Rifles for Hunting Big Mule Deer

robby denning

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image0 (1).jpeg

Got my ever-so-shy Rokslide buddy @VANDAL (haha Corey, tag you're it!) back on the Rokcast. We're talking about our rifles and how we arrived at pretty much the same system independent of each other. And that's his buck ^ we mention in the episode taken at the extreme LR of 70 yards (not missing a zero there).

 

LONE HUNTER

Lil-Rokslider
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I don't kill near as many big bucks as you guys but I tend to kill "better" bucks for where I hunt with a few actual big bucks sprinkled in there.

My rifle is similar. Christensen Mesa 6.5 Creedmoor, Nightforce SHV ( I do have turrets but have hardly ever dialed them to shoot a buck). My average kill shot is about 250 yards. I have killed one as far as 711 and as close as 85.

Seems like when I get a shot at a good buck not even a huge buck but just a good one, I have not much time to make it happen. I've shot almost all of them off my butt using a long leg bipod. Its range the deer, fall to my rear and shoot!
 

ianpadron

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Have the UM boys convinced you to get a Sixer yet Robby?

Felt like during that old S2H podcast Jake had you close haha
 
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robby denning

robby denning

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Have the UM boys convinced you to get a Sixer yet Robby?

Felt like during that old S2H podcast Jake had you close haha
hey man, they did! and I'm on the list, but when they got behind with the member deliveries, Ryan and I moved me down the list so the member orders get filled first. I'd expect something this spring. Really excited to shoot a 6UM.
 

street

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@VANDAL and @robby denning

I had same experience with my buck this year. Shot at 170yds, bullet didn't exit, didn't see any blood. He tipped over after about 20-50yds. 300win mag.

Spotted deer at 1k, hiked to 170yds for shot based on terrain. Similar experience to my buck last year; terrain.

Good podcast
 
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robby denning

robby denning

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@VANDAL and @robby denning

I had same experience with my buck this year. Shot at 170yds, bullet didn't exit, didn't see any blood. He tipped over after about 20-50yds. 300win mag.

Spotted deer at 1k, hiked to 170yds for shot based on terrain. Similar experience to my buck last year; terrain.

Good podcast
Thanks for chiming in Mike 👊
 
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robby denning

robby denning

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I don't kill near as many big bucks as you guys but I tend to kill "better" bucks for where I hunt with a few actual big bucks sprinkled in there.

My rifle is similar. Christensen Mesa 6.5 Creedmoor, Nightforce SHV ( I do have turrets but have hardly ever dialed them to shoot a buck). My average kill shot is about 250 yards. I have killed one as far as 711 and as close as 85.

Seems like when I get a shot at a good buck not even a huge buck but just a good one, I have not much time to make it happen. I've shot almost all of them off my butt using a long leg bipod. Its range the deer, fall to my rear and shoot!
👍👍👍
 

VANDAL

WKR
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@VANDAL and @robby denning

I had same experience with my buck this year. Shot at 170yds, bullet didn't exit, didn't see any blood. He tipped over after about 20-50yds. 300win mag.

Spotted deer at 1k, hiked to 170yds for shot based on terrain. Similar experience to my buck last year; terrain.

Good podcast

@street. Thanks for the feedback. The bullet performance is still on my mind….but I processed the meat the other day and I did find 2 very small bullet fragments on the inside of the shoulder. I’m guessing that bullet just disintegrated inside the body cavity.

Gonna go back and try some new bullets for next year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Dioni A

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I ended up going a little different direction. I’ve had quite a few rifles over the years but they’re all somewhat similar. They’re between 9.5 and 10 lbs. scopes top end magnification from 15 to 18x and most of my shots taken prone. My average distance over the last 18 big bucks was 423 (7 of them were between 400 and 430) my current rifle is a tikka 22 creedmoor in a rokstock with a maven rs1.2 built by @Unknown Munitions . It’s by far my favorite rifle and the easiest shooting gun I’ve ever had.
 

LONE HUNTER

Lil-Rokslider
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@street. Thanks for the feedback. The bullet performance is still on my mind….but I processed the meat the other day and I did find 2 very small bullet fragments on the inside of the shoulder. I’m guessing that bullet just disintegrated inside the body cavity.

Gonna go back and try some new bullets for next year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Remind me, was it a 143 eld-x? or what bullet was it again
 
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robby denning

robby denning

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I ended up going a little different direction. I’ve had quite a few rifles over the years but they’re all somewhat similar. They’re between 9.5 and 10 lbs. scopes top end magnification from 15 to 18x and most of my shots taken prone. My average distance over the last 18 big bucks was 423 (7 of them were between 400 and 430) my current rifle is a tikka 22 creedmoor in a rokstock with a maven rs1.2 built by @Unknown Munitions . It’s by far my favorite rifle and the easiest shooting gun I’ve ever had.
All good thanks for chiming in, but you gotta tell us what your shortest & longest rifle shot was too
 

TaperPin

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Cheese and rice! Occasional close range shots are a real thing we should prepare for and not just crazy talk?! 70 yard parallax?! Oh Lord! What bipod setting is best?! *chuckle*
 
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