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Post by gd357 on Nov 13, 2023 22:47:44 GMT -5
Just rolled into deer camp, and had to see what you all have been up to. All I got to say is WOW! I see Dennis and Mark are cleaning up in TN, we've got a suppressed SMZ kill on the board (very sweet), and ONLY a 6 (that we're all thinking is THE 6, LOL). Just too cool to see you all having a great season. I'm cranked up, and I still haven't fired a shot. I'm gonna be safety off first light wednesday morning. Looking at a stack of doe tags as I type, and getting an itchy trigger finger. Will try to keep the phone handy for field pics... (I tend to forget it exists up here... ) Keep stacking them up! gd
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Post by sew on Nov 14, 2023 10:01:32 GMT -5
The ultralight 40 continues to perform.
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Post by sew on Nov 14, 2023 11:09:41 GMT -5
I’ve seen and passed up more deer this year than ever before, and a couple I didn’t pass up. The year got off to a great start 2 months ago with getting the bear sow that has run me out of my blind in the past. She had cubs then or she would have been dead! This year, she had no cubs and I got even. Very unusual, but effective, bear killing crossbow setup. It’s an >10 year old Excalibur BD400, Timney 1.5# trigger, Zombie shafts, AV3 vanes and the huge Edgetac 375g single bevel broadheads (total arrow wt - 695g, speed 286’/sec). Very comfortable out thru 60 yards with this setup. 47 yard kill.
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Post by yoderjac on Nov 14, 2023 11:54:02 GMT -5
Nice Bruin!
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Post by hillbill on Nov 14, 2023 18:33:36 GMT -5
Way to fix that super size coon Steve, no more worries about her!
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Post by jimbob on Nov 14, 2023 18:43:24 GMT -5
The ultralight 40 continues to perform. Nice buck and bear SEW Congratulations
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Post by gd357 on Nov 14, 2023 20:21:52 GMT -5
That's a heck of a season! Looks like you'll have a stocked freezer this winter!
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Post by sew on Nov 14, 2023 21:53:03 GMT -5
I love Jimbob’s creations, especially the ultralight!
PS And Kyle’s Hardcore 228s and VV powders in adequate amounts. No more fouling!
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Post by drinkwaj280 on Nov 16, 2023 21:02:52 GMT -5
This is my Dad's first deer of the season. A nice 6pt with a heavy body. He shot about 0700 this morning at about 90yds in a cut corn field. This buck stumbled about five yards before collapsing. His first deer since 2021 season. CVA Scout Conversion 45 SML Burris Signature HD 3-15x44 Fed 215 IMR 4198 65GN Accumax 250gn w/wool wad.
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Post by james72 on Nov 16, 2023 21:55:14 GMT -5
Another one down with my SML. This buck chased a doe past my stand and I stopped him quartered away at 20 yds. The bullet entered at the middle of ribs and exited in the lower part of the shoulder on the opposite side. He ran 50-60 yds and left a very good blood trail. The exit hole doesn't appear that big in the picture below, but once I skinned the buck you could put your fist in the exit hole. This is like a muzzleloader on steroids! CVA Scout 45 cal 54gr 4227 Accumax 278HC @ 2575fps Entrance hole Exit hole
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Post by shindig on Nov 17, 2023 7:52:49 GMT -5
Very nice buck
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Post by james72 on Nov 18, 2023 11:51:55 GMT -5
Went out yesterday and got a doe to give to my sister and her family (a good excuse to do a little more field testing with the SML) . Slightly quartered away at 50 yds. Shot was high shoulder and deer was DRT. The Accumax 278HC is perfect for me at the velocity I'm shooting (typical shots for me are 100 yds or less). Terminal performance is outstanding in my opinion - still has good penetration even when hitting heavy bone and does not explode upon impact. I'll be traveling to the Bluegrass state next week to hunt the last 5 days of rifle season. I'm considering taking my CVA Scout and using it instead of my rifle. To say I'm happy with how this gun shoots and performs on whitetail would be a huge understatement. Good luck to everyone and keep the posts coming! I love seeing pictures of fellow members' success.
