2006 - The Year Of The Deer

[724wd]

got dad's deer on saturday night just as darkness was setting in. i guess shooting him 4 times at 30 yards and less was not the most ideal scenario. the first shot scored (apparently) so he was shot again (in the ass). then the finishing shot in the side, was thought to be a miss because he didnt react. so he was shot again. in the same spot. not good. looks like he didnt react because he was dead, he just didnt know it. we recovered 2 bullets, one in the neck, one under the hide on the left side. the one in the neck would have been the first shot. i think it went from behind the ribs on the right to the neck. then he was shot in the ass on the right side, the bullet hitting the bone and demolishing it, along with the rest of the rear quarter. that bullet lodged under the hide on the left. two blow-throughs from 15 yards right through the middle took care of the ribs and part of the front quarter on the left side. the exits were HORRIBLE. almost makes a guy want to take up bow hunting. that or remember to shoot them in areas less susceptible to damage like the head or neck.... nice deer, but really dissapointing experience. he was an old, giant bodied deer with a fully rutted thick neck. kinda strange.... all the deer we shot this year where puffed up for the rut. never seen that this early before. dad thinks it because we always shoot little deer, never mature bucks like these and that it's normal.

 

the pictures dont do him justice, just like the other deer. this stupid camera shrinks animals and fish..... 18.25 inch inside measurement 4x4

 

so it looks like 2006 was the year of the deer for our clan. this one was shot at the ridge of the same draw the others were taken in.

 

 

and you may remember these two from opening weekend...

[Horsefly]

When it's right at dark and you think the deer you just plunked aint hit that good,it's easy to keep on shooting until you see them pile up.The country I hunt down on the Mexico border is full of very deep,cactus and rock filled canyons where a deer can make 2 hops and be in a place you'd have to use a winch(and we have)to get them out,so If I shoot one,I usually let them have it again if there is any sign of life after the shot.I've never in 40 years lost a deer.It's hard to get over the size of the necks on the deer ya'll shot this year.Jerry

[Guest Guest_MauserILike_*]

I have had this exprience before. First shot was a killer and then take a few more shots thinking that the frist was not good because the reaction of the deer. I have learned to trust my rifles and my shots depending upon the situation. I think this comes with shooting the rifle more and taking more deer with a rifle. I have learned where my rifle places its shots on a clean barrel on a dirty barrel and every place in between. The reason I take another shot is if I am for certain I pulled and the bullet has a chance of going astray. The 30/06 can make a mess of them quick. I would have to ask how many times has your father shot this rifle? How many deer has he taken with it? If you would have made a single shot rifle in 30/06 where you don't have much of a chance to get off another shot the outcome would have been the same mostlikly and your deer would not have to be skinned using a spoon. Just for the fact that a person is more aware that he has only one shot to down this deer and that it better be a good shot. that is how I take every shot. Or at least try to anyway. Stuff happens and I have been glad I had those extra bullets to sling at the deer. Looks like your father used the same rifle as you to down both your deer. Grats they are both fine animals. Trust the bullet and your placement of it and you will find this happens less and less. MIL

[Guest Guest]

I have had this exprience before. First shot was a killer and then take a few more shots thinking that the frist was not good because the reaction of the deer. I have learned to trust my rifles and my shots depending upon the situation. I think this comes with shooting the rifle more and taking more deer with a rifle. I have learned where my rifle places its shots on a clean barrel on a dirty barrel and every place in between. The reason I take another shot is if I am for certain I pulled and the bullet has a chance of going astray. The 30/06 can make a mess of them quick. I would have to ask how many times has your father shot this rifle? How many deer has he taken with it? If you would have made a single shot rifle in 30/06 where you don't have much of a chance to get off another shot the outcome would have been the same mostlikly and your deer would not have to be skinned using a spoon. Just for the fact that a person is more aware that he has only one shot to down this deer and that it better be a good shot. that is how I take every shot. Or at least try to anyway. Stuff happens and I have been glad I had those extra bullets to sling at the deer. Looks like your father used the same rifle as you to down both your deer. Grats they are both fine animals. Trust the bullet and your placement of it and you will find this happens less and less. MIL

Going to add a little to this.. The only experience I had where I actually needed another shot was when on a dog drive late in the season and a large doe came out of the brush at about mach 3 and when I pulled the trigger she changed directions and I shot her through both hip joints droping her in her tracks but not killing her. After the shot she started screaming .. I never like to hear that sound so I put another in her and hitting her back bone ending the bad situation. I was using a 30/06 and when the shot hit her back bone it completely destroyd about a 1/3 of the backstrap and all the bones there. This would not have been a problem but when hung up to skin the shot in the back bone nearly cut her in half. It became very hard to keep her from falling apart into two pieces before cleaning was done. If you want less meat damage you will either have to not hit them in the meat or use a bullet that moves slower and open less violently. The 30/06 is almost to powerfull for this class of animal. A 30/30 or a 7/30 waters or even a 45/70 will do less damage to the surrounding tissue.