First blood. (Photo heavy)

Got the chance to take the new rifle out for its first outing today, sighted it in last week and then fitted a MTN bipod yesterday. I like this system its quick and easy to attach and is very light.

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The local NZDA here have a place where you can basically hunt what is in essence a private block, my first trip here a few weeks ago I spied a decent looking red as well as the usual goats but didn't get a chance at a shot.

Fast forward to this morning and I'm out the door at 6am and pull into the parking area 10 minutes before first light, I wait for it to get light then drive across the Ford and park about 1km up the hill just after the steepest bits (I will regret this later).

I set off walking up the gravel road knowing the goats like to hang out on it in the mornings and this is also where I had seen the red previously. I reach a pull in and do a quick recce for the gloves I lost last time but alas no luck, while standing in the road I here stones rattling above and 3 goats pop out. Unfortunately as soon as I move to bring up the rifle they give a snort and disappear they were only about 10 away. So I carry on up the hill and much later I see more goats up and almost around a bend, so I get down on my knees to lower my profile while I observe and they remain oblivious to me.

I quickly remove my pack and get prone and line up on the closest nanny thinking a nice nanny will be good for the pot, however just as I'm about to fire the nannies move up slightly and I no longer have a clear shot. The reason they moved becomes clear when a decent sized billy steps out, the first shot is a clean miss but due to me lying down and the suppressor they all mill about so I line up again and the 168Gr Nosler ballistic tip does its thing on the billy. I had to scramble down a steep bank for the photo though.

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Analysing the shots afterwards I realise the miss was due to being sighted in an inch high at 100yards and so at 30 yards the shot went high. I made it home about 3.30pm after a decent day on the hill.

Not bad for an ageing man who has spent far too much time on the couch this winter.

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At 30 yards you should be close to dead on.... Good work getting big billy.we don't have goats down here,very few n far between.

Looks like a neat place to cover some ground

Bullet should be a tag low of line of site at 30yds,more practice hunting needed HJ.Nice block of land there to hunt on.