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Post by Deputy819 on Nov 19, 2023 10:47:46 GMT -5
james72 said: “I'll be traveling to the Bluegrass state next week to hunt the last 5 days of rifle season.” Awesome! The Bluegrass State welcomes you. Make us proud, bro! Also, what’s that wound on the back of that doe near the base of her tail?🤔
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Post by yoderjac on Nov 19, 2023 14:49:08 GMT -5
Well, I'm done with bucks and need to be careful now. I had taken two 8-point bucks in the first week of our muzzleloader season along with one doe. On Thursday evening it was pretty cloudy at my place. I deer popped out of the brush at 150 yards with only 5 minutes of shooting time left. It was so dark I could not tell if it was a buck or doe. It was about the size of a mature doe. I still had one buck tag left, just in case. The deer came in my direction and gave me a broadside shot at the very last minute of legal shooting time. I still could not identify the sex, but it was now or never. I decided to take it.
Well, this was an interesting deviation from the norm. My 275 grain Pittman bullet just devastate deer. If I hit the shoulder , it explodes and I end up with a bang-flop. If I don't hit the shoulder, they might run 50 yards and flop, but this was different.
It was so dark, I never saw the deer run. I scanned the field with my FLIR expecting to see it laying nearby but saw nothing. I thought that maybe I missed it. I decided to give it a little time before going out to look for it. I was filming it in IR, so I replayed the footage. I was able to see the deer run a completely different direction than I would have guessed. It was a bee-sting run, so I knew it was hit. The deer was on the fringe of the illumination range and I could barely make it out as it stopped running and began to walk. Then I lost it.
I gave it a bit more time and then went out expecting to easily see it laying in the open field with the FLIR. No luck. I drove all around the are where I last saw it on camera searching with the FLIR and saw nothing. I decided to go back to the general area where I last saw it and look for a blood trail. Just as I was approaching that spot, I got a glimpse of a slight heat source about 40 yards away. I headed it toward it and as I got closer, I saw the small 5-point laying there. It fell into a small dip in the field. That masked the body heat from the low angle of the FLIR. Instead of showing up as a glowing hot body, it was a just a faint slightly white sliver until I got right on top of it where the FLIR had a better angle.
So, I'm now tagged out on bucks. I'll need to double check every deer from now on to make sure it is a doe. No more long-range or low-light shots for me this year.
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Post by james72 on Nov 19, 2023 22:32:23 GMT -5
james72 said: “I'll be traveling to the Bluegrass state next week to hunt the last 5 days of rifle season.” Awesome! The Bluegrass State welcomes you. Make us proud, bro! Also, what’s that wound on the back of that doe near the base of her tail?🤔 Thanks Deputy. I haven't hunted KY in a long time so I'm looking forward to it. I didn't even notice the wound near the base of her tail until you mentioned it. Only thing I can think of... I always use a zip saw to split the pelvic bone when I field dress a deer, but I didn't have it with me that day. I cut around the pelvic bone with my knife to get the colon and bladder out. I guess I must have cut through the hide with my knife.
