Thread: Point Blank

Headed up the bush 2 days before Xmas for an evening hunt with the calibre of all calibres at my side Would probably be my last for a few weeks. Went up after dinner and was on the bushline by about 8pm. Although I've been to this farm before I hadn't been in and had a look around at this end so wasn't expecting much. After pushing uphill for about 10mins or so I found a good game trail with fairly fresh marks so I perked up and put one up the spout. Wind was along the hill and I intended to cut left at some stage and have it blowing in my face, sneaking along I came across an ugly patch of dead fall and rubbish so decided now was the time to sidle around the hill and veered left.

Wouldn't say I was being particularly quiet as I had to walk over some dry shit when a deer broke very close on the right side of that rubbish, naturally I crashed off to the right to get a glimpse maybe 8 or so meters, peered around a large tree to look up the hill not expecting a hell of a lot and bugger me here's a substantial sized deer about 2metres away! It was sort of quartering towards me and I don't know if it had seen me yet but it was pretty nervy judging by his movements so without too much fuss I clicked the safety off and shot it off my hip. Shouldering the gun would have been pointless. All he'll broke loose then, he shot up, spun round and bolted off in the opposite direction.

I stood there listening for a bit, knew I couldn't have missed but was wondering how the 110g Barnes would have faired, my first shot on a deer with them. Heard some crashing off in the distance so started to slowly track it, found some blood and then a very small piece of lung so was confident I'd find him before it got dark under the canopy. Probably ran 60 odd meters before expiring. Bullet entered at the first rib by the brisket and out through his armpit behind the off shoulder. Just hit the top of the heart and took out one of the apical lobes so wasn't far away from being a shit shot.

Dragged him out of the bush, far too heavy to carry. All downhill to the back paddock. Walked back to the front of the farm and got me ute and picked it up, nearly blew my arse out getting him in but manged to get HQ in first then swing the shoulders up off the ground.qithout him falling back off.

Will be giving most to the sharemilker and the owner as koha for access. Bullet created a fair bit of trauma on the otherside, salvaged the off shoulder as it was all bruising that could be trimmed off, ribcage not so much. The fattest deer I've ever shot up the kaimais that's for sure. Been in the chiller since then and broke him up this morning before it got to sweaty o clock

Fat!

All that dairy cow quality grass should make for some yummy eating, judging by that layer of pearly white fat!

great stuff....yip them 110grn barnes are interesting loads to use....wouldnt say they do any beter than a cup n core...but at that range you possibly were using the best possible load...stuff all chance of it blowing up.
you did well getting that beast into wagon alone.
great to hear you got access sorted in the end......that deer should see you as a welcome visitor for some time to come.

Well done charliehorse,those spring fat stags are heavy.Even to just roll over let alone on yr ut.Enjoy yr venison dinners and bbqs.

Choice hunt ending in a fat as mud deer ....should be tasty.

Well done, nice size animal and well done getting it into the ute on your own. I couldn't have got my deer into my ute on my own (bloody big) but I'm also getting weaker

Jua !!!!!! ...... a delicacy

"the calibre of all calibres at my side"

So you used a .270 win then?

Well done, bloody good conditioned animal.