Thread: Decisions decisions

First decision the hound and I are going hunting at spot X, second decision we’re going light weight which means single man ten, light weight 800ml Ti pot and BRS cooker, summer sleeping bag, 1 kg of spare clothes. Third decision what rifle do I use?? 308 no used that last trip, 300blackout no might see something longer range, well that only leaves the 338 edge.

Main decision no shooting stags until March, shoot yearling first then maybe a hind which will probably be pregnant, but the deer numbers a high in this area and I’ve already shot 60+ in here this year.
We left early to beat the heat of the day walking in, the first 2 hour using the head lamp and seen 3 deer on the river flats in the dark. 10am we got to our campsite/shooting position, straight away seen a 150 lb sow with 2 sucker 380m away feed on goat carcasses from last trip. Decision do we shot the pig or wait for a red skin?, Bugger it let’s make sum noise. So pulled the rifle out and setup ready to go, next walk the dog away from the firing position so I don’t blown ears and his mut muffs hearing protection on, he will stay there until I come back for him after I’m done shooting. Boomfa echoing through the hills and one destructive pig no longer ploughing the hillside up anymore. I went back to the dog sitting there waiting for the ok and took his muffs off him.
We setup camp and had a brew did some glassing and only goats spotted, no surprise there with a large muzzle braked magnum tell ever deer in the area I’m back and run for cover.
11:30am seen some hind feeding at 1700m and 1400m away, just need something closer. A few minutes later a hind and a yearling at 800m. Actual distance 782m, angle 14 degrees uphill, my bipod didn’t have enough elevation so had to use the backpack without the bipod. Same drill as before walk the dog way etc, laser the distance, pull the ballistic data off the Kestrel and setup rifle for a dry fire before I actually send a 285gr ELD-M on its way. Readjust scope magnification to 11 power for a wide field of view and being a front focal plan the reticle is very fine for accuracy and the wind hold makes no difference of magnification setting. Click the dry fire looks good in the scope, next load a round in and settle back on the cress of the yearling and boomfa , down she rolls and so it should even at that distance the bullet still had 2500 ft/lb of energy. It was only a small yearling and had a fit size hole on the opposite shoulder. From the shot there was deer running all over the place, 11 hinds and yearlings, 7 velvet stags.

We finally finished off our late breakfast and headed up the hill to collect some tasty venison. On the climb up we walk onto a hind 15m away and would of been a shot if a had one of my other rifles as she was standing there 10-15 seconds. And seen two more hind By the time we got up the deer the flys had already blown her. We boned the meat out and had a little lunch time siesta away from the fly blown carcass.

Next day we got another deer and a couple of goats. On the walk out we walk onto a hind 20m in the bush and could of shot her 4 or 5 time over as she would walk off then stand there looking then walk off and come back standing again. The dog was keen so I took my pack off pulled the rifle out ,pull the scope cover off, put ear plugs in and mut muffs for the dog, go into a pocket in my pack for ammo, then about to cycle the round and the little hind runs off. Bugger and thank god because I didn’t really want to carry more venison.

All and all a great trip, and spoilt for decisions.


A easy deer at 360m but already had a full pack.




The hound waiting in the shade while I bone the hind out.




782m yearling and the 338 edge.




The firing solution for the canon. Better battery life than a phone.




Muzzle brake protector/cover.




645m hind, the dogs looking a where a couple of velvet stags run off while coming onto this hind.




The hind was only 15m and would of been a easy shot it I had a different rifle.




A pack full of meat and the dogs Mut Muffs on the ready.




The dog loves water.

Good stuff!

Great write up!

You appear to have the only dog worth owning: A well trained one

Yup. And very well organised.

Great yarn and some fine shooting. How does the dog react to getting the ear muffs added?

Originally Posted by chainsaw

Great yarn and some fine shooting. How does the dog react to getting the ear muffs added?

In the beginning he didn’t like it but now with plenty of range time and a few hundred rounds on target, steel and animals it’s not a problem. It way better than a def dog, even though in the bush we use hand signals anyway.

Well done
That look on his face where the deer run of to is priceless Looks like he's thinking "why the hell aren't we going after those ones"
Oh and top marks for the doggie muffs I bet that thing goes off with quite a bang

Great yarn. Those ‘dog muffs’ look cool.

Good shooting and a well trained dog. Looks like a great area you're hunting.

Choice story and those Dog Muffs are a crack up, but great you use them to protect his hearing.