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Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee #208429 10/10/2020 12:52 PM
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The annual gathering of handgun hunters organized by Gary Reeder, aka Handgun Hunters Challenge, was held this year on September 30 running through October 4 in the hills of Tennessee at Wilderness Hunting Lodge.

I arrived Wednesday evening by myself. Kim Ralston was still chasing bears with Matt Nash in Georgia, and my regular hunting partners, Gerald Altman and Britt Jackson had weekend commitments and couldn't get away. I spent the day on Thursday walking the Tennessee hills in two different areas watching for game, taking an inventory of what was available. I saw an abundance of Fallow deer, rams, Sika deer, and a few Blackbuck and Aoudad.

Friday morning Gerald and Britt arrived at breakfast as they were able to get away for the day to come down and hang out with the crew. We went to the area across the road behind the lodge to get a better look at the Blackbuck. There were five hanging together in the field, but none were mature or had any size to them. There was a group of thirteen rams traveling together with two nice Strawberry colored Texas Dalls in the group. We followed the group for a while as I was trying to get a shot on the larger of the two Strawberry rams. I couldn't get a clear shot and the group traveled into the woods and completely disappeared. We searched for over an hour and was about to head in for lunch when we spotted a lone ram in the very far corner of the field. As we moved closer, we found the entire group and by this time they had gotten spooked. They started traveling across the field heading back to the woods and I got in position for a shot. I had my back against a fence post with my 44 magnum BFR resting on a set a shooting sticks. Britt was spotting for me and when he confirmed the largest Strawberry was clear, I took a shot at 73 yards. The ram instantly went down. Upon examination, the shot entered low in the left shoulder taking out the heart and exited in front of the right shoulder. I was using a 240 grain Speer Deep Curl JSP.



After lunch we decided to take a trip through the cornfield as Alan was offering a ram/hog combo. The hogs were congregated deep in the corn and it was hard to get a shot. Finally a nice boar and sow appeared down a corn row within 20 yards. The sow was by far the larger of the two. She had her head down feeding towards us. At a distance of 15 yards, I hit her at the base of the neck with my 45LC using a 250 grain Hornady XTP. This was the same load I used on a Black bear in Maine. The sow went down instantly.





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Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: Randominator] #208430 10/10/2020 1:31 PM
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Congrats!

Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: RBO21] #208431 10/10/2020 1:34 PM
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Sounds like an great hunt. I've always heard that the variety of guns, bullets, and ammo at the HHC is something to be experienced. CONGRATULATIONS Randy!


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Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: Franchise] #208432 10/10/2020 1:46 PM
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Some years there is quite an abundance! ☺







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Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: Randominator] #208433 10/10/2020 2:00 PM
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THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT !
\:\)


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Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: Franchise] #208434 10/10/2020 2:51 PM
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Great looking critters, Randy. That ram is especially nice! I hate I missed this years HHC for its always a memorable hunt, but after chasing bear in the Appalachians for three days, I was wore out!


It takes 43 muscles to frown and 17 to smile, but only 3 for proper trigger squeeze.
Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: Randominator] #208437 10/10/2020 4:16 PM
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Those are a couple of good looking animals, and taken with a couple of good looking revolvers. CONGRATULATIONS !

I know firsthand that your Reeder .45 is a fine handling and shooting meat maker. I bet that BFR is a stout shooting machine as well.

I hope to attend an HHC myself someday soon. I imagine it is the largest gathering of handgun hunters currently happening. It certainly looks like the largest collection of tools and toys.

Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: cmnash] #208447 10/11/2020 2:31 AM
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Looks like y'all had one heck of a time!


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Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: Randominator] #208449 10/11/2020 3:07 AM
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Sounds like a great event. Nice ram and hog. How many handgunners were in attendance?


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Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: billa] #208452 10/11/2020 11:05 AM
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Good shooting Randy

Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: racksmasher1] #208454 10/11/2020 2:19 PM
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We had about 30 hunters in attendance this year. The numbers were down due to Covid. Most years we have around 50 people in attendance.


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Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: Randominator] #208456 10/11/2020 4:26 PM
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That many serious handgunners is a great event. I wonder how many of them are former HHI members or are Participating members of this Site?


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Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: racksmasher1] #208460 10/11/2020 5:25 PM
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Looks like good times!!

Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: rougerocco] #208462 10/11/2020 6:03 PM
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wish I was there.... had a great time the three times I did attend...


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Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: jamesfromjersey] #208473 10/12/2020 1:42 PM
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Nice story.
How many handgun hunters did you have this year?


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Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: Ernie] #208478 10/12/2020 2:22 PM
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Good job. I let that sneak up on me. I intended to go. I love setting on that big hog wallow at the back of the place across the road. Matt and I have been talking about going once it cools down a bit.


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Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: reflex264] #208483 10/12/2020 8:57 PM
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Is there a mailing list for this event?


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Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: Sawfish] #208487 10/12/2020 11:00 PM
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No mailing list. Gary will post the date once it?s confirmed with Alan. We usually know the date by June or July. Updates are posted on his forum.


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Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: Sawfish] #208493 10/13/2020 1:31 AM
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KRal Offline
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 Originally Posted By: Sawfish
Is there a mailing list for this event?


More times than not, it?ll be the first weekend of October.


It takes 43 muscles to frown and 17 to smile, but only 3 for proper trigger squeeze.
Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: KRal] #208595 10/18/2020 5:51 PM
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Definitely a fun place to hunt. You can make it as hard or as easy as you want. They have over 15,000 acres of hills, mountains, creeks and fields. The best thing is the friends you may only see every other year or so, and meeting new ones. playing with new toys, and finding one you need to add. The accommodations are wonderful there, all inclusive. Gary puts on a great show, there is a big raffle one night, with fantastic give aways.


You cant shoot a big one, if you shoot a little one first.......
Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: bearskinner] #208643 10/21/2020 4:24 PM
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I?d like to go to something like this. Someday I reckon

Re: Annual HHC hunt in Tennessee [Re: thadf] #208660 10/23/2020 8:04 PM
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Do it while you can, and while they are still having the hunt!


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