Well, the Encore with the 30-06 (rifle) barrel got bloodied tonight. Nice 3 point (some folks would call it a 5) buck. I would just call it a nice South Carolina Buck. Got into the stand about 3:45, and the wind was howling... Thought I was in one of those carnival rides.. Stand moving back and forth! Kept thinking, why in the heck are we out here.
About 4:45 the wind layed down, dang it was nice. Was glancing back in forth between the power line cut, and a large field area, back in the corners. At about 5:05, I glanced up the cut, and said "dang.. how did that deer get there?" There was a nice deer about 125 yards up the cut broadside with it's head down. Eased the Encore up and found it in the scope. As it raised his head, I seen horns! Dropped the cross hairs to the correct spot and touched one off. Bang... Deer never took a step. Dropped in his tracks.
After waiting for a bit, and letting the jitters settle down, I walked out to the Buck. Nice South Carolina buck, on the scales, he went 135.
Load was a 150 grain Sierra SP Boat Tail sitting on top of 57 grains of IMR 4350. This combination lit by a CCI 200 has produced MOA groups in this rifle. Shoot pretty dang good out of the bolt gun also.
I was surprised at the amount of damage done by the bullet... It was a classic broad side shot, lungs destroyed and hart destroyed. I can see why he never took a step.
Well time to put the 7mm-08 barrel on and get one with that...
