31'' Colorado buck 3rd season

[TrophyHunter_colorado3322]

Here is a buck I killed the last day of 3rd rifle season public land. He was lip curling and chasing two does around to my amazement. I had a some issues with the Berger 168 VLD's but at least I got him, if you look at the deer that is the entrance hole not the exit.

 

[Roy68]

Nice, and congrats.

That shoulder looks rough.

 

[topher89]

What caliber were you shooting those 168 VLDs out of?

And that is a sweet deer!

 

[realunlucky]

Amazing buck

 

[COSA]

Very Nice buck. Seems like CO bucks have bigger ears than mulies from other locales. The two I killed had ear spreads over 24".

 

[TrophyHunter_colorado3322]

Yes he has the biggest ears I have seen I think! The rifle was a custom 280 AI shooting the 168 VLD hunting Bergers at 2945 fps. It was a 200 yard shot, the bullet opened up on the skin and blew a HUGE hole in the hide. The deer ended up bedding right there, when I walked up on him it was a rodeo none the less. I have only used Berger target bullets for hunting, I have over 25 1 shot kills with the 230 gn OTM. I gave the hunting VLD's a try and lets just say that was the last time. I am sure it was a fluke but I don't want to try her out again

 

[TrophyHunter_colorado3322]

Here is a side photo

 

[bigmoose]

That's a awesome buck ! Hard to beat a Nosler Partition.... just saying...LOL!
Glad you got him!

 

[COSA]

With those fronts/beams he's got to be pushing B&C. Only thing I see keeping him out are those cheaters.

 

[jmden]

Wow. What a buck. Nice work! I would agree that was a fluke with the 168 VLD and would try it again if I was u. Every bullet can fail in some way.

 

[TrophyHunter_colorado3322]

Yea he is a great buck, he ended up grossing around 191'' give or take. I'm a long range shooter/hunter and am involved in Fclass and PRS matches and am in love with Berger bullets. I am not going run them down because they didn't work out that great as I knew what I was getting in to with the this jackets on the hunting VLD's.

 

[Bubblehide]

Very nice buck, congratulations!

To me, it looks like the bullet tumbled. The question is why. If there were no possible obstructions in the path of the bullet, I would be double checking the seating depth. Otherwise it looks like one hell of a fluke.

 

[JohnBiggs]

What a Stud of a buck! Congrats!!

 

[velvetfvr]

Great beams to go with the width!

 

[NaturalJon]

How much difference is there in jacket thickness from the hunting to target versions?

 

[Shrek]

Congratulations ! Beautiful buck ! I wouldn't give up on those 168gr Berger Hunting bullets. Mine punch holes through deer. Something freak happened there. Bullet damaged by grass in front of animal and caused it to tumble and come apart ? All the Berger hunting bullets I've used and Matrix of very similar design have worked flawlessly. By your account the deer went basically nowhere and was relatively easy to recover so it didn't completely fail.

 

[6mm Remington]

Very nice buck. Congratulations. I'd not be happy with that bullet either. Hard to beat an Accubond or Partition. Merry Christmas!

 

[TrophyHunter_colorado3322]

I wish that I would have taken more pics of the cape but this is what makes sense to me. The buck was quartering away, the bullet went down his ribs shaving the fir off him like a razor for 4 inches before entering the skin. It then hit a rib and literally exploded on surface sending some fragments in to the chest cavity. My best observation was that the steep angle of the bullet entering and the contact with the hide and rib was enough to initiate the bullet expansion. I know that I don't post a lot here but I have harvested a lot of animals and have never had this happen to an animal. Im just stating my findings so it may help give data that may help somebody with a similar problem. Thanks to everybody for there observations and opinions as it helps me think outside the box!

 

[AKHUNTER]

Great buck! Try Barnes TSX.

 

[gonhunting247]

I still shoot 180 grain core-lokt bullets,so I don't know about Bergers. I will say that is one awesome buck, congrats!