Last year, I switched back over to handgunning for whitetails and was blessed enough to fill a tag. Likewise, this year I switched everything over to handgunning and got totally away from rifles all together. I'd vowed to only sit the stand from here out with my handguns.
Earlier this year, I'd picked up my second 7-30 Waters Contender barrel, I'd regretted ever letting my first one go. I'd made my mind up to fill the first of two tags with it, given the chance. I'd worked up a super accurate load with it running a 162 Amax over IMR 8208 XBR and was itching to turn it loose on an unexpecting whitetail. The Kentucky Modern Firearms season opened on 11/10 and I had an uneventful first day on the stand, a small spike ambled thru and I let him pass.
Sunday, 11/11 found me back on the stand. We'd had a warm snap hit right before season opened and I wasn't too optimistic about the day as dawn broke. the same little spike ambled thru again within 10 minutes or so of his trek thru the day before. Again, I let him walk and sit and grinned to myself, he was consistent to say the least.
A short time later, a caught movement in front of me coming outta the thicket in the creek bottom. I spied a large doe ghosting thru the drain heading to the creek. I readied the Contender hoping she'd ease outta the thicket for a shot. As she stepped in the clear, I let out a bleat to stop her. She stopped on que and the 162 Amax found it's mark. I watched her crash after the shot on the creek bank and eased down to her.
Here's the doe I was lucky enough to harvest.....
The following day, a hard front passed thru dumping rain and cooler temps. I sat the day out and stayed home and enjoyed the day with the family. My Mom had come in to spend a day or two and we sat around jawing all day. I checked the forecast for the following day before bed and readied my stuff for a quick departure for the stand Tuesday morning.
As I rolled out the next morning, I ran my head out the door....BRRRRR! Temp was showing around 27 degrees and absolutely still as a stone out. I got ready and hit the woods nestling in around 45 minutes before daylight to let the woods calm down around me. I layered up after I got on stand and awaited daylight.
This sit on the stand found me using my custom Remington XP-100 in .300 WSM. I'd acquired it earlier and wanted to draw blood with it as well. I'd came up with a super accurate load running a 168 Amax over H-4350 and was eagerly awaiting the chance to fill a tag with it. As dawn broke, I heard something trotting up the creek in front of me. As I peered into the creek bottom, I spied a large coyote coming up the creek. I sat back and let him pass, even though I was itching to turn the XP loose.
Shortly afterwards, I rattled and grunted a bit in the creek bottom. Within ten minutes, a large blanket of fog settled in the bottom and visibilty was less than 50 yards. I had heard a grunt from the thicket and returned one back but never got to see the culprit making the noise. The fog lifted some time later and I rattled and grunted again.
Not long afterwards, I heard footfalls coming out of the thicket in front of me. I spied antlers coming thru the thicket and readied for a shot. I pulled my shooting muffs in place and eased the XP over the shooting rail. The buck turned and came straight towards my corn pile. He looked around and started to stick his nose in for some breakfast. I center the Nightforce's crosshairs on his shoulders and eased back on the trigger. At the shot, he dropped in his tracks! I was tickled to say the least.
Here was the view from the stand after the shot.....
A good friend came to help me get him out and snapped a pic or two for me.....
I was blessed to have tagged out this year and even moreso, having done it solely with a handgun. Was a great season and I couldn't be happier!