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Post by chromeslayer on Nov 20, 2023 8:41:53 GMT -5
Ny gun season opened on Sat... was able to punch my tag
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Post by ballistic on Nov 20, 2023 8:59:12 GMT -5
Well, I'm done with bucks and need to be careful now. I had taken two 8-point bucks in the first week of our muzzleloader season along with one doe. On Thursday evening it was pretty cloudy at my place. I deer popped out of the brush at 150 yards with only 5 minutes of shooting time left. It was so dark I could not tell if it was a buck or doe. It was about the size of a mature doe. I still had one buck tag left, just in case. The deer came in my direction and gave me a broadside shot at the very last minute of legal shooting time. I still could not identify the sex, but it was now or never. I decided to take it. Well, this was an interesting deviation from the norm. My 275 grain Pittman bullet just devastate deer. If I hit the shoulder , it explodes and I end up with a bang-flop. If I don't hit the shoulder, they might run 50 yards and flop, but this was different. It was so dark, I never saw the deer run. I scanned the field with my FLIR expecting to see it laying nearby but saw nothing. I thought that maybe I missed it. I decided to give it a little time before going out to look for it. I was filming it in IR, so I replayed the footage. I was able to see the deer run a completely different direction than I would have guessed. It was a bee-sting run, so I knew it was hit. The deer was on the fringe of the illumination range and I could barely make it out as it stopped running and began to walk. Then I lost it. I gave it a bit more time and then went out expecting to easily see it laying in the open field with the FLIR. No luck. I drove all around the are where I last saw it on camera searching with the FLIR and saw nothing. I decided to go back to the general area where I last saw it and look for a blood trail. Just as I was approaching that spot, I got a glimpse of a slight heat source about 40 yards away. I headed it toward it and as I got closer, I saw the small 5-point laying there. It fell into a small dip in the field. That masked the body heat from the low angle of the FLIR. Instead of showing up as a glowing hot body, it was a just a faint slightly white sliver until I got right on top of it where the FLIR had a better angle. So, I'm now tagged out on bucks. I'll need to double check every deer from now on to make sure it is a doe. No more long-range or low-light shots for me this year. Absolutely loved your story and details. Felt like I was there. I can also understand why some on here including you and I -love the pitmans that put big holes and drop them or knick them and it’s still game over. Glad you found that buck ! Where did the bullet hit him ?
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Post by yoderjac on Nov 20, 2023 10:39:16 GMT -5
Well, I'm done with bucks and need to be careful now. I had taken two 8-point bucks in the first week of our muzzleloader season along with one doe. On Thursday evening it was pretty cloudy at my place. I deer popped out of the brush at 150 yards with only 5 minutes of shooting time left. It was so dark I could not tell if it was a buck or doe. It was about the size of a mature doe. I still had one buck tag left, just in case. The deer came in my direction and gave me a broadside shot at the very last minute of legal shooting time. I still could not identify the sex, but it was now or never. I decided to take it. Well, this was an interesting deviation from the norm. My 275 grain Pittman bullet just devastate deer. If I hit the shoulder , it explodes and I end up with a bang-flop. If I don't hit the shoulder, they might run 50 yards and flop, but this was different. It was so dark, I never saw the deer run. I scanned the field with my FLIR expecting to see it laying nearby but saw nothing. I thought that maybe I missed it. I decided to give it a little time before going out to look for it. I was filming it in IR, so I replayed the footage. I was able to see the deer run a completely different direction than I would have guessed. It was a bee-sting run, so I knew it was hit. The deer was on the fringe of the illumination range and I could barely make it out as it stopped running and began to walk. Then I lost it. I gave it a bit more time and then went out expecting to easily see it laying in the open field with the FLIR. No luck. I drove all around the are where I last saw it on camera searching with the FLIR and saw nothing. I decided to go back to the general area where I last saw it and look for a blood trail. Just as I was approaching that spot, I got a glimpse of a slight heat source about 40 yards away. I headed it toward it and as I got closer, I saw the small 5-point laying there. It fell into a small dip in the field. That masked the body heat from the low angle of the FLIR. Instead of showing up as a glowing hot body, it was a just a faint slightly white sliver until I got right on top of it where the FLIR had a better angle. So, I'm now tagged out on bucks. I'll need to double check every deer from now on to make sure it is a doe. No more long-range or low-light shots for me this year. I thought I'd add a little more here about terminal impact as requested. This was the first pass-thru shot I had which accounts for the longer run of this deer. The 275 grain Pittman passed directly through the chest cavity missing ribs. The exit wound was only a couple inches in diameter. While it make for a harder recovery, this shot destroyed very little meat.
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Post by dennis on Nov 23, 2023 19:14:02 GMT -5
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Post by ar91599 on Nov 23, 2023 21:25:40 GMT -5
Granddaughter and her Anna finally got it done today thinks she likes Papa’s 45 muzzle loader! Attachments:
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