. away. At 45 yds., he ducked into the woods. He went about 20 yds. into the woods, and stopped. Standing in thick briars and thorn bush, I could clearly see his outline. He was broadside, at 45 Yds. Again, I lined up the sights, tight behind his shoulder. Shooting offhand, I thumbed back the hammer, and started my trigger pull. At the shot, Mr. Buck struck the ground ! Elmers finest did the job again.
The load I used was the same as for the elk hunt.Elmers finest, cast from water queched wheel weights, LBT lube, over 20.0 grs. of 2400, sparked by a Winchester LP primer. They clock out at 1200 fps.
These deer weren't the biggest, by far. But I tell you what, I'll never forget them ! My first and second handgun deer. The hunt is back in the hunt, and I feel pretty good right now, reliving those shots.
It's an addiction for sure. Hopefully, I'll be able to quench my new found thirst again, as I leave for Pa. tomorrow, for a 3 day hunt. You can guess what I'll be carrying. Now, if I can only find a Huckleberry shake............
Here's my first deer of the morning. She'll be a good eating deer.
Here's Mr. Buck , after being introduced to Elmers finest.
