1st of the season

[markc]

This deer season has started off slowly.  Other that shooting a coyote during archery season, the deer movement has been slow, and  the hogs have been playing hard to find.  I took a trip to our hill country ranch and took this buck with my TC.   In the first pic, this little button buck came in and bedded down both outside and then inside the feeder pen. 


A few minutes after he left this buck came passing through.

[sweetwyominghome]

Congrats! Now how about a little info about the shot, the load you are using and terminal performance?

[markc]

SWH,  well it is a Super 16,  Burris 2X7 pistol scope, Hornady factory Leverrevolution 200gr.   That buck walked out at approx 40 yds and when I fired the fatal shot, he was walking towards me at no more than 20 feet.  Rather close, but I certainly will not complain.  Anyway, hit him on the right front shoulder, exited behind front left, (quartered towards me).  He hopped, went no more than 10 more yards and piled up.  

I haven't hunted much with the TC the past few years, except for hogs, so this was a first in a long time deer with the TC.  Kind of gives me the itch to begin hunting with it more often like I used to.  Actually this is the first deer with the 35 Rem barrell. I have taken deer with the 7-30 Waters barrell, and hogs and a few sheep with the 35 Rem barrel in the past.  



He was a fat one, very healthy. 

[Mohawk]

  Congrats, Mark! Yeah, It has been kinda slow here but has been much better that last season due to not so much rain. I got #2 this year, a nice fat doe with my .38(Hangun Hunting Forum) and that should fill my freezer for a few weeks. Will save the last 3 for Dec and Jan. Has your luck improved regarding the 7/30 barrel since that time in Maverick county? I still can't figure what happened that day. 

[grout-scout]

Congrats, I seen a few nice ones but I'm holding out for a little cooler weather first.

[markc]

Mohawk, I parked that barrell when i got back from that trip and bought the 35 Rem barrell.  That other trip was odd, with that much blood to lose a deer. I still think that we walked right past it in that tall grass. Would have been nice if they would have had a tracking dog.  Remember how hard it was to find yours, and it was laying under a cedar somewhat in the open.  Do you also remember that I shot a 3 legged hog on that trip?   That was a fun time.

Grout-scout, I am hoping that these cold fronts will get the deer moving. Now I am looking for an axis, or some hogs.  My wife will probably shoot the best buck this year, I hope..

[Mohawk]

Yeah Mark. That was the first time I ever walked 2 miles to find a deer that ran 35 yrds..... LOL. And you're about your deer. We probably walked by it several times. And yes a 3 legged hog that has 3 rear legs will probably never be seen again.. (:   Wow your deer sure is healthy! Did you get a weight on him? I like how he's sporting that Hill Country rack. Nice deer! One of my biggest deer ever had a 13" spread but his height reached the clouds with decent mass. Getting him mounted?