First ML Deer

[Anschutz]

On Friday, I hunted a new area, starting on the west side with high elevation and thick cover. I encountered a doe and a buck but couldn't get a shot. After fog rolled in, I moved to the east side. While stalking a doe in a meadow, I missed a shot and double-checked the area, finding no blood or hair. As I searched for my lost rear sight aperture, another doe approached. I took a close shot, and she ran to my right. How did I miss? I started reloading as she moved through thick brush. She came back, following the same path and I fired again. She mule kicked, ran about 10 yards, then pushed another 5 or so before expiring. Upon inspection, I discovered I had actually shot two deer, doe fawns, both shot precisely where I aimed. Through the smoke, I didn't see the first fall out of my view. My doe tags are now filled.

I'm using the open sight MR-X, T/C sabots with 300gr XTP, and 80gr of Pyrodex RS zeroed at 50 yards.

I got a ride to my Jeep and went to our skinning shed. My buddy did one so he could get some practice. The deer I was working on (the one I shot second) was hit on the point of the shoulder, and it exited just before the paunch. The one he was working on had no exit. The heart was destroyed, and it went all the way through the guts. I offered to trade but he said it was fine. We didn't find that bullet, but I wasn't sifting through the guts to find a bullet. While boning out the meat at home, I found the bullet lodged in the knee joint. I weighed it at 280gr and .760" after approximately 3 feet of penetration.

Do I wish they had been big does? Sure, but I got 5lbs of jerky from one's hindquarters, a few smaller roasts from one, a few pounds of fajita meat, and about 10lbs of breakfast sausage (my first attempt). If anything, I wish I'd hit about 3" left on one and two inches left on the other because one shoulder from each was almost unusable.

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[Ringbill27]

Smoke poles are fun! And the season here in MN is quiet. Too cold or something I guess.

I like white hots and Barnes.

 

[Felix40]

Pretty cool bullet performance. And fast reloading.

 

[Anschutz]

Pretty cool bullet performance. And fast reloading.

I was no Boone or Crockett out there. It was probably about 3 or 4 minutes between shots between trying to reload and watch her. I've got cheap load tubes from Walmart. Don't recommend them because they're too big to pour quickly but they do keep everything in one place. I only carry 2 extras with me because when am I going to use three shots...?

I was quite happy with the bullet performance. It was the first I tried out of the box with this gun, and my first three shots were dead on at 50 in a nice group.

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[Anschutz]

Smoke poles are fun! And the season here in MN is quiet. Too cold or something I guess.

I like white hots and Barnes.

They are fun. My area only allows shotguns and smoke poles. I don't plan on living here long term, so I opted for a MZ that I could easily make CO/NW legal. The front fiber optic is a little large for anything beyond 100 yards IMO, but in the woods I'm hunting it works fine, and at the range these were shot, about any front sight would work.

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[flathead#2]

I'm taking off the whole week of muzzy.
Comes in week before Thanksgiving.
Gonna try and roundball one to death.

 

[Ringbill27]

They are fun. My area only allows shotguns and smoke poles. I don't plan on living here long term, so I opted for a MZ that I could easily make CO/NW legal. The front fiber optic is a little large for anything beyond 100 yards IMO, but in the woods I'm hunting it works fine, and at the range these were shot, about any front sight would work.

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I had the same problem with my sights. Barely shot dinner plate groups at 100yds. Threw a scope on when MN legalized it and groups came down to 2-2.5”.

 

[Anschutz]

I had the same problem with my sights. Barely shot dinner plate groups at 100yds. Threw a scope on when MN legalized it and groups came down to 2-2.5”.

Groups are fine. If I put a scope on it, it'll be a Vortex PST 1-4 I took off my Service Rifle but it's such an easy carry, I'd don't want to mess that up.

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[Ringbill27]

Groups are fine. If I put a scope on it, it'll be a Vortex PST 1-4 I took off my Service Rifle but it's such an easy carry, I'd don't want to mess that up.

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I hear ya. Scopes add bulk. My young eyes struggle seeing the front sight for years now. So I’m forced to scopes. That vortex would work great on a muzzleloader.

 

[blackpowder72]

Congratulations!

 

[Anschutz]

I hear ya. Scopes add bulk. My young eyes struggle seeing the front sight for years now. So I’m forced to scopes. That vortex would work great on a muzzleloader.

I’ve made an update—it now has a scope. I decided to mount a 3-9x32 Tasco that I’ve owned for 25 years. It originally came with my first deer rifle, an NEF .243. So, why the change? The largest buck I’ve ever had a chance to shoot was about 110 yards away, moving along a ridge. Between the brown of the deer, the brown leaves, and the .1" front sight being too large, I couldn’t get a clear sight picture. I ended up lowering the sights to see him, lining them up, and raising them to his body. I can only assume the shot went right over his back. I’ll worry about being legal in Colorado when I move back to Colorado.

It's still a pretty handy package. I've zeroed 2" high at 100yds with 100gr of Pyrodex. I tried the Federal Bor Locks as well because they were on clearance at Wally World. Those did not group well with the 3 I shot (8" at 100). Here's my final 3 shots with XTPs. The two on the right, then an adjustment left and up.



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[Ringbill27]

I’ve made an update—it now has a scope. I decided to mount a 3-9x32 Tasco that I’ve owned for 25 years. It originally came with my first deer rifle, an NEF .243. So, why the change? The largest buck I’ve ever had a chance to shoot was about 110 yards away, moving along a ridge. Between the brown of the deer, the brown leaves, and the .1" front sight being too large, I couldn’t get a clear sight picture. I ended up lowering the sights to see him, lining them up, and raising them to his body. I can only assume the shot went right over his back. I’ll worry about being legal in Colorado when I move back to Colorado.

You feel my pain and welcome to the dark side. I’ve had a rough deer season so far hunted 13 days only seen 1 doe. Unfortunately my part of the state of MN is basically bucks only and on typical year if I get a shot I have to make it. When I put a scope on my cva I went for 10” groups down to 1.5” at 100yds. Finally started hitting deer.