I went out on Saturday with my son and we saw a bunch of deer, which isn't unusual for opening day in our area. I managed to get in range of a doe 2 times and missed three shots! After hunting, my son wanted to shoot his pellet gun and the .22 MKIII at steel. After all those misses, I thought, "I'll just see where it's hitting." I aimed at the steel from about 50 yards and shot right over the top of it! I felt better about my shooting skills but was flabbergasted as to how my sights could have gotten so off - especially since I was practicing during the week before. Anyway, I adjusted the sights and was back in business.
On Sunday it was my daughter's turn to come with me. I shot this axis buck. Shout out to my daughter for taking this picture in the field.
I was hunting from a blind, which I don't usually do but decided to because I had my 5 year old daughter with me and I wanted to expose her to a controlled kill. I killed him with my Ruger NM Blackhawk Bisley in .357 Magnum. I was using my reloads of 180gr XTPs over H110. Shot was from about 40 yards. The buck humped up when I shot him and we found blood quick. My little girl was instrumental in helping me find blood to track him with as I'm color blind and finding blood is always difficult for me. Turns out he only went about 60 yards from where I shot him and piled up. Shot was in and out through the rear part of the lungs. I really like shooting them there as it causes very little meat damage but a good blood trail. I will especially use this shot when I'm in familiar country, as I was. The rest of the day was devoted to butchering and getting him in the freezer.
As is my tradition, dinner that night was "Hobo Heart Hash" which is heart fried with bacon, onions, and potatoes. If you've never tried the heart, you are missing out!
I smoked the neck that day/night and made delicious barbacoa.
Later in the week, we made tacos and flautas out of the neck.
So grateful for this opportunity to feed my family and teach my kids the ways of the woods.
